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WPCNR OBSERVATIONS. By Bela the Cat. August 18, 2018.

dear wpcnr,

please excuse the lack of capitol letters, this is my first letter to the editor, and as i cannot shift to capitol letters easily using my claw tips.

i am bela the cat, named for my resemblance to a bat’s face. a rather handsome bat, but very debonair and intelligent black cat. i access your website and was concerned that you did not note that august 17 friday was black cat appreciation day.

i thought i would share these thoughts with you.

black cats are among the most adopted cats from shelters across the nation 30% as surveyed by the aspca. black cats like myself are very intelligent. my benefactor as i call him has taught me to rollover and request tummy rubs, for example, and we black cats are the most observant of cats.

my brother black cat midnight for example is an excellent security cat. three times he has been the first responder. when a squirrel invade our house, while the rest of the cat residents simply took over. midnight stood his paws, stalked the squirrel hemming the interloper in while my master swept the squirrel out the door with a broom. midnight showed another side of courage chasing a dove who had come into the house. through the chimney. again midnight was not violent and cornered the trespassing dove while my master swept the bird out. the cooperation of midnight and master was a marvel. A third time  a bird got in, the same response  was repeated.

midnight today went to the vet for a checkup. as we were waiting to leave two black and white terriers came in, while midnight was in his carrier, he tells me. midnight growled, startling everyone in the vet reception area. the growl, master tells me was jaguar-like, really deep, making midnight sound like a tiger. the dogs paid attention. he is a very well-trained security cat.

Felicity, a third black cat, a tuxedo who lives in our castle is a repeat feline. she was rejected in the past by a home, and was very afraid when she first got here. now, though she has adjusted and sits with the countess nightly during cattail hour. she also acts as a hostess when the count and countess have receptions. she even flirts with the men. this irritates the count because she has always been skittish of him but midnight and i believe it is because she was mistreated by men in the past.

the way i see it, we are just like humans. we have feelings. we have memories. we have backstories and it is tough to shake them off. it is hard for humans to rehab and go back to society after being in a shelter or a prison. since cats are human, too, but cannot communicate our past, it is hard for shelter cats too. that is why we are so fortunate that the count and countess gave us a chance and were patient with us.

other facts you should know about black cats. had the people of the middle ages not thought us familiars with alleged witches, killing us by the thousands, there might not have been the black plague. my ancestors would have taken care of the rat population.

black cats are said to be bad luck. but our devotion to our masters and keen sense of observation of our masters, enable us to observe our master with an insight far beyond that of the typical pet.

we observe your emotions carefully. this rare observation and analysis talent black cats like myself possess allows us to commiserate with our masters when we observe them down or unhappy.

we black cats do not flee our human master, the count and the countess when we hear them raising their voices. we come to help. to mediate. arbitrate and inject the voice of reason and empathy that, much to my satisfaction stabilizes the environment of our castle.

black cats are adults at most times of our lives, and listen attentively to the evening discussions, lively at times, that take place during what I like to call, the cattail hour. black cats are the most attentive of companions and use our eyes and the occasional yes, go on-tell us more about that meow that always brings smiles and laughter to our count and countess faces.

this give us great pleasure to help them over their trials and tribulations and help them get on with their relationship.

i must say that investing in the adoption of a black cat or two saves the new owner thousands of dollars in pyschotherapy and a black cat, or the more color cats, too are always there for you. and our attention is never limited to 45 minutes and we do not charge.

black cats are there for you, but we are independent and treat you as equals.

we are respectful of children and never get upset when they roughhouse us. we are tolerant and faster than they are. we are not fragile. aside from the occasional cat race around the castle, we do not disrupt. all right, maybe a little throwup now and then, and you do not have to walk us.

so i would suggest considering adopting black cats if you are in need of company, companions, and want to ease the loneliness of living alone, the empty nest, or simply want another living and grateful creature who cares for you and provides unconditional acceptance, but with personalities all our own.

in fact one of the great tragedies is that nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospices do not have cats in such facilities to provide companions in the last days of the residents.

yes, i know, regulations may prevent that at health rehab and end of life care. but when cats have died in our house our count and countesses have been with us their arms and comfort around us as life left us and i was so touched by their care.

black cats, or any cat for that matter would certainly bring a stress reducing warmth to the residents of any health care facility or even schools and day care centers for that matter.

and certainly save and enrich the lives of cats living in shelters as it would enrich the existences of persons at the end of life and the beginnings of life.

bela the cat