Wrigley

I am not sure why, but I have become far too invested in the fate of Wrigley and his companion, Geoff. The two of them live atop the shopping-cart-cum-home of their human, Sam Pike, at various locations along Market Street.

Yes, I said their "human": Wrigley and Geoff are two large, beautiful red tabbies who live their lives on the streets among San Francisco's homeless community. Wrigley's even a poster child of sorts: his picture appeared on the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle with an article about homeless outreach programs in Downtown/SOMA.

Wrigley and Geoff appear to have accommodated themselves quite well to life on the street. Sam has made them a home of clothing and blankets heaped high atop his cart. When it's rainy (or too sunny), he even adds a sheltering umbrella. Wrigley most often perches on top of the blankets; Geoff, more retiring, hides beneath the top layer. For safety, both are fitted with halter-style leashes that tether them to the cart while still allowing reasonably freedom of movement. Of course, what cats needs movement when he has a soft bed?

As I said, I have become somewhat obsessed with their well-being. When there appeared to be a new push coming to clear the homeless from the paths of shoppers, my first thought was for Wrigley. Would "they" take him away from Sam? Or try to. I suspect that one of the reasons I'm so obsessed is because I'm touched by Sam's loyalty to his cats. He has told me that he would take advantage of some of the city's outreach programs except that they won't take Wrigley and Geoff as well. A ray of hope: apparently it is possible to have cats declared assistance or companion animals, which would open some of the shelters to them, and Sam is attempting to pursue this possibility. I can't imagine how he manages his already-difficult life when any attempt to access help or shelter threatens to tear him away from his feline family. Scratch that; it threatens to tear him from his family, no qualifier necessary.