I don't know why I think there's any way in hell a cat is going be doing what I have depicted here, but you have to admit there is a hint of the unimaginable about cats in general. I guess that's why I find them to be such a fascinating subject. For whatever reason, I see them focused and extremely serious about their acrobatic stunt work. It is after all, a matter of nine lives and death.
I have also depicted a good faerie here. She's not a syrupy sweet faerie, but one who represents all of those people who have the courage to take feral cats out of their predicaments and put them in a better situation. This one is inspired by two people.
My best childhood friend and sister Morgan, is a veterinarian who takes in feral cats. The first time I visited her I never even saw them the whole time I was there - just traces. It was really quite interesting. I tried to find them one afternoon, but never did. One night however, as I lay asleep on the couch in the living room, I had a visitation. I was awakened by what I can only describe as a pat on the butt (I use Websters definition of butt as "the thick end of anything"). I thought I was dreaming about Robert Redford and went back to sleep. The next morning Morgan said it was probably one of the cats.
The other friend-of-all-cats friend of mine is my childhood neighbor Mrs. Katz, who spent many years capturing feral cats in our old neighborhood and having them neutered and spayed to help stem the population explosion. It was her thing and what she could do to help she said. I always thought it interesting that her last name was Katz and that she loved and helped cats!
So anyway, bless all of those little beasts out there.
Feral Feline Faerie, 8" x 8" watercolor • Framed to 12" x 12" • $200
I just love this blog and the art piece as well. Bless Mrs. Katz. And bless your sister, Morgan for helping out. How many ferule cats can one lady afford to have neutered and spayed??
ReplyDeleteThose cats do us a great service in keeping the rodent population at bay but lead tough lives.
I wonder if they look in windows at the house cats curled up in the sun. Would they like to be in that place or would they not give up their free lives for any creature comforts?
I wonder if they befriend the homeless humans who lead much the same lives as they do? Do the cats feel the kindred-ship? I think so.
I myself often feel a special bond of communication with a ferule cat that I don't feel with a someone's pet. Wild ones have an edge...an understanding. They make an unspoken appraisal of us and we then communicate, or not, with them all unspoken...through eyes and body language. Wild thing to wild thing.
Ted is actually Kitty, using his G-acct.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Claudia. We have taken in, wait, let me rephrase that, we have become a slave to a feral cat just recently. She would stand up on her hind legs and paw at our glass door for hours until we couldn't stand it anymore and let her in. She was a bit skittish and at the same time quite provocative in that she would rub all of us AND the dog. I figured it out later, she just wanted a home were she could come and go at her leisure and have unlimited food. She went willingly to the Vets for shots, etc. and is scheduled to be spayed Dec. 1st(we'll see how she likes us then). She isn't interested in being petted any more, and barely gives us the time of day. I think she had her way with us and now that we're hooked she has the best of both worlds. Oh well, what are ya gonna do?
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