Maple Called It a Day and Curled Up on the Plaid Blanket
After the meal, the table looks like a well-fed battlefield, with half-empty dishes of green beans, cranberry sauce, a gravy boat, and rumpled napkins. Right beside it, on a red and green plaid blanket, a tortoiseshell cat has curled into a perfect circle with her tail wrapped around her. Her eyes are closed and her nose rests on her paws, and her coat of orange, black, and brown swirls blends into the warm colors of the room.
Tortoiseshell cats have a patchwork coat of black and orange, and this coloring is almost always seen in females. Many owners describe them as spirited and full of personality, sometimes called tortitude, though of course every cat is an individual. Cats are experts in napping, spending much of the day asleep, and a plaid blanket in a warm corner is a perfect place.
After a holiday meal, there are a few things to check. Make sure leftovers are put away, the table is cleared of bones and scraps, and any trash is closed, since cats and dogs can get into the garbage while everyone is resting. Foods like onions, grapes, chocolate, and cooked bones can be dangerous. We will call this sleeper Maple. She did not eat anything she should not have, and she looks like she is dreaming of turkey. The feast is over, the house is quiet, and the nap is well deserved.
