I visited a local business the other day, and I was greeted by two cats.
One was a ginger cat with giant feet. He was a long-legged big-shouldered athlete. Golden eyes that matched his fur. He looked like the first cat they would consider for the Olympic Cat Team.
The other was a black and white cat. She was the same size as the athletic cat, but she was all hair covering a ballet body. That hair, though. Picture a tuxedo cat with fur that sweeps the floor like a ball gown.
They jumped on the counter, I stuck out two fingers for each, and it was on. My left hand is now the territory of Olympic Cat and my right hand belongs to Tuxedo Dancer. My black sweater is now covered with ginger on the left and grey on the right.
I wondered why these cats looked so much better than any other cat I’d ever seen, and evidently, this is what a non-feral cat looks and acts like. Not traumatised. Healthy. Fearless.
I asked the owner and she said they came as kittens from a breeder.My stray mutt dog was far superior to my purebred dogs in every way, but perhaps it’s not the same with cats.
I mean, I know I’m a traumatised mutt, but do my cats have to be? I’ve had three strays in my life. What would it be like to have a pet be the healthiest member of the family?
Next week when I pick up my order I’ll see if I can get Gary to come along.