Have you ever had that feeling when you just needed interaction with something or someone?
Apparently, Mr. Boots, the feral cat, was at the point this morning when I went out to give him his breakfast. He rubbed against my legs as I came out onto the porch, not quite purring but seeming very content.
As usual, I stopped what I was doing and reached down to pet him and scratch under his jaw and around his ears. He enjoyed it and allowed me to rub him all over. More than the usual pat-down. He wanted, it seemed, for me to touch every inch of him. When I had had enough, I went back inside to get on with my own business but as I turned to close the door, Boots scooted right past, barely missing getting his tail caught. I was surprised because it wasn’t cold or raining and those are the only times he will voluntarily come inside. Maybe he was not as feral as I had suspected!
“What are you doing?” I asked and looked at him as if I expected an answer.
He gazed at me for a moment with his big green eyes, then strolled about the utility room as if he had not a care in the world, checking out his unused litter box and the empty food and water bowls.
“Just checking…” he seemed to say. No new scents. No other cats had been in here to defile his space.
I went to the door and held it open. “Come on. Back outside.” I didn’t really have time for this today.
He looked at the door. Then up at me. Then he made another leisurely lap around the utility room.
“Out,” I held the door wider.
He strolled over almost to it. He peered out. He sat. He waited.
I began to close the door slowly and he stood up.
He didn’t know if he was coming or going. Indecisive cat!
And then he knew. As I held the door open again, he rubbed past my leg and skittered through the open doorway and down the steps.
“See you tonight!” I called as he disappeared around the corner of the house.
We have a sort of ‘I like you as long as you stay in your place’ kind of relationship. It works for us.