12:53 p.m. - 2006-07-19

A stranger at the door

He just sauntered into our lives. At first just my girl and I knew of his visits every few days, always after the same thing. Then after a while my husband found out our little secret.

The stranger�s visits became more frequent, and our hospitality extended further and more abundant. His level of comfort became apparent - moving beyond the norm of just visiting us on the back stoop, he would languidly wander into the house, casing the joint ever so politely. My girl though, kept her guarded stance against the stranger. I tried to coax her into acceptance of our little deal, but she never changed her bearing.

His winsome ways and brilliant gold eyes were winning over my heart, and to some extent my husbands. I, never being one to turn a stranger away, was thinking of ways to make this a more permanent arrangement. How could I go against my husband�s wishes, behind his back, and continue the relationship that seemed to be deepening between the stranger and I? But he was so enamouring as he lolled on his back with that complete contentment (for now) look.

And then, as my heart became fully won over, I realized just what I had got myself into. He had completely snowed me over, bamboozled me, and used me to get his desires and pleasures met. He was an experienced Tom-Cat who knew how to sway the softened heart to get what he wanted. His ways were well practiced over his years of feline hobo life.

He was a stray cat, who only kept coming back because we fed him. How many other houses were on his daily routine stops? How many other hearts had he melted to think that �they� could tame his heedless, wanton ways. How many other homes had contemplated or consulted their local vet about the cost of neutering?