Robin Abcarian: I inherited a four-pound, furry ball of destruction

My life is being held hostage by a 4-pound, 22-year-old black cat.

Her name is Inky, and I inherited her from my father, who was terribly worried about how she would fare after he died.

In a just world, he would have worried about me.

Inky is a slip of a thing. She was always skittish and unfriendly, given to disappearing when anyone who was not my father walked into a room.

He adored dogs but refused to adopt one because it might upset