Cats, A Love Story

Shifra Horn loves cats, and her love is absolutely contagious and flowing with animal wisdom. The author’s love of cats goes back to her childhood, and to her mother who was terrified of them. Until Zizi, a coal-black feline, came along and worked her charms. Zizi became the family’s first cat and one of the stories is dedicated to her antics.

However it is Sheeshee, a beautiful Himalayan cat adopted by the author when she lived in Japan, that stars in most of the stories. Blue-eyed Sheeshee found his way into the writer’s family while just a kitten. Nekko Chan, until then the family’s clip-tailed feline companion, is most displeased at the prospect of loosing her previously unchallenged rule, and elects to ignore the newcomer. When Nekko Chan gives birth to five kittens, Sheeshee takes them under his wing, even though he has not fathered them. Sheeshee, a friendly and pleasant tempered cat, enjoyed pulling pranks, such as peeing inside his hosts’ shoes. Threats proved useless, and the cat’s eccentric behavior nearly resulted in a diplomatic incident when the unruly pet decided to do his business inside the shoes of a distinguished Japanese dinner guest. The family’s love for the pampered prankster pet remained steadfast, and Sheeshee returned with the family to Israel. Once in Israel, he became the proud father of a pair of fetching felines who remained with the writer’s family. The second generation provided the author with several equally entertaining anecdotes.