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My buddy got himself a cat a few years ago. (She adopted him)
I would tease him about becoming a cat person. “I will never become a ‘cat guy’, I’m not going to spoil her. She’s just a barn cat to keep the mice out”
The barn in question was the Mother-in-law house at his folks that he was staying in.
After a few months of us cat owners teasing him, I asked him point blank “have you ever slept in an uncomfortable position as to not disturb your cat?”
After a good half minute pause we got a “err, I mean yeah, I don’t want to disturb her if she’s asleep!”
He became a total cat dad until the day he moved into a dog house and left her with his folks. He still dotes on her when he comes home to visit.
The idea of state cryptids rule. I love that.
Folklore is such a deeply ingrained part of a location; and it’s cool to recognize it. It even reflects and potentially honors the past of previous Native Legends.
It’s a shame that if it ever catches on nation wide it’s going to be nothing but Bigfoot and Loch Ness analogs, like six states have the mocking bird as their state bird.