TangaRoo

The Gang of Four members have had some name shifts since we first met. I wasn't yet in the habit of waiting to "hear" what they would like to be called. Because they each reminded me of other cats I've known, I used those names but eventually they shifted a bit. Uh-Oh became Oh-Oh, Louise became Louie-Louie, Monkey Face (named entirely for herself) became Monkey Gurl, and Tangie 2 became TangaRoo. I kept the "g" sound like in tangerine, but when her color faded and when her personality showed up more clearly, I could see that a more original name fit.

Somewhere in her lineage is, I suspect, Mr. Marmalade. He's a sweet and petable cat from a few houses north. He used to come around when the girls were in heat, so one day I snatched him up. He was, I think, bewildered. He came back to visit a few times after the surgery, but he was no longer petable. If I see him this summer, I'm guessing he will warm up again. But the boys tend to stay closer to home after the hormone change, so I may only see him in his progeny.

Roo has Mr. Marmalade's sweetness with a mix of sudden episodes of bossiness. She's gotten a little less shy and is interested in petting and combing, especially about the head. She's also become more chatty. I have the sense she's telling me a story that usually ends in a question, as if she wants to solicit my feedback. "Did you enjoy that?"

Her favorite toy is the little soft spiky ball. I keep a supply on hand because they have a habit of disappearing. She loves me doing the ball toss with her, or lifting the chairs to see if one is under there in a place she can't quite reach. Lately, I've been finding the ball in the water dish and the evidence of a lot of water splashed about. She must be dropping it in to play with or to wash. I don't always understand why she chooses to do what she does. Her thinking, to me, seems quirky and creative, but not predictable.

From the beginning, she's been less willing to let me get a full-on photo of her. She looks directly at me until I get the camera out. Because I trust the intelligence of these beings knowing what they are up to, I ask questions. "Will you let me take your photo for Sharon? for the blog? Is it all right if I post about you now?"

I don't know who is asking whom. My experience of TangaRoo is just that. Something inside of my experience of myself. I don't know where I end and she begins. I do sense a difference in quality of energy in the experience of each of these beings who share my days with me. Roo's is smooth, playful, quirky, and imaginative. When strangers show up, she's quick to disappear. She knows her limits.

When the strangers leave, she comes out to play. This seems a sensible approach to life. Rest quietly in response to feeling overwhelmed and play with abandon and humor when revived.