an unexpected companion

In my experience, cats are either cuddle buddies, or wanderers. We had cats as family pets, growing up. But I haven't had a cat as a pet in a long time. Definitely not while I have had pet birds. Unless they start out together, it's not the best combination. 

We have had experience with feral cats visiting our backyard habitat.  In the summer of 2021, there was a mother cat and six of her kittens that liked to hang out in our garden, sunning on the stone wall, napping in  the quiet afternoon.  I know the damage feral cats can do to the population of songbirds, and other bird life.  As a bird watcher, I understand that well.  And yet...we couldn't get near them to attempt any kind of rescue.

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So, it's October now. And it was my birthday. We planned to go for a hike north of Milwaukee, near Fond Du Lac. My favorite way to spend the day.  
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​The weather was still rainy in Milwaukee, but by the time we got to the woods, the sun was shining, and clouds were few. There was a cool wind, occasionally, but it was beautiful outside. We pulled into the parking lot, and got out of the car, putting on our jackets, and collecting the camera gear.

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That's when I heard it. A tiny mewing sound. I looked towards the bushes and trees surrounding the parking lot, and there, soaking in the sun, was a small black cat. I stepped towards it, fully expecting it to take off running. But it did not. It came towards me. Happily. Suddenly it was wrapping itself around my legs, moving in and out, around my feet, purring, rubbing its head on my shin.  It wasn't a kitten, but based on its size, I'm estimating it was somewhere between 6 months to a year old.  Very healthy, well fed, clean. And very friendly.

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I gave it some attention, lamenting I didn't have anything along I could feed it. My husband stepped away for a minute, to handle a work issue via phone, and I got my camera out, and readied myself for the hike, began documenting the surroundings.

When he had finished, we headed towards the main boardwalk entrance to the woods, to start our hike.

​The cat followed along.

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We had never been to this woodland before, so we were unfamiliar. We were just following the trail, discovering as we went along. And for every step we took on the trail, the cat continued with us.  Sometimes she ran ahead, then sat on a tree stump to wait for us, sometimes she moved amongst one or the other of us.  Sometimes something in the understory caught her attention, and she lingered, sniffing it out, chewing on a leaf, playing with falling leaves like a colorful cat toy.  And then, she would join up with us again, moments later.

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She was beautiful. Solid black with soft green eyes. The softest fur. The sweetest face.  A musical mew. When I would stop to take photos of the surroundings, she would hover about my legs and feet, softly purring and mewing, occasionally batting at my camera strap when it dangled.

​By this time I was calling her by the name Binx. If you've seen the movie Hocus Pocus, you understand why. When she wandered off for a moment, or took a rest when we took photos, I would call to her as we moved on, and she would come running up to join us again.

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Maybe I'm making too much of this. Maybe people go hiking with cats all the time. But in all the hikes, all the walks through parks I've taken in my life, I've never seen anyone walking along with a cat. This felt so unique. More like a journey. Strangers in the real world, kin on the trail. It was simply remarkable. And I was starting to feel a very strong connection to this beautiful, wild-ish creature. I was starting to worry what would happen when the hike was over. I didn't want it to be over.

And, in the unspoken looks between us, I could tell my husband was wondering the same thing. Was he somehow going to have to drive back to town with a cat in his lap. From his perspective, this would be a no-win situation.

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We don't often cover a long distance on our hikes. While many people will hike a couple miles quickly, we take our time. I tend to take a lot of photos, in an effort to illustrate the surroundings for the website listings, so I can easily take an hour just to hike a mile or so. The trail we followed through Hobbs Woods was a winding one, following along Parson's Creek. We hiked about two miles, in about two hours. Stopping frequently to take photos, and take in the details. Which means, for two hours, Binx was our constant companion.

​If you've ever held a kitten, a puppy, or even a baby bird in your hand, you know how quickly an attachment can form. Their innocence, their cuteness factor, their vulnerability, just imprints on you, and you don't want to let go. It may be a bit selfish, I suppose, but I think it's natural. 

Deep down I knew I was going to have to say farewell to my new friend at the end of this hike, but I'm not going to pretend I wanted to.

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The truth of the matter was, Binx was a healthy, friendly, well cared for cat. She belonged to someone. There was no indication that she had been abandoned there.  I did my best to focus on the rest of the hike, and to enjoy her presence. As we grew closer to the end of our trail, we stood along the banks of Parson's Creek, watching the water flow. 

Binx hovered along the shore, taking a drink of water as it trickled over the fallen autumn leaves and the rocks and stones. The wind blew, falling leaves drifting on air, and landing on the flowing water. Binx wandered further along the waters edge and sat down among the leaves, facing the curve of the creek. I took a picture. Maybe three. 

And then we continued on, finally crossing the bridge on the path towards the parking lot. Where, once again, she took respite and I committed her face to a photograph. To my memory. To a space in my wanderers heart.

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EPILOGUE:  We returned to the parking lot at the end of our hike. Still conflicted, we took a walk up and down the road. Just behind the parking lot to the woods was a house, though it did not look like anyone was at home at the time. Across the road a field, and a short ways off from the field a farmhouse, and barn.  Up the road in the opposite direction, houses with barns and wide open spaces.

Further up the road, another black cat was crossing. A sibling perhaps? Maybe Binx's mother? She followed me briefly, as we surveyed the possibilities, but returned to, and seemed content, sitting in the parking lot.

It took me a while to finally start the car to drive away. My husband watched to make sure she didn't move in the way of the vehicle. She was sitting in the lot, looking towards the woods.  We drove away in silence.

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​I was surprised at how emotional I was feeling. We humans, we like to read into things. It was my birthday. I was missing my mom, the anniversary of her death just a few weeks ago. She was a cat person. I told my husband maybe my mom sent her to me as a birthday gift. Maybe it was her way of walking the trail with us, of spending the day with us. Like I said, we like to read into things.
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​It's true that on the way back home I shed a tear, worrying about Binx. Would she be okay. Would she have food to eat and a warm place to sleep. But the truth of the matter is, she more than likely had a home in one of those households, and was simply an outdoors cat who went on an adventure with two kind strangers. I'm still thinking about her. And I'm still tempted to return to see if she is ok. And I'm still conflicted. But one thing I do know for sure, is that her presence, her companionship, on our hike that day was a gift. And one I will always treasure. ​