Josie the Literate

Renn may be my resident scientist, interested in the natural phenomena that comprise his small universe, but he’s not the only cat of an intellectual bent in my household. I’ve noticed recently, that Josie may often be found near, or on, books.

This is an old characteristic of hers, as may be seen from this photograph taken of her in my old apartment. She continued her fondness for literacy after we moved and, when she gets the chance, will lie down by a book and see what it has to say to her.

At first, I thought it was the large, well-illustrated volumes that attracted my Chubs. There are several books concerning residential architecture that seem to hold a fascination for her. But she is not one dependent upon pictures to hold her attention.

As you may see in the picture below, she seemed to be fascinated by the fine print of an old stand-by of mine, an historical encyclopaedia, a one-volume work full of information. I believe she was learning, in this instance, something of the Mongol invasion of thirteenth century Europe.

But Josie doesn’t restrict herself to reading books, it seems. She appears to have some cognition as regards to my writing. This would be quite a feat, as most who see it declare that my penmanship borders on the incomprehensible; indeed, some would assert that it has crossed that border and taken out full citizenship in the land of illegibility. But Josie doesn’t mind. She finds my writing relaxing, and seems even to enjoy a restful cup of tea while digesting my work.

There are hidden depths to the creatures that populate our lives. Tungsten fears nothing, an excellent quality for a top-cat. Renn is fascinated by his surroundings and seeks to learn what he can about them. Tucker - well, Tucker’s a melon-headed little goof; with him, what you see is what you get. But Josie is a bookish cat, perhaps fitting for a pet who likes to remain a little apart from the others, somewhat aloof. Who knows what great works of literature she will conquer next? Perhaps she is even considering penning her memoirs.