I have been practicing my
Spanish language skills lately. One of my strategies, along with using drills
on a language app, is to think of phrases that I might realistically use in a
conversation, translate the phrase, and work to memorize them. Hence, “Mis
gatos están mimados” (My cats are spoiled). As their third birthday
arrives, I do not think Lucie, Pip, or Coco would disagree.
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| Lucie rules the house |
While the pandemic has been hard
on humans, for cats, at least those that live in our house, it has been great.
The humans are around to entertain and feed them. With traveling and
socializing was put on hold, Angie and I spent more time on the back porch
watching birds and reading last summer. Naturally, Lucie, Pip, and Coco, would
come to the back door, where a screen separated them from their human parents
and beg for attention. I had the bright idea of bringing their crate out so
they, too, could enjoy the outside. My reasoning was sound: the crate was used
the previous summer to transport them to a vacation in the Finger Lakes. So, by
having it around and getting them used to it, the next time we need it for
travel they might find it as some comfort. Fast forward several months later,
the crate has become a piece of furniture in our living room, and all three cats
now think it is a good idea to go on the back porch to inspect the snow and
ice.
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| Coco inspecting the snow |
While I joke about how spoiled
our cats are, more to make fun of myself than anything else, it is difficult to
imagine this pandemic without them. They are entertaining and comforting to
both of us. Their sweet dispositions and desire to be with us is a salve for a
time that has disrupted our lives. Our increased purchases online results in
more deliveries in boxes; engaging in what was once thought a great luxury,
having a personal shopper at the grocery store for pick up, has greatly
increased the number of paper bags brought into the house. I am convinced that
all three cats believe that the number of boxes and bags is both a great side
benefit from the pandemic and an intentional act by us to shower gifts to
demonstrate our affection and devotion. There is no need to buy expensive toys
when brown paper bags and cardboard boxes are ideal.
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| Pip likes grocery day |
Our lives during the pandemic
have slowed down. More time is spent at home. Because social activities, civic
meetings, and work have significantly decreased during social distancing period,
we spend more evenings at home than ever before. As darkness creeps in the evenings
during the winter months, Lucie often makes her way to the kitchen and stares
at the food bowl. If ignored, she begins to vocalize to let us know it is time
for a wet-food treat Angie buys a cat food that, despite the flavor or content,
each variety is finished with “a decadent broth.” The word decadent is not lost
on either of us. With winter, a decided chill descends upon the house. In the
evenings, Pip finds an empty bed or box in front of the fireplace. He intently
gazes at where the fire should be, willing it to spontaneously ignite. He has
the power to do that, after of course either Angie or I get up to flip the
switches. Once the fireplace is lit, all three come and bask in the warmth.
Coco, our delicate but large cat, loves being near us. We use the nickname “Squeaker,”
because does not really meow but instead employs a series of high-pitched
vocalizations that sound as if she is talking just after inhaling some helium.
She has a morning ritual, running up the stairs to the office, squeaking the
whole way, telling me that she has come to help me work. We have a daily battle
of defining our respective spaces on the desk. I am firm that her part
of the desk does not include the computer. But as she becomes more comfortable,
she begins to spread and insists on using the side of the computer screen as a
headrest. If I relent, a few minutes later she wants to rest her paw on the
edge of the keyboard, perhaps not ironically, on the delete button. It is exceedingly
difficult to type any document when Coco is there to periodically delete any
new additions to whatever I am composing.
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| Lucie claiming the top of the crate |
When she finds the time to
relax, Angie’s afternoons are sometimes spent working on jigsaw puzzles. Those
one thousand or so pieces are a source of fascination for any curious feline.
As Angie works on those puzzles at one end of the dining room table, that often
have cats contained with the picture I have noticed, she has a frequent feline
observer and would-be participant. But our cats are well trained. A cat bed
placed near, but not on the puzzle, and the simple gesture of pointing to the
bed, prompts the curious visitor to take a nap. They are well behaved little
cats, but it is curious how many puzzles turn out to have a piece or two missing.
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| Coco enjoys the fire |
The pandemic has not been good
for all cats. Colony Cafe, a Pittsburgh establishment where one could get
refreshments, a coffee, a treat, and play with cats that could be adopted, was forced
to close early on during the pandemic. We visited the café on a couple of
occasions to make the acquaintance of a few cats while supporting the cause and
revel in the experience. It was a place where people could get a cat fix,
especially if you did not have felines at home, and where cats could find a
permanent home. Save a Gato continues
to care for street cats in old town San Juan, Puerto Rico. Their pictures and
post of the cats who live on the street, many with special needs, and the cute
kittens who need adoption, prompts me to frequently remind Pip, Lucie, and Coco
what lucky cats they are.
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Pip has the least amount of fur, so blankets come in handy
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| Pip likes boxes, as does the girls |
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| Coco is our sweet girl |
