Still Life with Champagne and Cat Chow

As we were ringing in a new year at Catland, I found myself wondering whether cats, like humans, make resolutions for health and prosperity.

For instance, did Lucius vow to wean himself of neediness, to be less demanding in his senior years? Did L.B. say, “I’ll lose 11 pounds in 2011”? Did Alvar take a deep breath and promise to befriend Lucius? And so on and so forth.

This still life with champagne and cat chow will not win an award for artistry, but I like the composition for this simple reason: I am reminded of who I was, and of who I have become. In the B.C. days, I had more time to attend art-gallery and exhibition openings, where champagne and other forms of bubbly were poured freely. In my current state of being, as Cat Lady, I am like the waiter at those art events from ten years ago, passing the hors d’oeuvres and checking attentively on refills—only my “customers” are cats.

Sitting at our kitchen counter on New Year’s Eve, surrounded by the cats’ plates and bowls of food, made me appreciate even more the basic necessities of life. Yes, like most people, I get a kick from champagne, but it is a luxury, after all. The love and companionship of our felines is an indispensable daily pleasure.

Query of the Day: Do you keep ample inventory of Piper-Heidsieck and Purina?