#52 Ancestors 2022 Week 4 Curious: Al the Cat

I am reminded by the little fur ball in my lap that not all of our important family members are human.  So this week, I'm writing about my faithful (and curious) companion, Al the cat.

Sam checking out snow

Before Al came into my life, I had another cat named Sam, a girl despite her name.  Sam was a gift to me from my sister-in-law's litter of kittens. Sam lived with me in Maryland and more or less patiently endured moves to Virginia and the long drive to Connecticut. When Sam died, I was devastated and didn't really have the desire to get another cat. 

But the universe had other ideas, and another cat found me anyway.  Literally, she found me.  One morning while I was living in Boston in 2009, a scraggly little gray kitten showed up on my doorstep, flea-bitten and starving.  I could not turn her away.  I put some tuna out for her, and she returned the next day. Eventually, I just took her into the house and adopted her, took her to the vet, got her shots, etc. I named her Al, short for Alley Cat. This picture shows her as a kitten napping in one of her favorite spots. A spot she has claimed in every new home since.

Since then, I have spent many happy hours with Al on my lap, reading, watching TV, and during the pandemic, even attending virtual church with me. She is definitely a snuggler. She also likes to sleep on top of me or burrowed under the covers next to me.  

Al is not a big talker, but she is an excellent listener, and she doesn't even snore too much when she listens.  I have perfected my napping technique under Al's expert tutelage. Our Motto: There's a Nap for That.

But it's not all about napping.  Al is also an interested participant in my other activities. Like all cats, she loves to work on the computer, particularly when I have a tight deadline for a project. 

Naturally, Al was a huge help when I had to pack up and move from Boston back to Maryland. She is always available to guard my luggage whenever I get ready to travel and occasionally tries to hide in the suitcase so she can travel with me. 

 

Al has an artistic side and generously supervises my artwork, offering many helpful suggestions.

She is also adept at puzzles and helpfully hides key pieces to make sure I don't solve the puzzle too quickly, thus prolonging the enjoyment of the activity.

The one flaw in Al's character is that she is jealous, particularly of children.  She can accommodate my adult visitors, (except for the cleaners with their ferocious vacuum) but when my grandchildren come over, she will hiss at them to try to make them go away.  She can't stand it that I pay so much attention to them, even though I try not to neglect her when they are at my house.  Despite the children's best efforts to be friends with Al, they have an uneasy truce at best.  One of my granddaughters even made a special "Cats Rule" card for Al, but it didn't soften her heart.  Al is clearly a one-human cat, and no child better get in the way!

Overall, though, Al is a constant reminder that life is short, and I should stop and smell the roses, and of course, pet the cat more. 

Now you may have noticed that Sam and Al look a lot alike, both gray domestic short-hairs. I have wondered about that myself. Perhaps there is reincarnation among cats.They do, after all, have nine lives. Maybe Sam decided to share another one of hers with me.  In any case, I know that Al was chosen specially for me and sought me out. I'm grateful that she found me.

This is a small collage I made to honor my furry companion.