Community cat

One of the houses in my neighbourhood is a short-term rental, occupied for a few months at a time by somebody whose own house is being renovated beyond recognition. The current tenants are my favourites, though I've never met them, because they brought

A Cat.


The cat's collar doesn't have a name on it. I have a few suggestions, the first of which is "Mary's Cat."


He looks like a Mary's Cat, don't you think?

He comes over a lot, what with being so social and not having his owners around much. I'll hear him meowing and find him lingering out front, waiting for me to come out and say hello and, incidentally, leave the door open a fraction of a moment too long.

Sometimes, he'll try to make a stand about this and play hard to get, positioning himself with an expression of indifference away from me (but still near the door).


Mostly though he makes himself at home.



Aren't those markings on his back just beautiful? And he's so healthy - his fur is unimaginably soft. Purrs like a big ol' engine, too.

I have to keep reminding myself that his name is really "Somebody Else's Cat."

These pictures were taken over the course of a couple of days, during which I talked to a lot of other neighbours about him. I'm surrounded by dog people, but most of them really like this cat anyway. It turns out he's just as adoring with everybody else as he is with me, but how can I hold it against him?


You can't get mad at a cat with the cutest paws ever.