The Return of the Calico

Upon rescuing our four indoor cats, there were two female calicos and two domestic short haired in the litter.  The two domestic were a solid grey female and solid orange male.  Mama Calico had abandoned them.  We took on the responsibility of caring and feeding the four when they were just four weeks old.  Since then, Mama Calico had one other litter before she disappeared.  She left behind two female Calicos (Devil Eyes and Little Calico).  But these two cats would disappear as well.  Little Calico’s offspring was Tarzan (a female, we had misnamed.)  Tarzan is a black long haired domestic. She is still with us.  From Devil Eye’s she left behind a white long haired female kitten (Moth Ball).  Skillet who is dark grey has managed to have a white female kitten (Hope).  We named her Hope because we hope she makes it.  The life for strays is short.  Mama cats, Daddy cats and kittens seem to really have short lives.  There are so many dangers outside.  I wish I could bring all cats I see outside into the house.  But I can’t.   I have a limit on how many I can take care of properly with food, veterinarian visits, etc.  But it still doesn’t keep me from wishing I could rescue them all.

But for the cats outside, the Calico has disappeared.  With the turn over, we have black, dark grey, light grey and a couple of orange males.  With the two white female kittens that I mentioned above, I’m in hopes the Calico kittens will return.  The different colors are so pretty.  Not to take anything from any of them, all cats are pretty.  But that Calico adds color to the colony. If only I could match-up the orange with the white; then surely calicos would come.  But that decision is not mine.

I was reminded this past Halloween about the superstitions surrounding black cats. I think maybe that has me thinking about wishing the colony had more color.  If I believed in bad luck, I would certainly have it.  The black cat is dominant within the circle of those I feed.

Black cats have played a major role in superstitions, folklore and mythology for centuries.  Black cats can portend either good or bad luck.  Most of us ignore the good luck becoming more familiar with the bad luck superstitions…witches, evil omens and scary path crossings.  I thought about the crossing paths each time I fed the strays this past Halloween.   The cats are not letting me touch them, but they sure run in front of me a lot as they head for the different pails of food.  Cats are loving creatures no matter the color.  I love all the strays I feed.  I want all to have a long and healthy life.
          But, I am not without wishing to write in the future of the birth of a litter of calico kittens.