A Quiet Presence

I rolled over in the night and my foot brushed lightly upon the cat who was sleeping (unbeknownst to me) at the foot of my bed.

Our Junior Cat weighs in at over twelve pounds and looks like a big, black panther as he makes his way through our home. What amazes me about this big hulk of a cat, is that he can jump up on something and land as lightly as a feather.

He was too frightened and skittish to jump up on my bed for the first many months that he lived with us. His comfort zone was in my Youngest Son's room and he was very at home within the comfort of that room. On the bed, under the bed, on the couch, in the 'cat house' My Son made out of cardboard boxes. My Youngest Son's room is like a 'home free' zone to our Junior Cat. It is his haven.

Lately, Junior Cat has been gracing me with his presence in the wee hours of the morning. I have turned on the TV to lull me back to sleep and spotted the silhouette of our big, black kitty at the foot of my bed. If he knows I'm awake, he comes up to me and likes it if I pet him. He never snuggles. His relationship is very stand-offish and he likes to be the one who make all the moves.

More recently, I have woke up to find Junior Cat right beside my head, waiting for me to wake up. He isn't a purring sort of cat but often his purrs (at least for me) come early in the morning during those first waking moments. It is as if his guard is down and his purr sneaks out. It is a special time, so I lay there and soak it up when I can.

I think that My Youngest is Junior Cat's chosen person. But he likes me too. He really does. So when I find him 'snuggled' in bed with me (I've never seen a cat that can sleep soundly so close to the edge of a piece of furniture), it makes my heart happy.

Last night, in the middle of the night ... I felt his soft coat of fur as my foot grazed over him. He is a quiet presence but it fills me up inside.

It makes me think of the sense of comfort that I feel when no one else is around. Like quiet presence of our little panther cat who can make such gentle landings that you have no idea he is around ... I feel safe and protected in this little world of mine. It is a happy place to be.