I love this. Thanks for posting it. Figures that Bukowski would be a cat person. My cat Raoul was a stray. My co-worker was feeding him and when she brought him to me, he was about five months old. He had a broken tail. The vet had to amputate half of it. Two years later, he has a gorgeous, thick stumpy tail that he thumps enthusiastically when he's being petted. He's a complete weirdo and he totally owns me.
Wow, has it really been TWO YEARS since you got Raoul? I remember you posting about his early adventures on your LJ. He sounds like a great cat. My theory is that the best cats are cats that get into trouble all the time. Brave, exploring, adventurous cats! They have the best personalites.
I tend to collect cat quotes and poems. It's interesting to me that so many writers like cats.
One of my favorite cat quotes is by P.J. O'Rourke (one of the few "conservatives" I can tolerate). I'm not sure he LIKES cats, considering this quote, but he seems to understand them well enough:
"It's easy to understand why the cat has eclipsed the dog as modern America's favorite pet. People like pets to possess the same qualities they do. Cats are irresponsible and recognize no authority, yet are completely dependent on others for their material needs. Cats cannot be made to do anything useful. Cats are mean for the fun of it."
That's a great quote and very true. Another semi-conservative writer who likes cats is Christopher Hitchens. His cat love is on display in a couple of places in his recent book, "God is Not Great". I wish I could find the quote, but I don't have the book; Emma took it with her to college.
I don't think it's any big secret that creative types tend to like cats whereas corporate types prefer dogs. I see it in my own family. Emma is a cat person and my son Nick (business major, working as a financial analyst) is a dog person.
And yes, it's been almost two years since I adopted Raoul (or vice versa). I have Mia, too, but she's not quite as amusing as he is. She can be very sweet but she's moody and demanding whereas he's laid back and adorably demented. And he talks to me - even my husband has noticed Raoul's extensive vocabulary of meows. It is amusing to watch the interaction between the two cats - it's totally true that they're mean for the fun of it. I can relate to that!
Fantastic. Lovely what critters can teach us if we pay attention. Guys like this are why I respect cats. They know what they want and are pretty clear about telling you. The trick for them is finding the person who will listen.
Glad you enjoyed this. I thought it was a great poem. Bukowski had a rough life, himself. As a teenager he was shy and suffered from horrible acne that left his face scarred for life. He became a serious alcoholic and almost died from a bleeding ulcer when he was in his mid-30s. But he lived through all that and managed to channel his experiences into art -poems, short stories, novels and screenplays. It's easy to understand why this tough, beaten up old cat appealed to him.
Great poem. Will never read it again because I go crazy over animal cruelty. Thank God the cat lived. Bless his heart and Bukowski's too for not giving up on him.
My own cat is at the vet's getting IV fluids, refusing to eat and scheduled for a procedure under anesthetic on Wednesday. I'm a wreck. Crying a lot. It's been 14 years since there's not been a cat in my apartment and it feels so empty. Sounds like there's a lot of cat lovers here--please, if you'd send my beautiful girl Prana your good thoughts, I'd be so grateful.
I'm so sorry to hear that your cat is ill, D. Of course you and Prana have all of my most positive thoughts and best wishes that she makes a full and speedy recovery. It's so stressful when beloved pets are ill. They really are important, cherished members of our families.
All sorts of positive vibes flowing through the internet to Prana AND you...you need some TLC, too. Mr. Razor, the gentleman in the icon, also sends his thoughts along, and says to hang tough...which he does well, himself. FanSee
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I tend to collect cat quotes and poems. It's interesting to me that so many writers like cats.
One of my favorite cat quotes is by P.J. O'Rourke (one of the few "conservatives" I can tolerate). I'm not sure he LIKES cats, considering this quote, but he seems to understand them well enough:
"It's easy to understand why the cat has eclipsed the dog as modern America's favorite pet. People like pets to possess the same qualities they do. Cats are irresponsible and recognize no authority, yet are completely dependent on others for their material needs. Cats cannot be made to do anything useful. Cats are mean for the fun of it."
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I don't think it's any big secret that creative types tend to like cats whereas corporate types prefer dogs. I see it in my own family. Emma is a cat person and my son Nick (business major, working as a financial analyst) is a dog person.
And yes, it's been almost two years since I adopted Raoul (or vice versa). I have Mia, too, but she's not quite as amusing as he is. She can be very sweet but she's moody and demanding whereas he's laid back and adorably demented. And he talks to me - even my husband has noticed Raoul's extensive vocabulary of meows. It is amusing to watch the interaction between the two cats - it's totally true that they're mean for the fun of it. I can relate to that!
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Thanks for sharing.
Hugs,Cindy
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Glad you enjoyed this. I thought it was a great poem. Bukowski had a rough life, himself. As a teenager he was shy and suffered from horrible acne that left his face scarred for life. He became a serious alcoholic and almost died from a bleeding ulcer when he was in his mid-30s. But he lived through all that and managed to channel his experiences into art -poems, short stories, novels and screenplays. It's easy to understand why this tough, beaten up old cat appealed to him.
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My own cat is at the vet's getting IV fluids, refusing to eat and scheduled for a procedure under anesthetic on Wednesday. I'm a wreck. Crying a lot. It's been 14 years since there's not been a cat in my apartment and it feels so empty. Sounds like there's a lot of cat lovers here--please, if you'd send my beautiful girl Prana your good thoughts, I'd be so grateful.
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I wish Prana all the best.
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