Cats are amazing intuitive creatures; they always know the right time to show up. When I discovered Blake, he was all alone in a box hanging out on a Manhattan Street in Hell’s Kitchen. The kittens got all of the attention from people passing by. He was part of cat rescue program in NYC. Blake is a feral cat. Despite his lack of human conditioning Blake adapted easily to people. I was told if he wasn’t adopted he would be destroyed.
Blake has one blue eye and one green eye; he’s a white tabby with black markings and pink nose. Oh one ear stands perfectly straight up while the other is curled over. He was three years old at the time we met in 2008. I was won over by Blake immediately.
He was so quiet when I picked him up. When I took him home I think he was surprised by how big his universe got. He felt comfortable in letting me know; Blake’s a nonstop talker.
Blake has an uncanny way of disappearing and reappearing. One afternoon I searched the apartment from top to bottom and couldn’t find Blake. I was in tears thinking somehow got out and was roaming the streets of Manhattan. Exasperated I sat down on the edge of the bed and shook my head. When I put my hand down on the blanket I notice the blanket wasn’t as smooth in one area. I thought at first it was sloppy bed making and then realized it had to be Blake. He had flattened himself out under the blankets and was fast asleep.
At that point Blake became the inspiration for my picture book, “The Other SIDE of the BOX”, which brings to life Erwin Schrödinger’s cat in the box thought experiment. “The Other SIDE of the BOX” Imagines what the Cat is thinking and what you may See. It’s a book about perception and the consideration of other possibilities.
As mentioned Blake is not at all shy, he has his own Facebook page and Twitter account and very vocal from time to time. You can see him sing for his supper on YouTube.
Besides hiding in plain sight, Blake’s other favorite thing to do is to lay on his back for a belly rub. I changed his life as much as he has changed mine.
Guest post written by Tery Spataro, a Digital Strategist and Marketing Professor