Editor’s Corner: Buick-sized cat pays a visit at night

I was coming home from what I laughingly call work the other night, and as I stepped out of my garage into the breezeway that leads to our back door, I almost jumped out of my skin. This giant black-and-white cat had leaped over the gate and zipped right past me as she headed for the food dish on the sidewalk.

This particular cat has been around a few times before, usually at night. She is about the size of a Buick — much bigger than the cat from whom we used to lease our house (rent: two dishes of food a day).

When our ex-cat (now a resident of cat heaven, or possibly cat hell) would eat, she was dainty as could be. Every kibble nibble was properly eaten. This big cat is not that way. When she eats, the kibble flies all over. It takes two bowls of kibble to fill her up; she has another cat, an assistant named Thordis, follow her around to clean up the leftovers.

We have been told by a neighbor that this big cat is a RagaMuffin, bred for its sweet personality and interesting looks. It also is big enough to make a pit bull whimper.

Here is what the American Cat Fanciers Association says about this breed: “The RagaMuffin is a most unique and purrsonable cat, possessing qualities found no where else in the feline world. A huge Teddy Bear of a cat, it has the ability to go limp when picked up. RagaMuffin females normally weigh 10-15 pounds, while males can tip the scales at over 20. The skeletal frame is larger than most other cats, enabling them to carry this extra weight most gracefully. Full growth takes 3-4 years.

“As the RagaMuffin matures the head broadens to a modified wedge with a rounded appearance. This gives them a dignified but sweet face. Combine this with the unbeatable personality, large size, and low maintenance coat and you have the ultimate feline companion.”

We aren’t quite sure we want this cat to keep coming around, because it might take a second mortgage to feed her. But I’ll keep you posted if anything happens.