alley cats

i was smoking a cigarette on the front steps & a stray cat happened to stop in front of me. he stopped right in front of me, looked me in the eyes & meowed- it almost too much to bear. usually i would have been ultra-creeped. you see, i have this silly notion that stray cats can see into your soul... but enough about my psychosis. there are tons of stray cats in my neighborhood & lately i have found myself more compassionate towards their plight. the cats have rosanna to thank; she is always telling me about all the strays that she befriends late nights in her back alley.

so! kitty & i exchanged flirty glances for a bit, & i decided i would be muster up the courage to try & pet him/her... success! i could tell kitty was scared, but he nudged his head towards my hand & i knew it was consensual. i called my mom to deliver my uneaten salmon from that night's dinner, along with a saucer of milk for the pretty kitty. it must have been starving, because kitty ate the entire meal, even licked the plate [/aluminum foil.] after that, kitty was all over me. needless to say, i got mad pussy.

this may sound stupid or lame, but knowing that i made a difference in kitty's nightly quest for food totally warmed my heart. it would rub up against my leg & cock his head towards me, purring, & i knew it was showing gratitude the best way that it could. he was so easily frightened by loud noises & sudden movements, giving off that vulnerable vibe that always emanates from abused animals. i felt so bad when i finally had to walk away from it & abandon it like it's former owners must have. a few weeks ago, rosanna & i spotted one of the neighborhood cats after a brawl. one of his eyes was almost gouged out & his left ear was completely ripped off. we were pretty much crying over it. its depressing to notice so much suffering. to realize & to feel it everyday, even in creatures that could easily be dismissed as unimportant, they still suffer.

i just want to do something good.