Paws for the Holidays: Feast of the Seven Fishes

          Dear Reader, it’s Christmas Eve and Pinkie and I have been staring out of our Bay Window, which has been decorated with a beautiful display of colorful, twinkling lights and converted into to flat screen television.  

        Clyde and Lay-a-dee drive Sterling’s new Aston Martin Sports Coupe with Blue, who remains covered in mud.  He waits in a carrier in the back seat.  They drive him to the cat wash station, which is just outside the Cat Hospital in Stony Brook, on Long Island.

The cat wash station is underground and mainly used to deep wash cats that have been either doused in chemicals, heavy oil, are flea-infested or have some other condition that makes it difficult or dangerous for them to clean themselves as nature intended.  The cat wash station is kept busy and is manned by some interesting characters, who volunteer for the good of their feline brethren.  

        As Clyde and Lay-a-dee approach the area where the cat wash station is located, they lift a secret doorway concealed and embedded into the ground and once open, they descend down the stairs into a basement.  They arrive upon a bustling scene, where several cats of all shapes, colors, breeds, and sizes, wearing a red bandana around their necks are working on a conveyer belt type of apparatus where either a cat volunteers himself or herself to get cleaned, or an owner or group of friends brings the cat in for a wash. 

         We watch as cats deliver themselves to their cleaners or are delivered to their cleaners by friends or concerned citizens and a group of workers take the cat and put him or her into the cat wash module, which is not unlike how a car wash works.  Brave workers assist the cat together, as a unit, to ensure best practices are employed, and cats are not injured during the process. 

       Once the cat is thoroughly soaped and washed, it goes through several steps; the rinse cycle; extraction cycle; flea treatment, and finally its fur is dried and fluffed. Once it’s washed, rinsed, receives flea treatment, and then dried, it’s taken to a grooming area, where its claws are trimmed and its skin moisturized with a special, soothing, herbal oil.

     When it comes to be Blue’s turn, his first impulse is to run, but the team goes into immediate action and seamlessly put him through the procedure as Blue yowls to no avail.  The cats are business-like and professional and do not allow Blue’s protesting to distract them from doing their job properly.  When it’s all over, Blue, spent, sits at the grooming station. He succumbs to the groomers' pampering and allows them to trim his claws while he relaxes and read a Cat Fancy magazine. 

“I envy him,” says Pinkie, glancing at his own claws and making an unfavorable comparison.

“I am sure Lady Hun will trim your claws before tonight,” I assure Pinkie. “After all, tonight we celebrate the Feast of Seven Fishes!”  Pinkie smiles, He knows very well what the Feast of Seven Fishes means.  

Today is Christmas Eve Dear Reader, and we are looking forward to our feast, for which YOU are invited. 

“You mean, Esta dei Sette Pesce,” says Pinkie, ‘the purest’ in Italian. 

Blue is finished being groomed and Clyde and Lay-a-dee escort him to the Cat Hospital to see Dr. Anthony Nanton, the feline specialist.  They are sitting in the waiting area with other cat owners, a change from the regular veterinarian’s waiting rooms, which are usually smelly and uncomfortably noisy with dogs barking rudely. The Cat Hospital's waiting area is decorated with feline-oriented themes and is clean, comfortable and luxurious in appearance, much like a boutique out-patient center, so it has a warm, inviting feeling as opposed to cold and clinical.

     Finally, it’s Blue’s turn to be examined.  Dr. Nanton and his assistant coax Blue out of the carrier and when he peeps out his head, they pet him, and ask him how he’s feeling.  Then, Blue is weighed and examined thoroughly while Clyde and Lay-a-dee look on.

“What happened here?” Dr. Nanton asks in reference to Blue’s torn ear.

“He was in a fight,” says Clyde.

“Well, we can stitch it back on, no problem,” Dr. Nanton calmly says to Blue.

As we are watching the scene, Lord and Lady Hun join us in the living room. Lady Hun is holding a pair of nail clippers and Lord Hun has a grooming brush.  “It’s time for your grooming” they say softly to us.

       Lady Hun picks up Pinkie and hugs him, then starts stroking him lovingly, which he really enjoys, then she very sneakily cuts one of his claws at a time.  Pinkie initially objects and squirms, but Lady Hun has done this so often, she knows to only cut his claw tips to the quick and she is very efficient, giving an air of confidence that Pinkie respects, so he rests assured that she will not injure him.  In the meantime, Lord Hun rubs me under my chin and gently scratches me behind my ears, which feels delightful. Then he proceeds to brush my fur which seems like a wonderful massage on my skin. After we are completely groomed, both Pinkie and I fall asleep…

        Dear Reader, several hours have passed and Pinkie and I are just awaking from our nap at the Big Bay Window.  We see snowflakes falling from the night sky and realize it’s almost Christmas Eve!  It’s magical to see such bright, sparkling snowflakes falling slowly against a dark blue sky.  Our home is charmingly festive.  If you were here, you would smell warm vanilla and sweet scent of orange and apple, spices like gingerbread and cinnamon, and a refreshing aroma of pine.  There is a toasty fire crackling in the fireplace, a Christmas tree, splendidly lighted with a star on top, and everywhere you look, something magical awaits, what a wondrous vision to behold!

