The Marquis Wore the Grandest Collar and Looked Quite Calm About It
The ruffled collar is almost as big as the cat's whole face, a frothy circle of cream lace that makes him look like a flower bud opening. Above it, a gray tabby with green-gold eyes gazes out calmly, his forehead marked with the classic M of the tabby pattern. His dark velvet coat is patterned with gold flowers and leaves, and a candle burns in the corner, warming one side of his face. He looks like a marquis who takes dinner invitations very seriously.
Ruffs like this were fashionable in the Dutch Golden Age, and painters loved to show off the wavy folds of fine linen and lace. Here the pale ruff acts like a lamp, bouncing the candle glow back up to the cat's chin and whiskers.
Tabby is a coat pattern, not a breed, and it appears in many kinds of cats. The M on the forehead is a classic mark, and tabbies come in many colors, from gray to brown to orange. Domestic shorthair tabbies are often adaptable, affectionate, and playful, with a short coat that takes only occasional brushing. Like all cats, they enjoy scratching posts, window perches, and daily play. Never leave candles unattended near pets, and ask your vet about a good diet and regular health checkups.
A cat who wears a collar like that surely knows how to hold his head high and his whiskers forward.
