A Tuxedo Cat Turned Around and Found a Line of Followers
A tuxedo cat stops on a gravel path and looks back over his shoulder, as if counting heads. Behind him, four yellow chicks spread out across the stones in a loose line, each one hurrying on thin orange legs to keep up. A watering can, a rubber boot, and a few pots sit at the edge of the path, and fallen leaves dot the gravel.
Young birds are born with a strong urge to follow, a behavior known as imprinting. In the first hours and days of life, chicks tend to attach to a moving figure, usually their mother, and trail after it for safety. That is why a mother hen leads her brood across a yard in a neat line. In the picture, the cat happens to be the leader the chicks have picked.
Cats are not naturally flock animals, but they do pay attention to what is going on behind them. The quick glance over the shoulder, the slow pace, and the upright tail are all signs of a cat who is relaxed and in charge of his surroundings. Black and white cats in this pattern are often called tuxedos, a coat pattern rather than a breed, and they are as varied in personality as any other cats.
Wherever the path leads, this little procession looks content to go together. It is a short walk, but for the chicks it is a big adventure with a very good guide.
