FELINE FROLICS

The alley between our house and that of our next door neighbor, Chandan, is a busy thouroughfare for the neighborhood feral cat population; collectively known as The Cat Mafia. Often there is some kind of wild show unfolding in some part of the alley. It’s better than Nature on PBS. Often, the star of these natural escapades is Novartis, a feral cat taken in by our neighbors behind us, Mark and Michelle. Novartis (yes, like the drug) still spends a good deal of her time outside but she now has a real home in which to escape the elements if she chooses. According to Michelle, Novartis was "fixed" yet still goes into heat. According to info I found at The Pet Center, the medical term for spay is ovariohysterectomy. The procedure involves removing the pet's ovaries and uterus. However, if "the surgeon simply tied or obstructed the Fallopian tubes (the channel where the eggs must pass into the uterus) in order to make the female dog or cat sterile, she would still come into heat, attract males, and attempt to breed." J and I are wondering if this is what happened to Novartis because she obviously goes into heat and definitely attracts males (The Cat Mafia). If Chandan’s steps are a’rockin’ don’t come a’knockin’. We often have the misfortune of catching some part of the love tanlge since our dining room table looks out into the alley, right at Chandan’s steps. Not to mention, the sound is unmistakable.
The latest member of the Cat Mafia is Lion King 2 (LK 2). He/she reminds us of the original Lion King we met the first Spring we moved here. He was the ultimate in leonine features and persona. LK 2 isn’t quite as stately, but the coloring is the same. He/she came around on Sunday and started whaling. Wanted to get close to Henry real bad. Hung out by the fence for hours, advancing close to the fence when Henry backed away and retreating again when Henry charged the fence. We’re not sure if LK 2 is a female interested in Henry or a male interested in Idgie. But both Idgie and Henry were properly spayed and neutered. We were further confused when Novartis came on the scene. She approached LK 2, like she does all her potential suitors, but was stoutly rejected. Then again, LK 2 could be gay. After all, we live pretty close to Capitol Hill and the Central District has been experiencing gentrification for years.