Being a big fan of animals, I tend to stop a lot on my walks, to give a friendly pat to a passing pup or two. Occasionally there is a neighborhood cat who is bold enough to meet passersby at the sidewalk, hoping to get some attention, and maybe a quick scratch.
Earlier today, I was walking around Johnson Park, the city’s oldest park, when I came across a perfectly content cat laying on the stoop. Seeing that it was raining, the owner had made sure that the cat was not getting drizzled upon. Not only was there a little kitty house for protection, there was also a propped up umbrella to offer shelter from the rain.
As I stood watching this cat as it stared out onto Johnson Park I noticed that the front door was ajar, and a storm door was in place. Behind the storm door, a second cat could be seen, observing its friend on the stoop. Obviously this cat wanted nothing to do with the rain, but was still interested in being a part of the action.
Cats are funny. They certainly have their own ways of enjoying life. It takes an understanding owner to appreciate the subtle nuances that distinguish between a cat that loves the rain, but doesn’t like to be wet, and a cat that loves to watch another cat enjoying the rain from the comfort of a house.
In the case of the cat under the umbrella, it looked to be about as content as a cat could possibly be. That’s because his/her owner has spent a good amount of time observing what makes him/her happy, as we can readily see here. Not only does the miniature dwelling have little flower pots on its own stoop, along with a tiny overhead door canopy, there’s also an electric cord that extends from the interior of the cat house (not to be confused with cathouse) to the owner’s home. That means that there’s most likely a mini heater inside. This cat has certainly got it made in the shade, or “in the rain”, which appears to be the case here.