On Cats!

By PHK

I have a weakness for cats. For years we had Cleo, a camera-shy Bangkok-born Burmese who would never stay still long enough to be photographed. In Washington, DC her favorite perch was on top of the refrigerator. This gave her a commanding view of the kitchen, the can-opener, her food dish and a place where she could keep a wary eye out for her nemesis, our then young son, who really wanted a dog. He told me much later that it wasn't because he was fond of dogs, it was so he could sic it on my cat.

In Moscow, Cleo lived splayed out across the grill of the warmest radiator in the apartment. In Athens, her favorite sport was catching and eating backyard lizards. Since cats are allergic to lizards, she would return to the house just in time to throw up lizard remains on our bedspread.

We don’t have a cat in New Mexico because my husband discovered he’s allergic to cats or maybe the lizard innards got to him. Anyway, in lieu of a cat, our yard jumps with brown field rabbits of all sizes: Unfortunately, because I have a small vegetable garden. Meanwhile, I have developed immense sympathy for Mr. McGregor and lost all fondness for Peter. Baby bunnies are cute – but if it’s them or me munching the veggies, then the battle lines are
clear.

On my side are the neighborhood predators. I’ve heard we have coyotes, but I’ve only seen bobcats – and then on rare occasion. They eschew vegetables and adore rabbits – I just wish they’d finish the job and dispose of the carcass elsewhere. But they don’t.

Bobcats – despite their slovenly, stealthy, predatory ways - are cute. I first sighted one on a late summer’s eve as it blithely wandered across the patio. It even stopped to look at the lights inside our house – but it then turned and quickly disappeared in the the night.

A week ago, between fourth and fifth snowstorms of the season, a bobcat pair silently appeared. They perched on the tallest cement post on our back wall. We didn’t see them arrive; and we missed their departure.

They stayed in the same position for an hour or more in watch-cat position. Their alert bodies touched one another – back to back, head to rear and rear to head. They were so close to each other that from a distance they looked like a two headed animal with one head on each end of its body. One wary bobcat's head continuously surveilled our yard and the other faced the yard behind. Whether they were looking for food, keeping four eyes out for their own predators or both, I don’t know. And they certainly would not have told me.

Whether they even saw us I don’t know. And I haven’t seen the pair since. Why they appeared that cloud-filtered winter afternoon, where they came from, where they went or whether they’ll ever return remain mysteries that I'll probably never solve.

Photos by PHKushlis - 1) Bobcats - Albuquerque, NM January 2007; 2) Garden in early summer -2006; 2) Bobcats II - Albuquerque, NM January 2007.

Comments

[Joe the Dog Lover]

I am more of a dog person but I do like cats as well.