CIty Katz

Let me start by saying, I am an animal lover. I've had pets (dog & cats) my whole life. When I moved to the city, I left one cat in Florida and took the more docile to New York. My Angel. My savior through the good times and bad times. Angel survived my first hell hole New York apartment. She comforted me while I mended a broken heart. She gracefully tolerated "visitors". And though she was a fluffy, princess of a cat, she kept my apartments rodent free. Angel would venture out into the hallway of my apartment buildings as if exploring a jungle. She would stare at the window at the pigeons on my air-conditioner for amusement. Now, Angel is temporarily fostered by my wonderful mother in Georgia while I set out on my Paris adventure. She is now, as my mother says "a country kitty".

It's surprising how many pets there are in New York City. With such little space to live & frolic, New Yorkers still keep and collect pets as a touch stone to suburbia. We have dog parks, pet day cares, dog walkers, cat sitters, designer animal wear, etc... All to pamper our little loves. I've even seen a cat once walking on a leash. I mistook it for a monkey! (Apparently, monkey on a leash is a much more rational than a cat on a leash in NYC!!) My friends and I shamefully trade little stories & pictures of our pets as if they are children. It's a rare occasion that you actually meet the so-called "angel". New York apartment living does not permit regular social gatherings. BUT most New Yorkers have pull out sofas! So when family comes to visit or a friend needs a place to crash, New Yorkers are always welcoming.

As was the case with me when I found I had no where to stay after moving out of my apartment and in between New York and Paris. Without hesitation, my very sweet friend invited me to stay in her lovely studio apartment with her cat. Missing my Angel, (I still haven't recovered from the image of my mother carrying her upside down through LGA security) I immediately started to greet Miko with a high pitched "hello" and pet. I was very quickly warned by my friend that he can bite and scratch. Four days later, I look like a cutter; one of those people who secretly cuts themselves to feel more in control of their world. I keep the spray bottle near for protection. I've learned to keep a foot of space between us if I need to walk by. If he is sleeping, I try not to disturb him. When awake he flips like a switch with crazy eyes and will lunge at you without warning. He is a city cat.

I called my best-friend from back home and told her of my dilemma. It's not easy to admit you actually hate a cat when you are an animal lover. A certain amount of guilt persists. My bff suggested I pee on him to show who's boss!! I guess as much as I am terrified of this little beast, I kinda get him. We live in this great city. Always somewhere to go, friends to see & something to do. But it can be surprisingly solitary. We make our apartments comfy & cozy but they still can only seem like places to sleep and keep our clothes. So we have pets. We have pets to make us feel more at home, more normal. Whether it's a cat, dog, fish, bird or plant, our pets make us feel more human is city that can dehumanize. They sit and wait for us to come home. I guess I'd be a little crazy too if all I had to do all day was stare out a window and wait...