Though regarded as nocturnal, cats are—in all actuality—crepusclar animals; they are most active in twilight hours. This isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, however, as crepuscular animals may also enjoy peaks of activity on the nights of full moons, or in urban environments in which total darkness is never achieved. Though cats possess far keener eyesight than humans, total darkness is not a favored time feline activity. Since cats were venerated as gods (or at least the avatars of those quarrelsome, divine people that corporeal people go around worshipping) in ancient Egypt, it is commonly believed that they were first domesticated there. The people of Kemet (the name that the ancient Egyptians used when referring to their land and themselves) lived in close association with cats, and it is believed that contemporary house cats are the descendants of African wildcats. In 2007, a study revealed that all domestic cats are descended from as few as five very specific wildcats known scientifically as Felis silvestris lybica. Apparently, these five female wildcats lived in/around 8000 BCE. As any cat would tell you, because of those five fine feline ladies, cats are now the most popular pet in the world, and cats live nearly everywhere on the planet; indeed there are whole islands (devoid of human inhabitants) essentially ruled by sleek, wild cats descended from escapees from European sailing ships. Dogs are the only other animals to approach this level of popularity, though unlike cats, dogs have not adapted particular forms of eliciting behavior to interact with the human psyche. Cats, already known for a wealth of complex vocalizations have done precisely this: most urban cats are now able to create yowling cries disturbingly similar to human babies. They have learned that this behavior also gets them free food. Cats, like humans, have come to recognize the value of free stuff, and they go after it with absolute, single-minded intensity. As I ran on a quick errand: to pick up a few things that were, decidedly, not free, I passed a familiar housecat. She has appeared earlier in my gallery. She appears now. She lives with a small family of humans and two other cats. She spends much of her time on the back porch, sunning herself, relaxing, resting, sleeping, and generally doing a lot of nothing in particular. I couldn’t resist taking this photo, and after a few shots, I received a meow for my efforts. I didn’t have any free stuff for this fellow opportunist, but I was allowed to stroke her chin and scratch behind her ears, and this was apparently enough, as the lovely cat in question gave me a head-butt with the top of her head: a true sign of affection among cats. I was raised with cats and I learned early on that when cats rub against you, they’re claiming you as property; they’re scenting you so that others know who you belong to...but if they press their foreheads against you, they are expression affection. I like feline affection. It’s so efficient. So...cat-like. So perfect. As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you're all having a great week.