In our area, the initials “TC” are usually part of an abbreviation for “Tri-Cities” (Richland/Kennewick/Pasco). Recently, it has taken on a new meaning in our home. For some time, we have referred to Andrew as “The Cat With No Tail,” because of the way he perches on chairs and likes to meow. Early in February, we were visited in the front yard by a friendly orange cat with no tail.

After a while, it would appear more frequently to walk around and rub our ankles, unlike the calico cat from across the street that often visited but always ran away when people came out. Next, we would see it in the back yard by our sliding door.

Because Winnie and Josiah are both allergic to cat dander, we had no intention of letting it in and never gave it anything to eat, but it would still come by and look at the people in the house through the glass, and force us to quickly close the door whenever we went in or out. Despite accidentally getting stepped on or kicked from trying to walk too close to a moving person, it didn’t go away. One morning, Gilbert went in the back yard and heard a meow but the cat was not there. A quick glance on the roof showed us the purrpetrator.

After the boys also came out to see, the cat jumped from the roof to the picnic table and onto the ground to greet them. Shortly after this, Josiah gave it the name “TC” for “tail-less cat”. TC has sometimes ventured into the garage and still has hopes of getting into the house. Once, we didn’t guard the door quickly enough and Winnie had to reach under a table to grab it and take it out. TC’s favorite spots are on the back step (we have put out a carpet scrap on dry days hoping to prevent further scratchmarks on the screen), by the living room window, around the driveway, and in the bird feeder tree in the front yard.

Asking around the neighborhood, we have been told that TC doesn’t “belong” to anyone, but often eats with the cats at a house at the end of the street. We had wondered whether it was a stray because there was no collar, but had thought it looked too well-fed. This seems to be the best situation a pet owner could want, a friendly animal with no food bill. Although if dead birds show up in the yard, we may reconsider.

Update, Fall 2007: The following year (2006) we saw the tailless cat once walking slowly in our front yard. After that we never saw it again and neither have our neighbors. Two of the houses across the street and one next door have cats that vie for the territorial rights to the big trees in the front yard now.

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