The sleepy lover

The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.

- Victor Hugo -

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Over the last several months I’ve watched love develop. I’m not sure I approve of this love though because it involves my little girl Cleo and a rascal who keeps jumping the fence to pay her visits. I’ll admit he doesn’t stay long, usually just a few fleeting moments, but I hardly approve - Cleo is just too young for romantic entanglements.

It began last summer when Felix, a name I’ve given the little fellow, first popped his head over the fence. He is a black cat with very large round eyes that look constantly startled. It’s pretty funny when he comes calling because he cautiously pops his head over the fence-line, ears first, big round eyes and then the rest of his face sort pokes over and he sits there scoping out the lay of the land for a minute or so before the rest of him follows. He drops down into my yard, sits on one the benches in my fire-pit area and poses for Cleo’s advantage. He’s a pretty smooth operator.

Cleo caught a glimpse of him on the first day and raced to the window to take a closer look; the romance began from there.

Felix has come by to call on her almost every day since, except on rainy days, and they sit and making lovey-eyes at each other for a little bit before Felix heads back over the fence. It’s become somewhat of a talking point in my household, yes I talk to Cleo all the time, and when I get home each night I ask if her boyfriend came over to visit each night. Of course she doesn’t answer because she’s a cat but I fill in the blanks.

On the weekends it’s cool because I’m often with Cleo, a permanently indoor cat, and get to watch the two of them making googly-eyes at each other; it’s kind of cute.

Sometimes I see Felix drop into the yard when Cleo is asleep, she tends to do a lot of sleeping, and she misses him altogether. He comes over to the window or sliding glass door and sits waiting for her; I’ll give him points for patience. It’s on those occasions I take pity on the romantic little fellow so pick her up and take her to the window so she can see Felix although...Well, she’s a pretty good sleeper and it seems her sleepy eyes don’t see too well so she usually just cuddles back into my arms and goes back to sleep. Felix can wait on her pleasure I figure she thinks.

In truth I don’t mind the romance and I like that Cleo gets some enjoyment from seeing Felix. I know they’re probably not in love, I mean I’m not sure cats have that emotion, although it suits me to make it up and I like that Cleo enjoys his visits. He’s a handsome little bloke and seems to have good manners so as long as there’s glass between them I’m ok with it...I wonder what they’d be like if I let them in the same room sometimes though...Although knowing Cleo like I do...She’ll probably fall asleep.