If cats have 9 lives, Phoenix is on life 3. He seems to be having his best life yet. We adopted him from a friend when he was a kitten, and the day we got him his mom had just died the day before. Barely ready for solids, a tragedy from the start. I’m sure it’s on his diagnosis list that came with him from the universe. Did I mention that he’s orange? He’s the first orange cat I’ve had in a long life-history of having cats around. He’s been with us for nine years.
The evidence of Phoenix living his best life yet is all around. He has lived in his new house for over a year and has adapted well to his space. We regularly see him catching mice, choosing to sleep outside at night, befriending other cats, and trying to catch birds. He follows us around endlessly and curious, and has been observed jumping over the fence from the neighbor’s yard, eyes alight with his mouth full of mouse.
At our old house he lived with two other cats, and towards the end of his time there he developed a reputation as a mean cat to them. He would chase them, along with other torments. He was a kitten when we brought him into their home and he had grown up friendly with his cat family, so it was puzzling and sad to see him turn into a meany cat towards them. Maybe it was his initial diagnosis that got in the way.
In the end I guess we discovered that he was born to be an only cat. Since moving he has thrived in his one cat environment by expanding his curiosity, skills, and comfort level with his cat life.
It seems that orange cats can’t hide for shit, despite their best efforts. Phoenix really tries. I am endlessly entertained watching him “hide” in plain sight. The vision he seems to have of himself as a catcher of anything with wings does not match reality. If I was a cat, I imagine that catching something with wings would be a pinnacle achievement of my skill set. The truth of his orange presence is that he clearly must be visible from space. Birds seem fine with him because he is never sneaking up on them.
I have an aunt and uncle who have had one orange cat after another since I’ve known them, which has been over fifty years. Every time their cat’s life cycle ends, and there have been many of them, they always get another orange cat. Every one of them has been named Rusty. That cracks me up! Years of visiting them with the latest Rusty walking around.
I discovered after we moved that he loves to be groomed. He goes and stands in the grass in the back yard and paces and meows, willing you to come over and pick up the brush. You know how your cat can talk to you with their mannerisms? Phoenix has particular meow tones, eye and body positions/gestures, all his particulars to communicate. When I walk across the backyard he lets me know he wants to be brushed. He’s a total weirdo that I love. I could build a home for a bird or two with all the hair that comes off him after grooming on the regular.
Phoenix also has a best friend and it’s Goose our dog. They have a very special relationship. They have this routine of wrestling most mornings when we get up and are having coffee, and it’s a funny greeting they do as we all gather again in the morning to begin the day. We are drinking coffee and they are doing calisthenics. Sometimes I video them engaged in their play. Goose is a mini–Australian Shepard/border collie mix, and she has enough energy for several lifetimes.
Phoenix our beloved cat; in home, life, and routine. We simply wouldn’t be as inspired without him. From time to time, I’ll share a bit about what he’s currently up to in between lost cat interviews. He inspires me with the 509 cat project, and there are as many stories of him as anything. Plus, he’s got a lot of life left, at least 6 more!
