(no subject)

[felicula]

I don't know what it is about me today. I walked past Kodak Park to the Dewey Ave. post office since I had an envelope that required expediating. On the way home I decided to head south on Dewey and cut across to Lake Ave. on Flower City.

And cats and cats and cats. At first, I saw a black and white tuxedo cat (with a pink nose :) ) near a tree. Hiding in the shrubs at the base of the same tree was a grey and orange calico. Both were young. For those who know my cats, they were both smaller than Epiphany and very obviously still in the realm of kittenhood.

The calico bolted, but the tuxedo trotted right up to me. He made the rounds, rubbing my legs, sniffing my hands, and letting me pet him quite a bit. Seeing this, the calico came back, but not quite close enough to pet. Then an orange tabby with a touch less white on him than Dweezil trotted up to investigate me too.

They acted like siblings, two boys and a girl. They were rather thin, though. All were dirty enough to imply that even if they didn't live outside all the time, they spent enough time out of doors to likely be picking up all manners of bugs. I couldn't help but wonder if they had people to call their own.

I spent a good chunk of time just crouching, visiting with them. I started heading away reluctantly, and all three followed me a couple houses down. Though they acted as if this was their yard, a door opened back at the first house. Out ambled an urban redneck in his thirties who moved as if his muscles considered the distance from TV to fridge a long walk.

He didn't say anything, but came closer and picked a plant to use as a cat toy. I asked if the cats were his. Nope, they're his sister's. He mumbled something about her having nine cats, though one was enough for him. I commented that they were nice, friendly cats. His response was, "as long as they don't get killed," gesturing toward the road. "When they're young like this that's when ya gotta teach 'em to stay outta it."

It felt as if he'd come out in the first place to discourage me from petting and conversing with these kittens. Yet, from the looks of it, they don't seem to be living the priveleged lives of housepets. I continued on anyway. I really didn't want to find out what would happen if he decided that just standing there wasn't intimidating enough.

As I waited to cross a sidestreet, I noticed a lounging, much more comfortable cat in the porch window of the house the kittens seemed to enjoy the yard of.

Then I passed by the playground of the school where Aidan attended PreK. In the corner, perched on a small wooden riser, was a beautiful dark tortoiseshell. She sniffed at me through the chain link fence, but only for a short time.

Once hitting my own street, I saw another cat in a window, this one watching me intently.

I guess it is cat day for me. I'm glad I love cats!