Cat of the people makes headlines
Who knows what does it — what takes the same and makes it new. Maybe it’s something in the air or in the heart that gives a little nudge and says, “Why not this?”
Cosmic, divine or whim of the moment, it struck Grey Kitty. He’s become a walking cat.
Free of body (and leash), of presumably sound mind, fuzzy and odd little Grey took it upon himself to join in a neighborly jaunt one evening last week. And once we had ambled past a few houses, the little thing just kept on going.
Patter pat patter pat. “Squeak!”
Pat patter patter. “Squee-eaak!”
Slowly and most unsurely Grey would make his way down the block, one house-length at a time. When timidity would get the better of him he’d have to be picked up and carried a few feet to console and cajole him into going forward. (Sprinklers are rather scary after all.) The poor little beast was well outside of his comfort zone. Frequent cuddles were the only fortifying agent on hand.
Miracle of miracles, Grey made it around the corner and down another block. Then, miracle of greater miracles, he did it twice more this week. With a loquacious pooch in residence at the corner one-story, that’s no small feat for a cat afraid of keys.
Most shocking of all, however, is the distance those little paws have tread. The supposedly timid cat — the one who jumps and runs if you step near him too quickly — is the most popular guy in the neighborhood.
A flurry of children, half of whom I had never seen yet apparently live on our block (whoops), came tumbling out of a tree to coo over our mottled-looking cat. Precious, sweet and “cute” (!?) little Grey Kitty was going on a walk! What fun. I think he made front page of the neighborhood newsletter.
The baffling popularity of our otherwise shy kitty (who may be a covert jerk avoiding guests he just doesn’t like) did add to the momentousness of the affair. The air hummed with the thrill of a parade — or perhaps with the excitement of something better, since feline elective ambulations are a good sight rarer than parades.
In one week it’s been a double whammy grandslam: The joyful surprise of a new walking partner and the sobering reality that your cat is a better people person than you.
But now that he knows how to get there, I just hope they don’t name him Vice President of Homeowner’s Association. I mean, for goodness’ sake, he doesn’t even clean up after himself on the lawn.
