Window on the World - Maggie

It’s hard to live at the shelter. It’s hard to be someplace weird and new, surrounded by strange loud noises and sudden frightening movements. Even with the food and clean litter box, toys and volunteer pet sessions, it’s a big adjustment.

Most cats find a hidden or covered safe spot, some up high, others low or completely covered, as if a lump under a blanket is magically invisible. And some kitties take awhile to move past their safe spots, despite all the encouragement and affection we human friends can offer.

Maggie is a soft gray girl, friendly once she’s coaxed from hiding, but quite cautious by nature. She’s been here for a few weeks now, and up till today stayed mostly hidden.

I went in to see her, and as usual had to persuade her to come out of her enclosed kitty bed with the promise of gentle petting (offer a hand sniff and ear rub, then remove the hand, offer the hand only if she’ll put her head out, pull back the hand, and so on). Soon she was out rubbing around and purring.

This time though, she did a more thorough exploring of her surroundings, and discovered her window. She’s in hallway 4, in the back, and all the back condos have big windows for the cats’ entertainment.

Ok, the view’s not that great, as San Francisco views go. You can see a patch of Florida Street, which looks more like an alley down here. There’s a big industrial building across the street and old anonymous cars parked. But also some weedy grass and wild flowers, and a series of scrubby trees, the kind with the odd looking red brushes blooming this time of year. People wander by regularly, shelter volunteers walking dogs, rough looking people carrying blankets or rolling carts.

Better yet, an old second story shaft of some sort provides a pigeon hang out. Yes, large chattering pigeons come and go at all hours out there. Maggie was transfixed. Even the sound of another volunteer passing in the hall did not bother her – it was like she was suddenly at the movies and forgot about the world.

I left her there bird-watching on her perch, exiting quietly, telling her she’s a pretty girl and she should let everybody see that.