tree cat chases crow
an 8 min sketch, from memory. a page from my visual diaries.
istanbul, spring
yesterday at 8am, while walking Luna, I watched a cat chase a crow from the thin branches of a tree. it was so excited and agitated by this black bird, so consumed by its predator instinct, that the act of walking this tight-rope-esque branch didn't just seem natural or easy, it seemed like an absolute imperative. that's how much conviction this cat had. the crow made crow calls, and flew from branch to branch, barely ruffled, almost as if teasing the cat. the cat made funny chattering sounds, then it slipped from the branch, and had to grab onto it with all four paws, swinging like a koala bear.
I was in awe. it was like watching a dramatic nature documentary, except better. I realize now that what transfixed me was the physical impossibility of this moment. the cat could've never caught the bird, AND not fallen off the tree. but perhaps catching the bird was never the point -- the chase was.
also:
black cat istanbul life — the cat I lived with when I first moved to Istanbul
dark bird presence — the feeling of inner animal presence
turkish green almonds taste like spring - edible wilderness