Today is a good day to back away from politics, and cuddle up with a favorite pet. A few weeks ago, I unexpectedly found myself under the spell of a gray kitty. Here’s my story.
I travel a lot, and it’s mostly by choice. Since 2002, I have been self-employed as a consulting forester. The forests of the Southeast, and those of the Northwest, are equally familiar to me. I take advantage of the differences in climate between the two regions, working in the Northwest during the summer and early fall when the Southeast is suffering from oppressive heat and humidity. When the days are short and gloomy in the Northwest, the southern states are a better choice for outdoor work.
When I pack my truck and leave Georgia in June or July, I’m likely to be away from home for three months or longer. Along the way, as I visit friends and relatives, I get to admire their cats. Having one of my own was pretty much out of the question, or so I thought.
Late at night on the sixteenth day of November, I rolled into my driveway after an absence of nearly five months. The next day I met with the neighbor who looks after my house while I’m on the road. She pointed out a young gray cat, saying that her son had discovered it in a firewood pile at the end of my driveway. There were already three dogs and a cat in her household, and that was enough. Would I be willing to take care of this new arrival?
Before long, the cat and I were introduced. She was gray with medium length fur, with white feet and a patch of white on her neck. Her fluffy tail had interesting brown highlights. It was clear that she was a special kitty, very affectionate and unafraid of humans. Clearly she had been raised around people. How she ended up alone in the wood pile is anyone’s guess.
I agreed to take the cat, with the understanding that it would be a “shared custody” situation. Whenever I was away, the neighbors would be in charge. Suddenly, in addition to unpacking and getting caught up on five months’ worth of business at home, I had a cat to deal with. My shopping list was expanded to include cat food and a litter box. I didn’t even bother to buy any special dishes. An old saucer for the food, and an old frisbee for the water dish, and the kitty was happy.
Since she was accustomed to being outdoors, I decided to let her choose where to be. Generally she prefers to be out during the day, and inside at night. I have a large screened-in porch that makes a great squirrel observatory, while being sheltered from the weather.
With a new cat comes a list of questions. Will she fit in, or will she be the Pet From Hell? Will she be aloof or friendly? Vocal or quiet? Will the window shades and sofas survive? Will I be forced to hide the toilet paper? One by one the questions were answered, and most of the answers were good.
She quickly accepted me as her new companion. Some of her traits are very endearing. When she is outdoors and sees me at the door, she will come running at full speed to greet me. If the food plate is too close to being empty (in her opinion), she will run up behind me and grab my leg. She loves to be held, and purrs loudly whenever I’m giving her attention. She is very quiet, letting out an occasional soft “mew” if there is something she wants.
But being a cat, she has to explore. All the shelves and high places in my house are obviously meant for her. Thus far she has not damaged anything, and she is gradually learning which locations are Approved, and which ones are Forbidden.
Today was very stormy. There was heavy rain, lightning and thunder, and even tornado sirens. Through it all, she stayed calm.
Of course everyone wants to know what name I’ve chosen for this gorgeous cat. After I’d been around her for a couple days, long enough to observe her behavior, the name Noble Fur came to mind. Okay, it’s an obtuse pun on a rather obscure tree species, but I still have not come up with a better name. The confident manner in which she carries herself is noble indeed.
Names aren’t all that important to me, and the cat doesn’t seem to care, either. But neither will I turn down the opportunity to make this a “Name That Cat” diary.
Merry Catmas to all, and may the Furs be with you.