Nana wasn't looking for a cat. She had a big black lab named Lucky. One pet was enough. She didn't need any more. But this cat just showed up. He wandered around the yard for a couple of years. Nana watched the cat from her kitchen window when she was washing the dishes or drinking her coffee. "He must be a neighbor's cat," thought Nana. "The cat must go home at night. It probably has a nice home."
Then she noticed him sleeping under the car in the driveway or under the evergreen in her back yard. Nana started putting water out on the deck and throwing dinner scraps under the evergreen. Nobody seemed to know whose cat it was. She called him Goldie because of his soft golden fur and for the mascot of her favorite team, The Golden Gophers.
One day, when Nana opened the door for Lucky, the cat followed him in. That was the day that Goldie decided to make the adoption official. While Nana feared he had been abused because he lacked a tail, it was confirmed that Goldie was actually a Manx - a highly prized breed known for its hunting skills. Once he took up residence, Goldie brought Nana a gift everyday: mouse, a mole, a chipmunk, and heaven forbid a bird. These were the daily gifts of gratitude that Nana found on her doorstep. Gifts to demonstrate his affection and as payment for room and board. One day, Goldie was spotted struggling up the hill with something quite large. When he finally reached the house, Nana found at her doorstep a beautiful branch filled with bright red berries. She put the branch in a vase and cherished the thoughtful gesture.
I think Goldie is thinking about how fortunate he is to have found such a loving owner. It's been said that, due to their independent nature, you can't really adopt a cat. Sometimes, however, a cat can adopt you.
