Jinx

The weather has been "frightful" lately. And Jinx is a cat who lives in the neighborhood but doesn't seem to want to stay in his home. He ingratiates himself to those in the neighborhood who will take him in, feed him, and keep him out of the cold. Jinx has been showing up at our back door for several years. We would give him a treat, then he would be on his way. But over time, he has managed to come inside, eat heartily, and stay well beyond his welcome. Since we lost our beloved 18 year old cat Sunny earlier this year, we are suckers to "feel the fur" to soothe the soul.

So, with the extremely cold temperatures causing Jinx to resist a return to the outdoors, we have allowed him to stay with us for the past three nights. The first night he was given the freedom to stay inside the house. But after a rather sleepness night from his restlessness, he was banished to the garage with a blanket. I feel guilty about that, so at first dawn I'm up and letting him come inside, although when I pick him up, he is quite warm and not endangered in the least.

He is here again tonight, so we shall continue to protect him from the elements. He is a 15 pound solid black furball, but a lovable furball for cat lovers like us. So, we will indulge him until he decides to return home or settle in with another neighbor!