A Forgiving Cat

It always surprises me how forgiving a cat can be. As readers may recall, Neville develops mats in his fur, especially along his back and rear. This necessitates cutting them out. I have begun using an electric hair-trimmer for this task. It is effective and the result, if not pretty, is satisfactory.

But the process is far from satisfactory for the Nevsky. He finds it uncomfortable and dislikes the whole event. I have to shift his position several times and, though he remains static for most of the time, his patience eventually wears thin, and I must hold him in place.

Yet afterward, he holds no grudge. Whether or not he feels better for my efforts, and whether or not he associates any improved comfort with them, I can’t say. Today, after shearing bits of him in the bathroom, I sat on the sitting room couch with a glass of cold bubbly water. I asked if Neville, lying near by, wanted to join me, and he did.

He and I had a good half-hour of me rubbing his face and chin and him purring. I stick needles in him twice a day, I poke his ears numerous times once a month; I try to prompt him to play when he doesn’t want to and attempt to give him food to vary a diet he doesn’t seem to want varied. Yet he still will sit with me and allow me to make us both feel good.

Nev is a forgiving soul.