Mittens...

by Charles Fee
(New York)

I had a tuxedo kitty once. She came to us from somewhere in the neighborhood. I guess she liked the food here better.

I have to dispute your intelligence claim a bit. Mitties was dumber than a box of rocks. She'd continue to pester our other cat even after being swatted who knows how many times and insist upon being in our rather small kitchen when everyone else was out there too, winding up getting stepped on (which nobody wanted to do, for the record). She more than made up for that by being very lovable. She loved to cuddle and loved being the center of attention. In the winter, anyone laying down on the couch would have an instant cat-shaped purring scarf.

Unfortunately, she got very sick three years ago - with what we don't know - and is no longer with us.