Today, while walking in the neighborhood of Hillcrest, along University Avenue, not far from Eli’s, I came upon a tabby wearing a GPS collar. He moved with assurance, not bothered by my following and unsuccessfully taking a good photo (I got plenty of his back). As he moseyed into a parking lot, someone called “Oliver” to him and said “That’s my cat” to me.

His owner had one of those meshy cat carriers that are often worn on the back. She is former military, from Portland, Ore., and lives here—having once been stationed in San Diego. The thirty-nine-year old was refreshingly friendly, particularly considering current American society’s stereotypes of animosity and division: Woman of color and aging white male are supposed to be enemies of gender and race.

From the door we go to the window: Different resident owners and different wonderous pets. In August 2019, we met Misty, during her last days living in an apartment listed for rent. Same flat, on Jan. 21, 2023, a seemingly scowling tabby looks onto the world where he (or she) cannot go. That’s lucky, too, because it’s pup season and more coyotes hunt the neighborhood streets than is typical. These are dangerous nights (and days) for any of the scrawny scavengers’ potential prey. This situation also partially explains why so many of our recent profiles are indoor kitties.

The Featured Image comes from Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Vitals: f/4.9, ISO 40, 1/900 sec, 230mm (film equivalent); 3:16 p.m. PST. For perceived manner and fur coloration that reminds me of a brush, this fine feline earns nickname Bristle.

The 10x zoom camera capability is considerably improved on Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra compared to its predecessor. Look at the Featured Image for confirmation and realization the benefit of having the equivalent of a telephoto lens in your pocket. Vitals: f/4.9, ISO 50, 1/240 sec, 230mm (film equivalent); 10:49 a.m. PST.

How did this moment come to be? Our car came out of the repair shop today; my wife and I walked to fetch it. But we arrived a tad early and stretched out the time by going down a side street, which I won’t name because of the amount of detail the portrait reveals (the homeowner’s privacy should be respected). Suffice to say that we had ventured a few blocks beyond the neighborhood boundary into North Park, which is why this fine furball, who earns nickname Cotton, joins the esteemed honorary contingent.