Well, Asian Leopard-Domestic Kitty Beautiful Beyond Compare Feline Alert. (Warning: This post is for cat lovers only. If you aren’t a cat lover — or at least a cat tolerater — go away. I don’t want to know you! Just kidding. We can be friends even in our differences. But, seriously, you should seek professional help to rectify this shameful flaw in your character.)

Ahem. Anyhow. Back to the tail. Er, tale.

As you may know from previous posts of her modeling yoga postures, I am the proud subject of a Bengal kitty-cat. Brigitte is a ten year old, Scorpio-born, brown-spotted Bengal sweetie pie. She’s an indoor cat although I do take her out from time-to-time on nice days to bask in the sunshine and get close-up views of the wildlife that she usually observes from her living room perch.

She loathes the cold weather and is wont (“wont?” Where do I come up with these gems?) to lie on this particular perch many hours during the cold winter months.

Anything under 80 degrees is freezing to this girl. She travels through the house searching for rays of sunshine to warm her bones.

One of her most endearing(?) habits is when I lie on the couch under a blanket she will come up and push at it indicating her desire to get underneath and camp out for the next several hours. It finally got to the point where I just make up tents on the couch for her sleeping ease.

Bengals are pretty nifty animals. They truly are a cross between an Asian Leopard and a domestic cat. Breeding of them began in the 1970’s and they became quite popular. They do take about 3-4 generations, however, before they are domestic enough to keep as pets.

They are known for their soft-as-soft-can-be fur, compelling “mascara-lined” eyes, love of water, propensity to camp out in high places, leopard spots and stripes, and extra sharp, curved claws. Fortunately, Brigitte does allow me to trim hers every month or so. Untended, they have a propensity to get caught on the carpet and other materials.

Every sitter I’ve had for her falls in love and vows their eternal willingness to care for her on the occasions that the Big Dog and I are gone for any extended period of time. This is going to come in handy later this year as I’m going to have to call in the “Big  Favor” when we are on pilgrimage in Israel for two weeks in the fall. Fortunately, the Brigitte Fan Club just may have enough members that the chore — I mean, the Honor! — of caring for her will not fall too heavily on any one person’s shoulders.

But, then, who would not be honored to serve and nourish and pamper such a gorgeous creature?