Game Face On - Morrison

Happy day after Thanksgiving. Here’s a holiday I really like – good food and friends, no shopping or songs or explosives, and a nice four day weekend.

Half the town’s at Maddie’s though – a diverse rainbow of San Francisco families and singles are making the rounds. Many are just entertaining themselves and out of town guests, and power to them; it’s better (and cheaper) than mindless consumerism. There are several cute multi-generational groups cooing at the cats. But quite a few others are ready to commit.

Right off the bat, I help a couple who say they’re looking for a pair of kittens after having lost their elderly cats. They have a couple small dogs in the house (properly trained by the prior cats), and one of the guy’s mom lives downstairs and wants a young female. But feisty and friendly eight year old Dante catches their eye, and pretty soon they’re talking about adopting him along with a similarly outgoing kitten.

The brave and bold of the cats have the advantage at the shelter. Talkative Louie has been adopted, as has personality super star Miss Lady. A nd today’s a particularly good day for kitties not bothered by voices and footsteps and kids’ noses pressed up against their windows.

The shelter was closed on Thanksgiving itself, which must have been a break for the shy guys. Morrison is one of these, a pretty seven year old blue point Siamese mix. He’s got lovely blue eyes and a wise expression, but he’s slow to warm up, and tends to stay hidden.

Once he gets comfortable, though, he’s really sweet and eager to please. I visit with him for a bit between helping customers, hoping either someone will notice him on my lap or he’ll stay out by his door and catch people’s eyes.

"You gotta be assertive," I tell him. "I know lots of noise and people can be tiring, but try to make the extra effort." Probably there’s a little lesson here for us quiet cat people.