Trick or Treat - Tony

Happy Halloween. Midday the day before there are a fair number of costumed people in the Mission, kids and adults both. Plus the usual assortment of those for whom it’s hard to tell. Hey, some people like glitter… or uniforms. (Me too actually – the boyfriend and I will be attending a party later as the Northwest Airlines pilots who overshot the airport. Those dudes are scary!)

Anyway, I get to Maddie’s just before it opens, and already a small crowd has gathered. The first person to approach me asks to see a kitten without being more specific or having looked around at all. That’s a bit worrisome, so I’m just as glad when we’re waylaid by a staffer. Apparently this guy is a serial adopt and returner, and she hustles him off for a preemptive chat.

I head for my boy Tony, the friendly 5 year old dark tabby. He greets me with a happy cry, and squirms around for petting. He does this thing when he’s really getting into his head being rubbed – pokes the little pink tip of his tongue out bit by bit. It’s really cute, if fairly undignified, but he doesn’t mind my laughing at him. Next he plays for awhile, then curls solidly onto my lap, where I eventually have to roll him off to head for the next kitty.

Across the hall is Marble, a new and lovely half grown tabby with a gorgeous face and striking markings. An older man walks slowly down the hall. He looks stately until he catches Marble’s eye; next thing I know he’s squatting by the door cooing googly talk and waving his fingers for her.

I help an older woman who’s got specific criteria in mind plus lots of time to spend on her search, an ideal Maddie’s cat shopper. Often such a person will either end up with the number one cat they meet (in this case a sweet little black and white girl named Bisque) or else someone totally different from what they thought they wanted.

In hallway 2, I hang with two different affection eaters. Shadow is a pretty, all gray tailless girl from the Sido program (her previous owner is ill or has died). She’s initially shy but willing to rub around, and manages to eat some kibble when offered piece by piece. Next door is Jax, a beautiful young and energetic orange tabby who doesn’t look like he’d have a care in the world. I’m surprised by both how nervous and affectionate he is once I’m in with him. He does gobble down a bite or two, but that’s all. There’s more going on with this pretty boy than meets the eye.

Back out front on my way out, I spot the woman I met earlier. She’s decided on Bisque. I wish them both well, and head off for the holiday weekend.