The Cat's Place ~ Our Cat

Sometimes, through events unforeseen, we rediscover a part of ourself, and renewal of our spirit. It wasn't planned, no notion of acquiring a cat. There had been no cats for many years, not a deliberate act, just realistic for the time in my life.

In 2004, 4 major hurricanes swept our Florida state within a 6 week span. Days unfolded with burst of preparation, then a strange calm. In October 04, she came into the neighborhood. "Domestic shorthair. Black and white tuxedo," scribed by her vet. And charm followed her, weaving an enchanting web.

She made her rounds between three families. There was a mother and little girl, then our next door neighbor, a couple with a little boy. And there was my husband, Rob and me. Of the morning, the little girl pat her on the head, as the cat sat down for breakfast. She was feline, but like a pretty new girl in school, charm and mystery went a long way.

She visited me in the garage when I was washing clothes, had a tin of 9 Lives, and lingered part of the day. The neighbor next door announced "she had a bed and would be staying in their garage," as we expected a January freeze. They had named her, but we had given her a name too, "Cloe."

When Rob came in from work, she always greeted him with her "meows." He made over her with petting and praise, then she would leave again. Now, she spent less time with me during the day, and I thought she was more our neighbor's cat than ours, though I expected her to come in when I opened the garage. And I would peer out the window for a glimpse of her. She stopped going across the street. The mother and little girl moved away.

It was the first day of March, a balmy touch of Spring to come. Our neighbor shut the cat out, and left for 4 days. Cloe stayed with us. And on our neighbor's return, she remained, the unspoken language of belonging.

Soon a feral cat seeking territory attacked Cloe. After a visit to the vet, we brought her home to nurture, but our concern escalated for her safety. We were direly aware of peril around every corner. Even a brief adventure was not safe.

Cloe is an inside cat now, and has only an occasional encounter with the summer grass. There is such a look of content, and I smile at her trust, repose and feline charm.

For there are those of us who believe there is some illusive trait, in the essence of some innate nature, there is a time of full circle. Home is "the cat's place."

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