14/03/26: This creature is named Spike. He is one of our two amazing black cats, and is a Very Large Feline. He graciously – if a bit grumpily – agreed to take us on when we visited a local specialist cat rescue centre. We know the place well; the people there are incredibly driven and passionate about finding forever homes for cats who for a variety of reasons do not have one.
My love for cats is well-understood amongst those who know me. I am an animal-lover and always have been. My family have kept cats as pets since I was around six years old. I become emotional and/or enraged when I hear of any animal being abused. Spike is the third cat we have homed from this particular centre; he has now been with us for five years.
My wife and I are unashamedly dedicated to black cats. Not simply because of their striking beauty and personality but because they can be criminally – and entirely irrationally – overlooked by people seeking a pet cat. Absurd superstition can lead the intellectually sub-normal to believe there is something unlucky about a black cat, and so pass them by. Those more enlightened know the exact opposite is true, and that is all I need to say on the subject.
As mentioned above, Spike is a BIG male cat. He is not obese, simply a magnificent specimen. A mini house-panther, if you will. We think he was less than two years old when he came to us. Unbelievably, he had been a stray for some reason before a good person found him and placed him safely at the rescue. Perhaps he was forced to compete for food, or may have been abandoned. <seethe>
Either way, he has a voracious appetite. Regardless of eating his own food, he wants to share whatever we are eating and will not be denied. Here, he was being extremely forward in demanding to share his Mum’s supper. He can be relentless when he detects we have something he might enjoy, to the point of annoyance. His most favourite treats are pork products. Naturally we indulge him, because we are weak. And when he turns on the charm he is adorable. We love him.
[Aside/Full Disclosure: cats in general are amazing, but black cats in particular are truly mystical pets and great companions, in my humble opinion. No cat should be homeless. There, I’ve said it.]