511. Cat Walk.

R has custody of our 20 pound orange tabby Muggsy. I miss the little fella, but I have visitation rights.

Muggsy is a dog cat. He fetches, excitedly comes when you call him ("Come here, boy!"), and he sat with me whenever I had a good cry.

On my walk Saturday evening, I was feeling a little blue. Muggsy would've followed me around had he been with me.

My walk takes me through Oakland's Rose Garden as I've mentioned before in previous posts. The garden is still in gorgeous bloom. As I tried and failed to capture the brilliant pink rose explosions (I need a better camera--mine doesn't properly capture color dazzle) a cat brushed up against my leg.

Stupid camera! The pink I saw bounced off
of the roses and nearly blinded me.
I liked it.

Maya the cat.

She was extremely affectionate, and loved rubbing up against my legs. When I squatted to pet her, she would alternatively sit still for pets and walk around me in continuous cat contact. Others caught her attention, as shown in the photo, but she stayed with me. She let me tire of of her company first. But, parting was still such sweet sorrow.

I continued on my walk and was eagerly greeted by a large fluffy cat. He ran up to me, and threw himself belly-up on the sidewalk. (Muggsy does this, too. I think this behavior is on the fat cat gene.) By the time I got my camera out he moved over to a rose bed and rolled around like a happy pig in a puddle of mud.


He, too, wouldn't let me go. My first two I-really-must-be-going gestures were met with sweet mews. The sun was threatening to set, and although I was in a good neighborhood, I won't walk alone at night. I said my goodbyes and continued on.

Luckily, I had my camera out for this cat's greeting:

Such a fierce prance! I considered running for my life,
but remembered that I'm a superhero.
I could take him on if needed.

He pranced up to me with the same eagerness as the others. I felt bad that I couldn't give him much time or attention. His turned-back ears and twitchy tail told me he was annoyed, but he still let me go.

It's not unusual for kitties to come up to me as I walk by, but these kitties eagerly ran up to me as if they were my own. Maybe Muggsy's sensitivity isn't unique. Or maybe I'm part cat. Or maybe it was dinner time.

Meow!