Inker Binker

I love being with animals. Watching them takes me out of my usual mobius strip of worries. I even enjoy watching the squirrels and birds in our yard.

I’ve had at least one cat since I was 12 (how I got that cat is an interesting story all by itself). Currently we have only one cat: Inky who we have lots of nicknames for (Inkster, Inker Binker, Binky, Inkyboy). I don’t think the cat cares all that much as long as we’re nice to him and take care of him.

It’s funny, though. Cats look like they’re thinking deep thoughts because they can sit for long periods just staring at the same thing. But they’re largely reactive and instinctive.

Inky is almost entirely black but has a few white hairs, mostly on his chest. His fur is soft and glossy and unlike the previous two cats we owned, doesn’t shed much. There are two things that make Inky so endearing:

First, he has the softest voice I’ve ever heard in a cat. He squeaks more than meows and it sounds more like he’s asking me a question. The cat we had before had an extremely loud, strident voice especially when he wanted food.

Second, he is extremely cuddly and affectionate. There are cats that like people but mostly they hang out near people. They don’t curl up in your lap or like to be held. Inky loves sitting in our lap. If you pet him, he’ll get so relaxed it feels like he’s “melted.” He especially likes sitting in my husband’s lap and my husband will rub his stomach until the cat falls asleep splayed out on my husband’s lap.

There are people who actively dislike cats or are neutral towards them. In my case, there’s something about holding a purring cat that makes my heart feel very full and satisfied.

It’s hard to get a good photograph of Inky because his coloring makes it difficult to pick up details. When I get some good ones, I’ll include them with this post.