The Cats of University Heights: Mew

Tuxedos sure are popular in the neighborhood. Meet the twenty-secondnth to appear in the series, which follows a reclassification allowing kitties with more mixed black-and-white coats. Yesterday, while walking along Florida from Meade to Mission, I heard meowing—the tenor like a feline asking to be let in. I unintentionally passed by the sound, then backtracked, finding the shorthair, who earns nickname Mew, peering down cement steps.

Looking up at the kitty, I felt a pang. While one is safe, another is not. On Feb. 16, 2018, according to a post on NextDoor, a Tuxedo was hit and killed by a vehicle at Cleveland Ave. and Washington Street. Unless some beastie wandered many blocks, the Tuxedo is unlikely to be one previously profiled: Black and White, Boss, BrightBuddiesCal, Captain BlackbeardCharm, Curious, FraidyFresh, JellicleLola, Mittens, NinePatience, PepePoser, Sammy, SpotSeer, and Tux

Making Mew’s moment proved to be quite challenging. I really needed to use Leica Q‘s magnanimous manual focus ring to cinch the shot but vision in my dominant eye (left) was a bit fuzzy. I have been seeing an ophthalmologic specialist to remedy macular edema—essentially fluid leaking into the retina. He administers periodic shots as part of the treatment. Based on the visit two days ago, the left retina, he emphatically exclaimed, is “dry”. In other words normal. I go back in 12 weeks, when he expects that ongoing treatment will no longer be necessary. That’s the future. In the present, my vision is always off for about 24-48 hours or so following the shot’s administering.

The Featured Image, from the camera, is a converted black-and-white 80-percent crop (approximately). I chose the approach to emphasize the cat’s coat and to diminish the sun’s shadows. For the companion capture, I used the iPhone X second lens to 2X zoom. Vitals for the first, aperture manually set: f/8, ISO 100, 1/120 sec, 28mm; 10:54 a.m. PST. For the other: f/2.4, ISO 16, 1/521 sec, 6mm; 10:52 a.m. PST. The color render is cropped 3:2, but otherwise not altered.

Don’t miss: ScruffyRoly PolyWooSkullBiscuitThe ColonelWhite,  Chipper, Frisky, Stretch, Needy, Farfisa, Mates, Hunter, Pee-PeeBlue, Blue Too, Bonded PairPatience, Fess, Jumper, Frenemy, Looker, Cozy, Scout, Lurks, Skit, Mini, Betty, Black and White, Stalker, Bell, Chill, Sammy, Scratch, Poser, Star, Grey and White, Watcher, Herman, Comet, RomanWillow, Chub, Nimbus, Watson, Lilo, Kit, Pepe, Twilight, Sebastian, Spot, Booger, Ash, Veruca, Riley, Mellow, Bonde, Flower, Glass, Black, BeBe, Fang, Bruce, Siamese,  PounceTortie, HaikuFraidy, PesoDaniel TigerDuskStrideDainty,  Spry,Tabby, Betty Too, Still, Levi, Shadow,  SophieWinkFerals, MommaCharlie, Tux, Cool, Benny, Jellicle, Itchy Valentino, Goldie, Nine, Amanda, Siesta, ChaCho, Charlie, Too, Mika, Crystal, Seeker, MittensDancer, Smokey, Monkey, Captain Blackbeard, Season, Maven, Tink, Chunk, Curious, Hanoi, Bella, Tarry, Guido, Maxine, Mr. Kitty, Peohe, Panda, Frankie, Sunshine, Twain, Willow, Too, Brawn, Reddy, Burglar, Laramie, Lupe, Bright, Tom, Charm, Buddies, Boss, Ohana, Seer, Fresh, Token, Lola, Carl, Bramble, Finny, Cal, Tipsy, and Zander.