A story of an animal getting the better (gently) of his human master. This is a timeless formula. 18th- century composer Domenico Scarlatti is famous for his piano sonatas, one of which was, according to legend, inspired by the sequence created by his cat walking across his harpsichord. Lachenmeyer puts this story in context, giving the cat a personality and placing him in the context of Scarlatti's globe-trotting musical career.