Last spring the mother cat from the farm next door had a batch of four kittens. As they grew, they became frequent visitors to our doorstep where my wife offers sustenance to hungry felines. As they got bigger and bolder, three of those kittens would sneak in the door whenever they had the opportunity. One of them, who looks somewhat like the picture below, became the boldest of them all. Sunday evening he walked in and announced his intention to stay.

It has ever been thus. I don’t believe that cats have ever been domesticated by humans. They (the cats) are much too smart for that. A cat sees an opportunity and little by little he maneuvers to grasp it. Once in, he observes the way the household functions, learns his limits and how to take advantage of the opportunities. And we (the humans) try to understand his wishes and make him happy and comfortable.

Nevertheless, if this young guy is going to stay with us we will have to take him to the vet clinic soon, where the ladies will ooh and ah at how cute he is, poke and prod him, and do unspeakable things to his masculinity.