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I am practicing being determined like a cat.

There's a streetcat in my neighborhood who I have known for years. We met her when she was small. She is now still small, but an adult. (We are similar in this way.) She was part of the cavalcade of street cats just a block over who were our stalwart friends when going on lockdown walks. Then she began to appear in our yard earlier this year. I had only once tempted her all the way back to our home before, but she appeared to be living in our yard - or at least our block - now. So we enjoyed her company. Except for my cat, he hated this development. But she was a streetcat and could definitely beat him up, so that was that. I hold the various streetcats who turn up in our yard to the "two hiss rule." One hiss is a freebie, that's a getting to know you hiss, but two and you're out. I'll chase them off if I have to. But we loved having this cat around, she's gorgeous and very very friendly, so we enjoyed this new presence. I couldn't tell you when exactly, or even who, but someone started feeding her. Just bits of food on the ground in our front yard or on the stoop. Then a bowl appeared. Then a dedicated bag of streetcat food. Then a second bowl for the other streetcats who had shown up and would take food from our streetcat. So now there is a ritual of feeding the streetcats each morning, in their dedicated bowls, from their dedicated food bag - also water, of course water, it's hot out. This streetcat noticed that we had a big world inside our house. This is partially my fault; I thought it'd be funny to carry her in and surprise other folks in the house with her. (I was right, it was very funny.) But now she wanted in. She became very sneaky and slick. Rubbing up on your legs waiting for you to open the front door. Did I mention our front door has a screen? The cat noticed this screen. She also noticed that she is a very pointy, enterprising streetcat. We no longer have a screen, but we do have some very funny pictures of a cat hanging off of our screen to create her own cat door. I will open the front door some days and find her standing at thigh-height where the screen used to be, waiting for food and company. This makes me laugh very hard every time, as it is always unexpected. She will come in to make herself at home, curling up on the couch or lazyboy amongst the pillows. She looks right at home. I've taken her to the vet twice because of an ear infection. This was ostencibly so she didn't infect my cat, but also because I worried for her. I do think it is only a matter of time - or maybe a matter of my own cat's willingness - until we have two cats.

I am not telling you all this just because I love talking about this cat and about my family, though I do love both activities. I am observing her techniques and documenting them thoroughly. I think I can adopt her methods. She is friendly, persistent, direct, and a joy to be around. May we all pursue our goals with the tenacity and voracity as she. I will pursue what I want out of life with these same methods: being persistent, consistent, regularly available for a friendly interaction, and unbothered by setbacks. I can wait. You'll invite me in later. And if you don't? Well you don't get to enjoy my presence. That's your loss, not mine.

~

I don't believe I will have much time for Blaugust, what with my commitments earlier this month and my events coming up later this month. But I'm glad it's here, and that you're here, and that I could at least put this post out into the world before September arrives.