Cyrene

A large grey and white tabby she-cat with aqua eyes
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Cyrene is a very large, light grey and white tabby. There are numerous scars on her body, but many are hidden by her long fur. She’s microchipped and wears an Aegean blue collar. Her eyes are aqua blue and she’s descended from an Aphrodite’s Giant cat.

Cyrene’s always considered herself gentle and warm-hearted, but she could not always show it. Abandonment by her housefolk hurt her deeply and forced her into life as a stray. She hardened herself, believing that naivety would be a death sentence. Regardless, she still cares deeply for her friends and her son Duke, and she is learning to be soft again.

• Born in the Moon of Melting Waters (2017)
• Their housefolk named them Cyrene

The little Cyrene remembers of her birth family was that her mother was very large and fluffy. Cyrene had just started walking when they were all gathered up by humans and taken to a shelter. Once the litter was old enough, their mother left with a human they’d never met before. Adopted, another cat explained. It didn’t take very long for other new humans to want Cyrene and her siblings.

Cyrene thought her new humans loved her. They had adopted her when she was an older kitten and they all lived happily together at first, but then Cyrene’s humans left her behind when they moved to a new town. At first she thought it was a mistake, but after days of waiting, she realized they weren’t coming back.

While living out on the streets, she met a huge cat named Roy. They got to talking and spent time together. Cyrene told him what had happened to her. Roy explained that he was only in town temporarily, but invited her stay in the yard of the home that he and his housefolk were at. His humans had no love in their hearts for Cyrene. They would shoo her away, even though Roy tried to show them that he wanted her company.

By the time Cyrene realized she was pregnant by him, Roy had long since moved on. Cyrene had ended up living in a cluster of cats on an abandoned lot. Some humans visited them regularly and left food, but many of the cluster avoided them. The humans often tried to catch cats in cage traps and take them away. Cyrene was warned that even if a cat returned, they were never quite the same, and young kits never came back if they were taken.

The cluster encouraged cats to be able to take care of themselves. Cyrene honed her own skills and became reluctant to even accept food from the humans. When Cyrene had Duke in early autumn 2018, she raised him the same way, teaching him to hunt and fight. When she explained her past and his father, she told him that he didn’t have to fear all humans, but he couldn’t blindly trust them.

In late 2018, Cyrene was attacked by a dog. Although she was able to fend it off thanks to the help of Duke and other cluster cats, Cyrene was badly injured and didn’t think she would live long in her condition. One of their regular humans set a trap. From their fearscent and how they sounded to where they’d left the cage and waited, Cyrene knew it was for her. Before she entered the trap, she said her goodbyes and told Duke not to worry about her or try to stop the Twolegs from taking her. This way, at least he wouldn’t have to watch her die of her wounds. Cyrene knew it pained him, but she was glad that Duke listened.

When the trap shut, the humans were quick to cover it with a blanket and take Cyrene to their monster. The human who’d left it continued to check on her and their soft voice made Cyrene feel nostalgic. When they brought her to the vet’s, Cyrene vividly remembered disliking the experience as a kit, but now she welcomed the humans and didn’t fight them. She had forgotten how nice it was to be in a completely warm space, and since she thought she would die anyway, Cyrene relished the humans’ attention. After they examined her injuries, they made her sleep. Cyrene accepted the sudden dreamless nothingness.

She thought that would be the end of things, but then Cyrene opened her eyes. She was not dead at all. Far from it, she was alive, missing fur, and covered in things that the humans were very keen to keep on her. Bemused, Cyrene let them continue their work and expressed that she was happy they were helping her. Somehow, they also knew her name.

Once she had recovered, Cyrene thought they would return her to the cluster. She was wrong again. A new human took her instead. Cyrene now lives far away from her old town and has been assured by her new housemates that their housefolk would never abandon any of them. She’s extremely grateful and content with her second chance at being a housecat, but she still thinks of Duke and the rest of the cluster. She hopes they’re well. She does not think of Roy.

Cyrene is only smaller than Duke and Roy because they’re huge. She was about 13lb when she lived with the cluster, but she’s gained more weight since being adopted.