MeowStack #23: Bird has two extra toes and the world's softest belly

She'll even permit you to pet it!

and

Apr 09, 2025

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Bird the cat sits elegantly on a cushioned stool with sharp green gold eyes and a look of curious contemplation towards us. Bird’s short fur is a beautiful mix of warm browns and oranges with a white mouth, neck and chest. Bird’s paws are neatly tucked in front and their and tail is wrapped around them. — Image source: TreuWords

What is your name, and why are you the most magnificent creature in the universe?

Here's the thing. My given name is Cholula -- yes, like the hot sauce. My humans adopted me and my sister and were going for a "sweet and spicy" theme. I got the spicy name because I have orange in my fur and am more of a boss cat than my sister was (may she rest in peace). She got the name Dolce.

However, soon after naming us, they realized that our *actual* names were quite different. Dolce soon taught the humans to call her Dodo -- not much of a stretch, right? But my name was more difficult to communicate to my humans, especially because it took me over a year to find my physical voice. I'd look at them and open my mouth wide, but no sound would come out.

Eventually, our psychic connection prevailed, and they gradually learned my name: Cholula became Lula, which then became Lula-Bird, then they *finally* got it right. Bird. (Not to be confused with the feathery birds that I love watching from my balcony.)

Bird and Dodo are sitting back to back looking at us with the same curious look on each face. They have their plushy friend Remy the rat next to them. — Image source: TreuWords

My old soul makes me the most magnificent creature in the universe; my sister was very obviously on her first trip to Earth (at least as a cat), but my depth knows no bounds. Just gaze into my eyes, and you shall see.

Bird and Dodo are curled up on the couch with their humans. Bird is getting belly rubs. — Image source: TreuWords

How did you choose your human to be your supplicant?

Well, I have to give my sister credit for that. We were rescued with our siblings from the streets of Baltimore. When my humans came to the shelter looking for a cat to take care of them, my sister stood on her hind legs at the front of the cage we were all in and yelled her head off to get their attention. Unbeknownst to any humans at that point, she would develop all sorts of autoimmune conditions and required especially compliant humans to serve her. As soon as my humans walked in, she knew they'd be up to the task.

I, on the other hand, stayed comfortably tucked away at the back of the cage. I left it to my sister to do the grunt work. When the humans noticed that my sister had been blessed with an extra toe on all of her feet, they asked, "Oh, are any other cats polydactyl?" After a quick inspection, they found me -- with TWO extra toes on each foot, an obvious indicator of my supremacy.

Bird is sleeping on their side on a soft blanket with their paws sticking forward, showing off their enormous feet. — Image source: TreuWords

A close-up of Bird’s extra toes. — Image source: TreuWords

What is the most amusing way you confound your human?

Speaking of toes, I like to keep my humans on theirs. I have trained them to always be in tune with my comfort level. I have commandeered the middle couch cushion, instructing them to permanently keep a heating pad and fuzzy blanket there. I also mandated a faux fur-lined set of stairs leading up to the cushion, as my 16-year-old joints tend to require assistance. If one of the humans lies across my cushion, I walk to the top of the stairs and stare at them until they move out of the way. There's no need for claws and blood; the eyes do the trick.

I don't want my humans to get complacent, so I will periodically switch up where I spend my resting time. Sometimes it's on the cat tree, sometimes it's on another permanently-placed blanket on the armchair. When I really want to remind them who's in charge, I will walk around the condo, feigning preoccupation, while they walk around behind me, asking if I'd like to settle ... there? Or perhaps here? Or what about if they put a blanket over on this stool? Will that work? No? Okay...

Bird is sleeping happily on the couch on their side with one arm outstretched. Their fur is a warm glow of orange brown and white and grey. — Image source: TreuWords

By what means will you inevitably achieve world domination?

I mean, if I can get humans to follow me around with blankets, it's only a matter of time, right? While I am too smart to share the full details of my plan, I will divulge one thing: the extra toes will come in handy (so to speak).

Bird is reaching a paw for a human’s keyboard as if to help the human type. — Image source: TreuWords

Bird is happily sitting on a balcony between two potted plants, looking calmly at us. There is a lawn of green grass in the background. — Image source: TreuWords

What else does the world need to know about you?

I am incredibly soft, especially on my belly, which I permit my humans to pet at their leisure (I'm a benevolent ruler). If I could, I would spend all of my time out on my balcony. My male human is very good with plants (he went to a place they call "college" to learn about them) and he creates a Balcony Jungle for me every year. I can't wait for Spring! I have a soft spot for tortilla chips and pound cake. I help my female human with her writing by stationing myself within arm's reach while she's writing, so she’ll reach over and pet me when she pauses to think of the right word.

In short, I am absolute perfection. While my sister had to rely on her scrappiness and grit to claw her way through 15 years of life with all sorts of health issues, I have remained pristine and, well, easy as heck. I have opened up to my humans so much since my sister passed in 2023 -- I couldn't stand their sad faces any longer, so I threw them a fish bone and have gradually unveiled even *more* purrsonality and purrfection. It helps that they now shower ALL of the attention on me. I am fully basking in the joy of being an only child. They've promised to keep it this way for the remainder of my golden years. I mean, it's the *least* they could do, really.