The thing about picking up street cats and taking them home is, you never know what you're going to get.
For those of you who are new to Turkish Muse, I should tell you upfront that I have four cats. In my house. Who sleep on my bed. Yeah, I know it's crazy.
We've now had Frankie in our home for almost eight months and it has been quite a ride. I picked up Frankie Jr. (even though he's from the 'Bul he's got a South Philly name) on the street on my way to work one day last summer and somehow, a few weeks later I, uh, kinda....um, brought him home. He wasn't exactly the prettiest cat I'd ever seen but he was awfully sweet.
What, you don't remember what he looked like before?
Oh.
Well, let me refresh your memory.
Yeah. Who could have resisted that face and not taken him home? Don't answer that. He was covered in fungus and had a injured foot and I couldn't help but take pity on the poor guy.
Little did I know.....
In the past several months, Frankie has given us his share -- and then some! -- of trouble. Most memorable was that time I discovered that he knows how to open the fridge door, take out the cheese, unwrap it and go wild on the kitchen floor.
He went through a brief phase where he particularly enjoyed knocking over full glasses of water and watching the liquid roll down tabletops onto the floor where he happily lapped it up.
When eating sandwiches, you have to keep a tight grip on your food with one hand and hold a a water bottle with the other hand so you can spray him whenever he gets too close. If you're not careful, Frankie will latch onto a corner of your sandwich -- or a cookie, slice of cheese or apple, anything really -- and run away with it. You can take the cat off the street but I guess you can't take the street outta the cat.
Most recently, Frankie proved his naughtiness yet again when, after the cleaning lady had put him in our cat carrier so she could mop the floors in peace, he clawed his way out of the mesh front and laid down to take a nap.
Why keep him? you ask. That's a good question. He can be an awfully sweet cat. Honest! Look. Here he is helping me set the table.
And it's not like he doesn't do his fair share of chores. He does, after all, clean up after dinner....
And when he's not being naughty, he provides great photo ideas. Here he is chilling with his best friend, Phoenix (another one of our Istanbul street cats)....
If that picture doesn't warm your heart I don't know what will!
Okay, sorry guys, I'll put the camera away now.
PS. Want a soft, furry, lovey street cat of your own? Send an email to barbara@turkishmuse.com and I'll tell you how to get one....
