parallel lives
Cat With No Name Age: Four years (human years). That's 28 in cat years.
Occupation: Vermin catcher - rats, cockroaches, general pest. A pet of sorts to a veggie-cigarette-and-odds-and-ends stall owner. A lover to all available females in the Tin Hau area, a father to countless children I have never met. Your regular cat-about-town.
Career path: My first memory of life is being wet. I was born in a lane near the Urban Council Wet Market in Tin Hau under a pile of wood and canvas and the summer rains had made the whole world soggy. My mother, as I dimly recall, was a mixture of colours and had a short crooked tail (an Asian cat trait, I'm told). She was tiny and thin, but that was probably from having so many children. One day when I was still very young she left us, scavanging for food, and never came back.
One of my sisters died after a couple of days, somebody picked up my brother one day and took him away (he was jet black and undoubtedly the best looking of the litter) and I realised I was on my own. I started off down King's Road, the area I have come to call my own after all these years. It was terrifying at first - so much noise, so many feet to avoid - but I got used to hiding in safe places during the day and coming out at night. Early one morning I found a particularly cosy spot and overslept. My stallholder friend saw me and didn't shout, but instead threw down a lunchbox of rice and fish bones. I stuck around his stall that day and this has become a habit. I watch out for rats and he feeds me.
Cat's day: During the day, I take it easy at the stall. At night, I go where I like but generally in this area. I show up shortly after my human friend opens his stall in the morning and sometimes I let him put a collar on me because it makes him happy and, besides, I have no burning desire to go anywhere during the day.
I sit on a box usually above the vegetables and watch the world go by, although I also nap a lot during the day. There's always lots to see on King's Road - people rushing around and plenty of noises and smells to think about so it's not boring. Sometimes I see another cat although most of my mates who don't have a daytime human to hang out with hide and sleep during the day.
I imagine the reason the human keeps me is to chase rats but there aren't many around during the day. I make short work of cockroaches and this seems to please him. He feeds me well: rice in the morning when we meet for the day, lunchbox scraps and there is also always something in the evening before he goes home. He very kindly leaves me a bowl of water each day. We don't have a sentimental kind of relationship. I couldn't handle that, but he does occasionally pat me and I might purr once in a while.
This isn't a bad life because at least I am guaranteed some food on the table and I still get to do my own thing at night.
Perks: Leftover congee.
Ambition: Live out my seven lives in peace.
Name: Szechuan Leng-jai Age: Born on September 21, 1995.
Occupation: High-class pet and elite breeder.
Career path: My Hong Kong owner, Carol Byrne, bought me from a cattery in Victoria, Australia, for HK$5,500 and I was then flown to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific when I was three months old. The ultimate purpose of importing me is to introduce a new bloodline and pedigree of cats into Hong Kong.
My grandfather's name was Maclae Gold Coast King and my grandmother was Snowdonia Second Chance and both were double Grand Champion winners of Seal Point Siamese competitions. My mother was called Chantilly Deanna Lynx and my father was Grand Champion Rama Chance Encounter - they were Lilac and Blue Tabby Points.
I lived with my mother for three months so I remember her, but I never met my father who only knew my mother for a few days anyway. I recently had my first litter of three kittens, one of which has already been sold and I suppose the other two will go soon now even though they do cost HK$3,000 each. I was bred with a member of the Hong Kong Cat Society called Chanel Jacqueline Polo sometime last year and although we fought at first, he stayed for three days at my house on The Peak and I like him a lot.
My babies were born on November 11, Remembrance Day, and they have already been registered, shown and have won a prize for the best eye colour.
Jai's day: My owner calls me Jai for short and I don't mind because it shows her affection. She is very good to us, always speaks nicely to me and is happy when I stroke her legs or sit on her lap. Sometimes I don't feel like being petted just because she needs company, but I try to be tolerant most of the time.
We get tinned commercial cat food for breakfast and dinner although we also have biscuits to snack on during the day. My best friend is Munich. He was already here when I joined the family and is a neutered tom cat, also a Seal Point. I really don't think I could bear to mix with rabble so it's good that he also comes from a good family. We actually have our own room in the apartment which has our baskets and bedding, our balls, and other scratch toys, but, fortunately, Carol doesn't expect us to confine ourselves to just one room. Munich and I go wherever we like and do whatever we like. The only thing which is not permitted is sleeping on her lounge sofas.
A bit mean really, I would have thought, but she's really quite insistent about this. Since I came to Hong Kong, I have already won a cabinet full of trophies. I don't mind the shows because it gets me out and I have a chance to look at the competition. I go to regular grooming sessions when all the members of the Cat Society get together and brush us. First I'm combed, then brushed and then my hair is polished with a silk cloth or damp chamois. I actually get at least 15 minutes grooming every day and my nails are frequently clipped. This isn't a bad life really.
Perks: New toys from time to time.
Ambition: Not a whole lot.
