Imitation is reputed to be the highest form of flattery.
In the world of cats, “incidental” is more likely than imitational. That is to say, when you see 2 cats striking the same pose, it is largely unlikely, virtually entirely improbable, a fat chance that one cat spotted the other and thought, “Hmmm, good position. I think I shall try it myself.” Fat nope! The truth is absolutely fractacular. That’s science for patterns that repeat (with extreme artistic license to the very much degree). What happens at Tabby’s Place that brings this to mind (well, my twisted, quirky mind at least) is, as you might expect, cats. Yup, cats happen.
Cats happen to enjoy walking along edges that seem too tiny even for delicate paws only to settle onto itty bitty triangles of architecture that appear to be barely sufficient for sitting upon even by the most daintily proportioned felines. Enter Maurice. There is nothing particularly delicate or dainty about Maurice, not his proportions, not his activity level, not his propensity for flinging empty hand soap bottles off of the top of a cabinet that who knew he could even get on top of.
Watching Maurice navigate the 1” (or so, no measurements were taken) edges of the en suite cubbies to settle onto a projecting bit of triangular shelf was, in a word, ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING (Okay, 2 words, but who’s counting?). Adding to the observational bliss, Flower quite perfectly settled almost directly below her roommate, adopting almost the exact same pose.
Flower was not imitating Maurice. Flower would never imitate Maurice. Flower is very much her own special flower and does not need to echo anybody else to prove anything. Flower power isn’t just for children of the 1960s. The unique black and white blossom would argue that she created the pose and all other cats imitate her. Who are we to nay-say?
In a much softer, gentler dance, Harvey and Shelley, Cool Kids from the Community Room, have discovered that the best warming winter thing for a cuddly cloud of floof to do is to snuggle with an equally cloud-soft floof on a cushy bed by a window. In their case, Shelley most likely arrived first. The spot has been a favorite practically since her arrival. Through many changes in suitemates, Shelley has quietly and steadily been receptive to snuggleportunities offered by passing companions. Her allure? Grey, cozy, comfy warmth and a gentle nature.
Enter Harvey. Harvey is a wall-banger, no two ways about it. This sweet, melty fluid of a feline is a Class A, full-throttle attention seeker. Needing all of the pets and attention, he has a way of seeping into every situation. Discovering a way to curl around Shelley and spoon away a chilly afternoon made perfect sense. The end result? Not exactly a fractal, but definitely eye catching and heartwarming. It’s a situation that is oft repeated (that is fractacular-ish)…and photographed…and there is video.
Capturing the likenesses of cats is a big part of socializing in the suites of Tabby’s Place. To share, to adore – it’s all part of the benefits package. It’s easy to spot all kinds of duos around the building. In suite A, Sushi and Vinnie created some confusion simply by both being small, black cats. It was very important not to confuse the two, since interaction preferences are (currently) at opposite ends of the spectrum. Sushi’s shyness, happily, was no hindrance to her recent ADOPTION!!!! Her overwhelming sweetness and curiosity did the trick. On the other side, Vinnie’s Vinnie-ness has marked him for more careful, slower attempts to continue the work of convincing him to flip his switch completely.
The days aren’t as early as they had been, but fewer hisses and ever-increasing comfort around humans is good news for Vinnie. We’ll give him all the time he needs until he’s ready to choose his forever people. To do that, he just needs some introductions to someone patient and loving. Once in a home, it is assured that, as with Sushi, Vinnie’s future family will be seeing double everywhere they look. One thing to note about black cats is that their shadows imitate their every move. Being so, it is entirely possible that black cats are singularly the most fractacular cats of all.