Harvey the Cat

Dateline: Lake Geneva

Harvey.

My cat of 14 years.

There’s been some controversy over the ownership (if it can really be called that) of cats who live at home but also run in the wild upon occasion. It would appear to be self-evident what the cat gets out of the deal…from regular nutritious meals, to shelter from storms, predators and the night…not to mention plenty of positive reinforcement and loving attention.

What do I get from Harvey?
1. He follows me around everywhere when I’m around to see what I am up to, and I like that a lot.
2. He calls me when he needs me or to get into the house or to be let out.
3. He has different voices he uses to speak to me in sounds, from special noises for food, complaints about things like suitcases coming out to doors being close.
4. He sleeps at the foot of my bed after laying on my chest to ‘put me down’ when I come to bed. Every night. He doesn’t care if I snore, move or get up in the night to go to the bathroom.
5. He looks at me like he knows stuff he should not be able to know and I like that, even if I’m imagining it.
6. He generally comes outside when called if I go out and find him using the GPS I have on his collar and that can be terribly convenient.
7. I always feel I have one friend on the planet no matter how many human ones I may appear or really alienate.
8. Rather than complain about my midnight snacks, he shares what I haul out of the meat drawer or from the tin can.

That’s about it.
More than enough.
If you don’t have that in your life then I’m sorry.
Sometimes Harvey simply ‘gets me through.’
Here he is, right now, watching quietly as I write about him….

Harvey’s Page