       Just now, the outdoor flap opens and in comes Clyde and Lay-a-dee in cat form with Blue, who looks all poofy from the groomers.  “There you are!” cries Lady Hun when she sees him. She is wearing a lovely burgundy colored dress.  She grabs and hugs him tightly.  “Where have you been?  I’ve been looking all over the house for you!” She starts to smell him. “Mmmm…you smell so good….what happened to your ear?” Mr. Hun, wearing a dark green suit, suddenly joins her and exams Blue’s ear curiously. 

He says, “How strange, it looks as if Blue has had stitches, did you take him to the Vet?”

Lady Hun says, “No, but I wonder what happened to his ear!”

“You don’t think he got outside and some kind person may have found him took him to the Vet?”

“I don’t know, but, how else to explain it,” says Lady Hun, straightening her pearl necklace on her neck.  “Maybe one of us absentmindedly turned off the automatic sensor to the electronic pet door and he got out.  Then...maybe he must have gotten into a fight?".

Blue remained obedient and quiet the whole time. 

“Well, I am just glad he’s back” Lord Hun finally says, stroking Blue behind the neck.

Lady Hun looks at Blue lovingly and caresses him. 

“Tonight, we celebrate the Feast of the Seven Fishes, my darlings, the traditional Italian feast of family and seafood!”  Blue’s mouth begins to drool.  We all wait in eager anticipation of what’s to come.   

      Lady Hun puts Blue down on the newly polished wood floor, and she and Lord Hun put on their good coats and go to Midnight Mass.  Upon their return, they go into the kitchen and begin cooking all the food they previously prepared. The smell of cooking, baking, grilling, and steaming, permeates the air with a mouth-watering aroma.  Finally, they bring in the first course, which are the appetizers.

       While the Huns were away at Midnight Mass, Clyde turned off the sensors to the automatic door flap to allow our outdoor cat friends entry.  And enter they did, one by one, until Big Red and Funny Face joined them. Shortly thereafter, Sterling and Lay-a-dee appear in cat form.  This was one of the times of the year, that the Huns allowed us to invite our feline friends for a shared feast.  Funny Face sits close to Blue and everyone joins paws in a circle in a spirit of unity saying the following kitty grace:

Whoever made the stars that shine,
Whoever made green trees of pine,
Whoever dreamed up fish and mice,
Or sun and rain and snow and ice,
Must have the power in His paws
To help when there's a worthy cause.
Whoever gave the birds a nest
Will grant this humble cat's request.

For needy felines everywhere,
I meow my little Christmas prayer.
Please heal the sick
And cheer the sad,
Forgive the naughty,
and excuse the bad.

One more simple thing I ask:
A pool of sunlight in which to bask,
Plus a plate of food,
A safe, warm house,
A loving lap, a catnip mouse.
Freedom from fleas, furballs, and mats,
And homes for all the homeless cats.

[Reprinted from a Cat's Christmas - Stefanie Samek]

          After we say our midnight prayer, we tap paws and Big Red breaks the silence by saying, “Buon Cena della Vigilia,” which means, Good Christmas Eve Feast in Italian.  We remain in a circle where Lady and Lord Hun place platters before us to share.

       Lady Hun says “Buon Appetito!” after she serves us our appetizers, which consists of assorted fish parts Antipasti, peeking toe crabmeat cocktail, and raw oysters on the half shell, and deep-fried sardines.  Big Red rubs Lady Hun’s leg in appreciation.  Many, if not all of the cats, during the round of appetizers, whisper these words: “delicious, heavenly, so good!”

“Mangia Bene,” says Lord Hun as his gives us our salad of mixed marinated scallops, octopus and prawns.  Everyone is so quiet the only sound we can hear is intermittent munching, and sounds of eating and satisfaction. 

        Dear Reader, if you’ve never had a Feast of Seven Fishes before, you should try this Italian meal to feed the heart and soul! 

Lady Hun next brings in a basket of bread, which consists of Calamari frittatas with oyster dipping sauce and Lord Hun followed with our soup of fish broth.  Both are tasty and flavorful.

Next, our entrees:

One – Mussels in Tuna Sauce (an astounding yummy affect was experienced by all!)

Two –Clay oven baked clams with herbs (this dish was splendor on a plate).

Three –Squid Ink Pasta with Shrimps and Capers (a palate delight!)

Four –Twin Lobster Tails with drawn butter sauce (delicious!)

Five –Caviar Couscous….(to die for!)

Six –Grilled Swordfish….(Mmmm...)

Seven –Pan-seared Cod….(yummy...)

      And for desert, we have smoked salmon ice cream! 

  

        This was one of the best Feast of Seven Fishes we have ever experienced Dear Readers because we shared it with friends.  

We hope you’ll join us back at our Bay Window next week when the finale to Paw-litics of Nature will be posted.  

Don’t forget to click on the Dear Tabby tab on the header of this story Blog.

For now, we are all stuffed and ready for our nap.  We wish you all the best in the New Year from your furry friends at Tabby Tribune:

Gabbers Gazette

Pinkie “Paws”

Clyde

Blue…

Tabby Tattler

The rest of gang here.