Published by: Ingrid King. Last Updated on: October 31, 2022 by Crystal Uys
I came across the poem “This Cat” by Karen D. Mitchell on my online travels, and it touched me deeply. Karen is the publisher of the blog Neko Scribe, where she and her tortoiseshell cat Calpyso the Watch Cat share news and views related to animal welfare in their hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana, as well as across the nation and the world.
I’m republishing the poem with Karen’s permission.
“This Cat”
is
steel woven in wool,
black wands flickering
in two full moons.
“This Cat”
has
claws that tap bars
and paws that stretch
far, like a child’s hand
waiting for treats.
“This Cat”
was
loved once,
or is, perhaps,
loved still,
yet found
Her or Him Self
trapped
in this limbic state.
“This Cat”
is
a pawn in a game
of euphemisms– words twisted and gnarled like a dying tree’s roots.
“This Cat”
is only
a number on a screen,
a portion of a statistic,
a fraction of the status quo,
a faceless blip
never to be
cherished for Who
She or He
Is,
but rather
a some thing else
entirely, since a
Something
is Not
Unique or Sentient,
and perhaps
Not Worthy.
“This Cat”
waits
to be chosen,
to be known,
to be freed,
to be
Named,
for She or He is
Somebody–
a Being who has never been before
and shall never be again,
except for this day,
this day of waiting
for
“This Cat”
Karen took the photo above during her first visit to Indianapolis Animal Care and Control (IACC) in 2011. Her poem, inspired by the “This Cat” and “This Dog” notations on IACC kennel cards, came to her in October 2012. When she volunteered at IACC, she would sometimes scratch out “This Cat” and write a name of her choice, because she believes that every individual deserves a name.
Photograph and poem © Karen D. Mitchell, 2012.
About the author
Ingrid King is an award-winning author, former veterinary hospital manager, and veterinary journalist who is passionate about cats.