Free Roaming Cats

In the wee hours of the morning I could hear the mournful wails of a cat somewhere in the neighborhood. We seldom hear this anymore because most cats in the city are house cats who aren't given the opportunity to roam and search for another cat to mate with.

I thought how lonely the wail sounded, with nary another loose cat within hearing distance to answer the call.

When I was a child the streets were filled with loose cats, most of which actually belonged to someone but cats were allowed to roam in those days. And so were dogs. I had my first sex education lesson by watching 2 dogs mating on the street. A crowd of kids had gathered to watch the spectacle, most giggling, but some (like me) unsure of what was happening. The older kids informed us younger ones that the dogs were just stuck together but we soon figured it out...even if we couldn't understand the logistics of the act. I can't say I do to this day. It has to hurt at least one of those dogs.

I loved cats and caught many a one to bring home with me. My grandmother would always say, "No, it belongs to someone", but I felt a loose cat was fair game for me to keep for myself. Only once did I have a cat of my own but I don't remember where I got it. My cat owning days ended when I was 12 years old and developed allergies.

There are a few free roaming cats in the neighborhood now and that's unusual. I don't mind them wandering around my yard at all because it keeps the squirrels and mice away. If these loose cats refrain from using my veggie garden as a toilet then they can hang around all they want.

Speaking of animal matings, I noticed when I was a child that cats don't mate the same way as dogs. They both put up a fierce battle that is filled with spits, snarls, and scratching. Then the male cat mounts the female from the back as she barely tolerates his presence, looking like a bundle of tightly restrained fury. The male finishes and then runs for his life. I always thought this was a strange way for mother nature to have made these animals behave. It's as though the female doesn't want to mate but she is genetically programmed to reproduce and does so very reluctantly and very bad tempered. It's a wonder there are any kittens in the world. The male cat quickly disappears the same way some human males do after a one night stand. Isn't nature interesting?

As for the lone wailing cat I heard last night...I hope you find a mate far away from here so I don't have to listen to the ensuing fight.