Urban Mammal Matings
So, I’ve gotten used to my cat pawing at my forehead on the weekend mornings when I’m trying to sleep in. Usually I overfeed him the night before so that he won’t bother me, but even when he does, I’ve found ways to make him go away. But Saturday morning i was woken up by the most incessant crying, I couldn’t ignore it.
As usual, there were a few moments of trying to decipher whether it was a scarily distraught child or a cat… but of course. It was two cats… mating. Before I moved to New York from Boston 5 years ago, I’d never heard the odd sound of kitties getting it on, but since then, it’s been a regular part of life. After a little googling I learned that that’s because of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UVw7cgv36A And yes, I found it by searching “cat penis.”
I can’t say that I’ve ever seen squirrels mating, but one night a couple of months ago, I shot right out of bed at 4 in the morning, again hearing cries that were either coming from some poor tortured child or as it was in reality, possums mating. And they went on for half an hour at least. It was a long stand off on a tree branch that was lit perfectly by the orange street light a few feet away. I thought I’d never get back to sleep.
I remember growing up in the suburbs being annoyed at the birds calling starting at 5 a.m. when it was warm enough to have my window open, but I never, ever, encountered as much National Geographic as I do in the middle of Brooklyn. I guess they’re just picking up on the vibe of the sports bar down the street.
