Wednesday, July 20, 2022

The Café's Best Customer

This is Sable, my outsider-cat. She has been coming to my apartment’s Café Cosy for food and water for more than four years. She used to come with her shyer sister, Sablette. They would disappear for months at a time, only to return as if they had never been away. One time, Sablette did not come back.



Now, Sable shows up periodically with a chonky white and orange cat I’ve named Arliss. He is very timid and may have a home somewhere, as he accompanies Sable rarely. Nonetheless, they appear to be good friends.


Sable has a distinctive right ear, with a rim of silver; possibly this is due to frostbite. Lately, I think that the silver portion has increased, though I may be quite mistaken about that, as I see Sable almost always in the dark. Observing her in the relative brightness of an early twilight may allow me to see more of what was always there.



In any case, Café Cosy’s principal customer appears to be in good shape. She is not thin; I know she has other food sources, as she not infrequently takes several days’ hiatus from visiting, and is none the hungrier for it. (Even so, once in a while, she will show up famished; I can tell, and feed her extra then. This will happen, for instance, after several days of rain or strong wind, the latter which she seems to dislike greatly. She sometimes will come to my apartment first of all her sources of food, and will be hungry because of it.) Here, though, she has clean water and soft-food, though I’ve had to restrict her menu to two tins of Fancy Feast or the equivalent at each serving, due to the sharp increase in the price of everything in the world. She does, however, have an unlimited amount of hard-food at her disposal, and that, unlike the soft-food, which is given only when I see her, is available all the time.



I have debated trapping her and trying to make a house-cat of her, if ever I move from the Cosy Apartment. I would worry greatly about her if I left her behind. On the other hand, she clearly has at least one other benefactor, so she would likely not suffer - at least no more than would any other outsider-cat - and socialising her would be quite a project.


But for now, Sable remains Café Cosy’s best patron. She is polite, sharing her table with Arliss, and tolerating the mildly uncouth eating habits of a skunk, Horatia, whenever the latter comes by. One day, Sable may not visit any more. When that happens, I will be able to hope only that I made a hazardous life a little less uncertain, and was able to provide some enjoyment in a world at times too severe.


11 comments:

  1. I enjoyed seeing her again and this time closer and withmore light...as you mentioned. I love knowing about your customers at the Cafe. I recalll severe other regulars. They seem to have gone on to another place of business perhaps. Perhaps not. And they may come by again at any time. I hope so.

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  2. I always like these updates about your cafe customers. I fear Sable's life is probably a hard one, but you're bringing her at least some measure of security.

    We have a lot of "cat people" in my neighborhood, so we have a sort of unofficial rescue program for the strays. We get them all fixed, if possible, and find homes for the ones who can be socialized. (We've been pretty successful in that department.) As for the ones who can't be turned into "indoor cats," well, at least they know where there are homes where they'll find food. I still worry about all of them, though. Life on the streets is such a danger for cats.

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  3. TNR, John? A drop trap, set up NOT to trap over a long time would get her used to it, then one day...trapped! Am sure you've already considered it.

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    1. Sable and Sablette were spayed some years ago. They were members of a feral colony near by; the colony broke up after their shelter was dismantled by the property owner. All the cats there were fixed, though. If I ever decide to bring Sable inside, I think trapping her will be reasonably easy.

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    2. Oops!
      I should have known...I mean, c'mon!
      *facepalm*

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  4. It is great news Sable still comes for a lovely visit and meal. Bet the other household members like watching from the inside out. Hopefully she will live a continued good life as is.

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    1. Hector likes to stare at her. She's apathetic to his attention.

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  5. I'm so glad to hear you've seen Sable and that she is well. I like Eastside Cats idea of trapping her. You mentioned that trapping her would be reasonably easy, so it sounds like she might not be that afraid of humans and she may have been someone's pet at one time.
    Perhaps socializing her may not be too difficult.

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    1. Sable is very much afraid of humans, unfortunately. She still, after all this time, hurries away to sit out of my reach when I put her food-bowl down on the ground. She runs farther from other people. She would likely come around in time - months, probably - but that would mean a room set aside just for her while that takes place. It would also mean hours would need to be spent with her every day. Unless there was no other option, it would be a project for someone with no other cats and, preferrably, not working.

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  6. It is nice that she keeps coming back. She obviously likes the Cosy Café.

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  7. We always enjoy those long time customers too, they're so special.

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