Bequeathing the term 101 to something, indicates the most basic knowledge of the subject. A beginners’ guide. You know, like:

You should know how to boil an egg. That is cooking 101.

In Hinduism, 101 is believed to be a lucky number. Should you ever find yourself in a Gulag in Siberia, the term 101^st kilometer means that you can look forward to conditional release. 101 is the main emergency number in Belgium. Up until 2010, Taipei 101 was the tallest skyscraper in the world. It is also a term used to define the number of keys on a standard 101 computer keyboard. In my case however, it means that this is my 101st installment on Cape Crawl. It also means that we are 101 weeks into our journey, which at some point I imagined would take no more than 30 weeks. Oh, those were the days when I was naïve and the world around me was rosy. How far we have come. How much we have done. How little we have conquered. But! How much we have seen. How far we have explored, and what a journey it has been so far.

Why then, am I giving you this run down of my Cape Crawl. Why then am I reminding you of how long I have been writing it. Why then am I assuming that some of you read it because you care about our journey. Why then, when I go to all this trouble for you, do most of you want to know how Domino is doing? Really? Domino? OK, then. I will update you on Domino.

Domino is doing fantastic. He has never been better cared for, looked after, played with, pampered, never had better snacks, yummier food, or softer bed than he is having now. He is the center of attention; he has weekly check ins with an Animal Behaviorist. His every meow is analyzed and interpreted for signs of stress.  His every itch is examined in case it may be a serious affliction, or maybe just his imagination. His physical health is being looked after. He has a Cat Jungle Gym to keep him fit when he is indoors. He has a special Catio for semi outdoor activities. His Catio has two Oak logs in it, they are nice and big, and heavy enough that it took 2 of his Humans to carry it in for him. The very same Humans that tie Mulberry leaves to strings so he can chase these Green Mambas around and kill them D-E-D, dead! Domino has never been in a happier place.

I am sure this has you puzzled. Has Domino died and gone to Cat Heaven; you wonder? No. Not at all.

With all the changes Colin and I have had these past few weeks, one of the saddest is that we could not take Domino with us to our new lodgings in Hermanus. We have come such a long way with our Domino. He was abandoned as a kitten and raised by a foster parent. He found his (we imagined) forever home with us. At some stage in 2020, he had an adventure that did not go well, and hence he is now a 3-legged cat.  Domino is part of our story. Except for this current part. The very large, small print on the rental contract clearly stated no pets allowed. But that is what family is for, right?

Once we put word out to Domino’s two human brothers, both of course immediately opted to becoming his next adventure. The clinical decision was to have Domino stay with Oldest Son, who happens to be Truffle’s Human. The decision was based mostly on available space and the practicalities of keeping a cat. It had nothing to do with the fact that Oldest Son’s wife being a Zoophilist. A Zoophilist is a person that simply loves animals too much. A bit like epicurean. I am an epicurean. That is a smart word for somebody who likes food too much. And so, right now, Domino is living his best life. Better than any of the previous 5 of his 9 lives.

How is Truffle adjusting to all this. Having been an only Furry Child for so long? Truth is, Truffle loves it! Not only has Oreo become a regular feature every Tuesday for a play date since Youngest Son has now also moved down to the Western Cape, but Truffle now has a live-in furry relative, and it is such fun. It did not take Truffle long to realise be nice to Domino, and you get a treat. Do not bark at Domino, and you get another treat. Share your sleeping space with Domino, and there is another treat in store for you. Truffle doesn’t mind her new shared living space at all. It is filled with treats.

Now you may recall that when Domino was living with us, he was of course not appreciated. We never gave him any treats. Whenever he fancied a little something comforting, he had to go catch his own mouse or bird. When his claws needed a bit of pampering, he had to find his own tree to scratch on. He had to find his own leaves to chase down and kill. Where before with us he had to fend for himself, it is now all handed to him on a platter. And what is good for the goose, is good for the gander. Do not growl at Truffle, and you get a treat. Allow Truffle a little corner on the sofa to sleep on, and you get a treat. I believe that they have now taken a liking to each other’s treats and are quite happy to share.

That little black and white traitor.

Just for a moment I thought that he may miss us.

Nope. Not at all. This, is Cat 101.