Honey and the Pussycats

“Josie and the Pussycats

Long tails and ears for hats

Guitars in sharp B flat

Neat sweet a groovy song

You're invited come along

“ Hurry Hurry!”

This was one of my favorite childhood cartoon theme songs and it came back to me a few mornings ago as I thought about my current situation. I have written about the stray cat my granddaughter nicknamed Honey who now will eat the food I set out without running away. Honey will rub against us but I’m mindful she might have fleas so I only pet her wearing disposable gloves. I also have to be careful because she ran past me yesterday and into the house and straight up the stairs.

Honey went into the bathroom and jumped into the tub as if she were familiar with this home and I wondered if the previous owner had abandoned her and the other strays. Honey ran out of the tub into the hall and sniffed Boots my house cat and I had to lead her back down the steps and outside again. Early this morning while it was still dark I set food out back and wondered why Honey was hesitant to eat. There was an orange Tabby standing at a distance behind her and I wondered if this cat had fought or intimidate Honey.

Imagine my surprise when a cat walked up from behind me on my left and I realized this was Honey. The cat in front of me was another stray who resembled her. As Honey walked over to the food bowl and began eating and her lookalike very timidly took a few steps closer then a few more and she began eating also. The big orange Tabby however remained in place with a distrustful look on her face.

As I walked around to the front of the house and looked back Honey and her friend were still eating and the Tabby was walking in circles around them as if protecting them and I don’t know if she ever ate. My granddaughter named the new cat Butterscotch and the big orange cat Tabby. These two cats are uncertain at this point on whether they can trust us so I put out the food and give them their space. Butterscotch and Tabby were watching Honey suspiciously as she ran around me. They seemed to be saying “Why are you fraternizing with humans?”

Randomly a jet black cat comes through the yard and a huge dark gray cat whose fur is very fluffy and a smaller orange Tabby. I still miss the gray kitty with the gold eyes the neighborhood kids called Kelo or Kitty Low. Last year there was also a car my granddaughter named Fluffy. I wonder where these animals go when we don’t see them for a while and if other people in the area are taking care of them. Sometimes I don't see the others for days but Honey has adopted us and will sleep in the cat bed off and on.

My son came by and took a liking to her and bought her a collar but later it was gone. I told him as an outdoor cat it probably got tangled in something and we would not want her to choke. My son suggests I take Honey to Pet Smart and her shots and nails clipped. This is what we were planning for Kitty Lo who disappeared and never returned. I'm hesitant to invest in a stray who might not stick around so I will have to ponder this for a while. In the meantime, Honey and the Pussycats can get a good meal twice a day and a bowl of water in my backyard if they choose.