Jing Jing is a cat. I first met her when I started subleasing at my current address. She is my landlord’s cat, and although this beautiful creature had food, water, fresh litter, and a couple of dogs to play with, she didn’t seem to be getting enough love. And if there’s something I don’t stand for, its any person or being not getting enough love, at least by my standards. She hadn’t really been given a formal name yet, so I decided to name her Jing Jing (Cantonese), which I often abbreviate to Jing, Jingy or Jingy Jing. She even appears to understand Cantonese when I use it to converse with her.
She is so soft and cute
At first she avoided me and ran away whenever I tried to pet her. Now she likes to sleep in my room, curl up in my lap, and spend as much time as she can getting her cheeks/head massaged and her chin scratched. When she wants affection, she rubs her head against my knee or hand, or appears in the middle of the night a few inches from my face purring loudly. She occasionally cleans my hair by licking it, which I guess is flattering but is also quite annoying. She meows when she wants food and leads me to her bowl. Sometimes, I can even say her name and make a hand gesture and she will come to me.
Jing Jing is a very good hunter and will kill any pest in the house. She uses her full set of claws to defend herself against the dogs. She loves windowsills and has a fortress from her canine friends on top of the kitchen table, where she and I often eat together (so the dogs won’t eat her food and so I have company). She has learned that portals hinge open if she scratches on what appear to be walls, but she has not learned that all furry things hopping around on the end of a stick are not, in fact, mice.
Jing Jing is like a little tiger, and has been known to randomly attack my arm and hand while I’m rubbing her belly. As I do not withdraw, but merely wrestle her around until she is forced to attack with all four feet and her jaws, I often sport cuts and scratches on my left hand. This really is not harmful, and releases happy-inducing endorphins for me.
Jing Jing is a fantastic little friend, and has given me countless smiles and laughs, as well as the precious general feeling of being loved. As all too many go without enough love, and all the world so desperately needs more of it, Jing Jing, despite her occassional regurgitations, is a good citizen of our planet.
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