Becoming a Cat Lady

Rinsing empty Kitty Delight cans that accumulate around the perimeter of the kitchen

stepping over cat toys in the middle of the living room area rug scattering treats as I go

I have discovered that

MARISSA

the little black domestic short hair, is addicted to Temptations and I am just as addicted to her black, silky, cashmere fur that I irresistibly sink my face into

I make conversation with her, cat talking back and forth

we both agree on the perils of this world that we need to escape from, pushing aside the noise and confusion

there are certainly more safe, quiet places we both enjoy retreating to

she knows all of the nooks and crannies of this house and I follow her there.

BOO

lovely Boo, with a freshly starched, fluffy white chest and paws that look like he just dipped them into the same white paint

has amazing green eyes

he needs to be mothered

too fat to groom himself, ruled by the cravings in his tummy, his fur accumulates relentless knots that beg to be untangled constantly, which he refuses

he is fascinated by running water, earthy smells and edible bugs that crawl through the garden

MAMA CASS

I search for Mama Cass "because she has an attitude", wandering up the back alley in search of fat mice

rescued herself, she refuses to be confined

my days are predictable, scooping dry food into food bowls, refilling fresh water, cleaning litter boxes, fluffing up straw in shelters outside

searching for wary strays slinking under parked cars and under decks

I lift a blanket and check the trap, wondering if I have saved another life to deliver to the animal shelter

hungry, wild eyes stare up at me suspiciously, thin grey fur ribs well defined have found their way inside and the desperate decision to raid a can of "Meat and Gravy" has changed the course of his life forever

before the winter freeze sets in

this one is in luck

I sometimes catch a glimpse of

GOBLIN

the Trap Neuter and Return cat, black and white feral ducking into his garage home and settling into his cat bed positioned under the heat lamp, still warming him and it's almost summer

I chase him around the yard teasing "I'm going to pet you" but of course, never can.

He has bungled eyes, destined to suffer his existence in an empty garage.

I can make his life just a little bit better.

PHANTOM

surprises me by poking his head in through the pet door seeking dinner, preferably meat

expecting praise, so I can remind him how beautiful he is and how unsafe it is to hide under parked cars

he will graduate soon to adoption and Goblin will lose a friend

I savor a moment of compassion for them all and contemplate.

Are we in any better position?

There are homeless on the streets.

HOMELESS MAN

I saw a man living in a tent in the park the other day, dragging his possessions around on a bicycle.

How would I go about rescuing him? Would I set a trap and catch him too? How would I confine him so he wouldn't find his way back to the cold, snowy streets?

Could I take away his bottles of whisky and wine, his needles and ragged clothes, his cigarettes and other self-destructive choices?

Could I feed him homemade chicken noodle soup, carrot/orange juice and vitamins or would he push them away and ask for a Big Mac, bacon and cheese instead?

Perhaps cats are an easier challenge.

The beeper goes off on Mama Cass's collar. The hand held locator finds her sneaking through the neighbor's green yard on the hunt.

Perched on the fence, pressing the button, I look like a fool and she knows it, wearing my vulnerability on my sleeve.

Her attitude is "so what's the fuss?" but my persistence pays off. She maneuvers her way through weeds, over piled up firewood and scales the wooden fence.

I scoop her up and she purrs the love of knowing that we have a special bond that she controls. It was love at first sight, right from the moment that I discovered them tucked away, in from the snow, on a cold, garage floor in April.

So how did it all begin? Mama Cass led me onto the path of volunteering, rescuing lost kitties and transporting them to the local vet clinic and shelter, cleaning cat boxes, shopping for cat food, raising kittens and building "The Meow Hotel". This led to news reporters beating a path to my door, an interview and a dream of encouraging others to convert their wooden garbage bins into stray cat shelters for the homeless feline population that roam our streets and back alleys.

Night settles over the neighborhood and finds all three of mine, lying on top of me, sharing their life giving warmth, erasing the stresses of the day until morning's dawn wakes me to their urgent cries for food and freedom

and I realize then, that if I haven't already arrived there, I'm on my way to becoming a cat lady.