The Tabby Officer Stood at Attention and Waited for Orders
Long plumes of dark feathers sweep back from the top of a polished helmet, and under it sits the face of a brown tabby with bold stripes, golden eyes and a pale muzzle. The cavalry officer wears a navy uniform with rows of gold buttons, a gold collar, a broad red sash and a gold epaulette. Behind him, a Victorian drawing room features a gilt picture frame, patterned wallpaper and a dusty pink curtain. His stare is direct and unblinking, as if he is waiting for orders from a very distant general.
Tabby is not a breed but a coat pattern, and it shows up in many cats, with stripes, swirls or spots and a telltale M shape on the forehead. Tabbies often share the easygoing, adaptable temperament that makes domestic shorthairs such popular companions. A brown tabby like this one usually has a short, easy-care coat, which needs only weekly brushing. What every cat needs, tabby or not, is daily play, since pouncing and chasing is part of their natural instinct. A wand toy for ten minutes in the morning and evening helps burn energy, and a scratching post gives claws an outlet. Keep your cat at a healthy weight, and ask your vet about diet, vaccinations and routine checkups.
The orders have not arrived, but the officer waits anyway, tail neatly wrapped around his feet.
