Stray Cats

After my dear cat Emmy Lou passed away about 12 years ago, I’ve had a huge kitty void in my life.  Unfortunately, my dog combination including an Australian Cattle Dog has not been ideal for another cat.  Cattle Dogs are known cat chasers/ killers.  Other than that, he’s a peach.  So imagine my surprise when the Siamese mix cat that appeared in the barn about a year ago showed up on the porch begging for food.  We plied her with food; dry food with wet food and a little cream in a bowl.  We knew she was the one who killed the destruct-o mole in the vegetable garden & was keeping the mice in check around the chicken pen.  We named her “Luna” as she only showed up at night.

About 2 months later, a little brown tabby moved in under the house and could be seen along the perimeter of the yard.  She was so elusive, I named her “Phantom.”  Then one day after eating the leavings from Luna she too showed up on the porch begging.  Now we make sure both cats get a meal.  These animals were probably dumped by their owners an all too common occurrence in this rural area.  We enjoy their nightly visits from our kitchen window and are considered part of the family.  They have inspired both a poem and some artwork.

 

 

Stray Cats

They come in the night

Wild-eyed, wary belonging to no one

caught in the netherworld

of feral and domestic

 

Perhaps they were dumped

unwanted by their owners

too lazy to be responsible

Then they chose us

sensing beneath layers of wariness

that we could be trusted

 

They wait on the porch

for the food, ample

In return we have gratitude

for them keeping the rodents at bay

and for just their wild presence

 

We will never know the sweet softness of their fur

Nor the lull of their purrs

But we can save them, these homeless cats

And give them place

It’s something we can do

It’s something we can do

 

Photos and artwork by the author