Stray cats wander around the city of Alghero, well kept but wary of strangers. The city decided to maintain the stray cat population by feeding and neutering them, allowing them to roam free without increasing the population. There are designated feeding centers around the city walls which locals refer to as “cat sanctuaries”. Most of the cats are fed there but also search for food- Such is the story of Smokey the cat.
Smokey is a soft gray cat with short fur that has found her way onto Andrea Jensen. She simply started showing up one day. The owners of the boat began feeding her and she practically never left. When customers come on board for the boat trip she goes ashore with minimal grief and awaits our return 7 hours later. As we pull up to port she can be seen lounging in the shade underneath their dusty parked car, before sauntering onboard to patiently wait for dinner time. Last week Rachel and Colin bought her a pets’ dinner bowl, with one side for water and the other for food. They still deny she is their cat, insisting on calling her a stray.
After dinner and during the evening she lounges close to us on deck. Her favorite spot is on top of the wooden hatch covering the ladder which leads to the main compartment. All I have ever seen her do is sleep. In exchange for food, she offers her companionship, allowing gentle pets during dinnertime. Although her disgruntled expression suggests otherwise, she seems to accept the arrangement with little protest.
