It’s Black Cat Appreciation Day!

You may already know that black-colored animals are less likely to be adopted from shelters than animals of other colors, but there’s no logical justification for it.

Black cats (and dogs, both of which I’ve had the privilege to live with) are just as lovable as full of personality as those of other colors, but superstition and lower photogenicity (not their fault – cameras struggle to show nuance with black) mean that they’re avoided or overlooked…unfairly.

If you’re considering adding a cat to your family, consider a wonderful, glorious black cat – or two or three. All hail the beautiful and mysterious black cat!

Haiku: Clandestine Crossing

The cold and snow are upon us, making the very act of living more challenging for wild creatures. I suspect that the canid tracks above may be from a coyote, as they appear a bit larger than I would expect from a fox (though we have both here). Other tracks, mesmerizing in their own way, were left by other animals and invite imagining their destinations and their difficulties during this time of year.

Continue reading “Haiku: Clandestine Crossing”

Haiku: Who Are You?

Someone came by last night – the tracks indicated that it was a feline. Was it a neighbor’s cat, returning to a home…or a stray cat, just hoping to find food and some shelter from brutal cold? I hope it was the former, but fear that it was the latter. I hope it wasn’t the tuxedo cat with the limp. Sadly, not all cats have a safe, good life. I wish they did. I’ll think of the visitor as I feed my cats, warm and well-fed, tonight: may you find a safe haven.

Haiku: Eyes In The Dark

Some people find the unblinking stare of a cat unsettling, but it captures my imagination. It makes me think that the wheels are turning…that schemes are being concocted.

Or, perhaps, that he’s observing or contemplating something that tests the boundaries of human comprehension: multiverses, apparitions, the meaning of existence, free will versus determinism..?

Or maybe he’s just tracking dust motes or other miniscule objects that I simply can’t see.

What do you think is going on here?