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By Ann Green

If I passed you in a coffee shop wearing a cat T-shirt and cat earrings, carrying a pocketbook covered with cat images — with matching wallet, (along with cat socks, but you couldn’t see that), wearing a baseball cap that says, “Cat Mom,” holding onto a cat umbrella and wearing a cat mask, would you: A) Compliment my attire B) Compliment my attire and tell me about your cat C) Think, “What a weirdo!” D) Not notice. I’ve had all of these reactions, guessing about C (but you can usually tell).

Over this lousy, isolating year-and-a- half I have embraced my Crazy Cat Lady persona. If I walk around in full cat attire it’s because it’s fun (remember fun?) and of course I love cats.

I have happily added to my drawer full of cat socks and am careful to match them with what I’m wearing. My jewelry box boasts seven sets of cat earrings in addition to one necklace and two cat pins. I often wear cat T-shirts, and when it’s cold, my cat sweatshirt. At night, of course, a cat nightgown. Both my primary and spare key chains have cats. Numerous cat figurines and much cat artwork can be found throughout our house. My tasteful coffee table books include cat cartoons, cat art books and Desmond Morris’s Catwatching. I also have a lovely pink cat scarf, cat towels and pillows, as well as cat oven mitts, measuring spoons, teapots, mugs and a cat lap desk. At a thrift store looking for books, I happened upon a very soft, brand new blanket with, you guessed it, a cat, whose image covers the entire blanket. Did I need it? No. Did I buy it? Yes.

Oddly enough I tend to get cat stuff for birthdays, Mother’s Day and occasions when a friend or relative sees something cat they just know I’d love. Most of the greeting cards I get have cats on them. There’s a funny card out there featuring a cat named Murray. I’ve gotten it about seven times. One family had no idea when my birthday is and gave it to me anyway.

One of my Crazy Cat Lady projects is making our adored golden tabby, Murray, famous. I entered him in two calendar contests that benefit the MetroWest Humane Society in Ashland, Massachusetts, where I met Murray and convinced him to become our feline overlord. One year he won the spot as Mr. January. In 2022 he will be Mr. September. I also took part in a cat poetry contest, and, as one of the winners, my entry was read on YouTube by a guy whose channel is called Klusmanp and features two engineers who discuss cats with deadpan humor.

Behold, Murray in rhyme:

My Marvelous Murray

By Ann Green

Zooming around in such a hurry,
That’s our lovable tabby Murray.
With beautiful fur and a gorgeous face,
At 5 a.m. he’s running a race.

He loves to cuddle, he likes to play,
He’d live in my lap if he had his way.
Got him at a shelter; he’d been found on the street,
Having him home is a constant treat.

With him it was truly love at first sight,|
He’s chatty, good-natured and never would bite.
Golden fur and piercing green eyes,
A lap-loving fur ball of moderate size.

He meows while looking me straight in the eye,
A well-spoken, very articulate guy.
Like his canine cousins he greets me at the door,
Likes to drink from the toilet, loves belly rubs more.

He’s fond of snuggles, he chirps when I sneeze,
His calming nature puts me at ease.
Oh, Murray, my buddy, what can I say?
You never fail to make my day.

As these difficult times wear on, I find that I care less and less what people think. Maybe it’s the fact that we’ve had to adjust to new ways of being, living and interacting. Maybe it’s age. Or maybe it’s the aura of Murray, the most cuddly, sweet cat ever. I will continue to wear cat everything. All I can say at this point is, Meow!

— Ann Green

Ann Green is a freelance writer, editor, PR consultant and tutor.