All polished rubies glitter beautifully whether paler or darker in red tones. One unpolished, grey tabby named Ruby outshines them all. “Unpolished?,” you ask. Well, in a manner of speaking.
Our Ruby is new to Tabby’s Place and is still learning the precise particulars of how to manipulate us into giving her exactly what she wants. That does not in any way mean that she is any less capable of doing so than all of the other Tabby’s Place cats. What it means is that she has to overcome the “not-exactly-a-stigma” stigma of having her crate labeled with a CAUTION tag.
Yes, our Ruby is an absolute gem. Maybe she’s cut with some slightly sharp edges. Diabetes can do that to a kitty, especially one who is less than fond of having glucose checks via ear pokes. Our amazing staff knows exactly how to circumvent the crispiness of such healthcare defiance.
That’s what stick-on glucose monitors are for…
…except, Ruby excels at removing her glucose monitor (Refer to the photographic evidence displaying the shaved patch of velveteen skin where Ruby’s glucose monitor had been, was supposed to be, but was nowhere to be found.).
“Unpolished” indeed! Imagine what she could do with a proper education?
Being cat, education, in part, means learning how to navigate her living and social situation. Our amazing staff and fantastic volunteers also need to learn how to navigate living with Ruby in the lounge.
From the CAUTION sign, it seemed that she would not be fond of any handling at all. So, we started slowly, as a matter of not only preferring not to be shredded, but also preferring not to antagonize any cat into wanting to shred us.
Not antagonizing is absolutely essential.
Getting to know the essence of Ruby, thusly, began with slow blinks and sweet talk (and taking pictures, of course). Then a pet, then chin scratches, then ear rubs (Ruby LOVES ear rubs…up to a point that only she knows for sure.) with lots of breaks for more blinks and sweet talk. Imagine my surprise when during a please-don’t-shred-me break based on an excess of CAUTION, she climbed halfway up my lap and reached out for more attention.
After some more pets and cooing, Ruby did bring out a bit of her sharper sass, but no teeth, no claws, and not even a hiss, just one of “those looks” paired with particular body language and a very whappy tail.
The lesson learned is that, with all due CAUTION, Ruby is definitely safe for gentle, careful interactions. Still, she is cat. Therefore, she is dangerously armed with the ability to bore deeply into our hearts with preternatural speed. For Ruby, this skill is enhanced by a face that could open a thousand cans of fish mush. Not even Helen of Troy was beautiful enough to achieve such a feat!
Clearly, no human – mythological or otherwise – will ever be considered as polished as Ruby of Tabby’s Place. While we hope to help her shape the space to fit her needs, we also want and need to help her fit the space as it exists.
Polishing some of those sharper edges will help.
Keeping her diabetes under control (Dare we hope for remission?) will help.
Petting her a very lot, in small doses, will help.
The spicy gem that is Ruby will shine ever more brightly, and we will bask in her growing light.