Thursday, May 16, 2013

Darlinghurst Blog: Animal Life: Ralf the Cat


I've been a bit quiet on the blogging front recently and that's mainly because I've been feeling a bit blurgh. I've wasted far too much time watching television series on my laptop and being generally unproductive and uninspired. Adding to this general malaise is the fact that my muse appears to have left the neighbourhood.


I first met Ralf the cat in 2010 when I moved back to Darlinghurst and set up house in Royston Street. I didn't know his name for a long time, but would often stop with him to pat and chat.


It seemed that every time I went outside, Ralf was hanging about somewhere, a regular presence in the street.


You didn't have to search hard to find him: just look for the sunniest, warmest spot in the street and Ralf would be there. 


During the day Ralf would sleep in whatever sunny pocket he could find, whether it was on a car, in a garden bed or even in the middle of the road. 


But cars were a particular favourite, especially when the motor was still warm. 
I once watched as a driver returned to their car to find Ralf asleep on the bonnet. The driver sat behind the wheel and started the engine, but Ralf didn't move. He simply woke slowly from his slumber, looked at the driver and sat there staring.


One time I saw Ralf taunting Digger the dog on Craigend Street. (Digger was also a regular street character, but moved out of the area earlier this year after nipping one of the children in his house.)
Digger was madly barking behind his fence at the cheeky cat who would dare come near his home. Ralf strolled by, barely giving the dog a glance. 


I admired this about Ralf, his carefree, fearless, don't give a damn attitude and often wished I could be the same.
If Ralf was crossing the road and a car came along, he wouldn't run to get out of the way, but just continue sauntering on with his tail in the air.
If you stopped and gave him pats and he purred and you thought that you had won him over for life, he would then completely ignore you the next day.
He just had that way about him. And because he was so difficult to win over, it made me even more determined to be his friend.


So no matter where I was going, or even if I was running late, I always made sure to stop and say hello to Ralf, give him a rub under his neck and pat the dust and malting fur off his back. 


During these days of wooing him, I often wondered where Ralf lived. 
Once I had seen him jump out the ground floor bathroom window of a neighbouring apartment block. Another time, I saw him go into the building of the man with the umbrella, who lives in my street. 
Other times I spotted Ralf loitering around on Craigend Street and as far away as the little park on Nimrod Street. So he may not have lived in Royston Street at all.


Ralf soon became familiar with my attentions and the way I would call out, 'Ralf!' in a sort of loud, breathy whisper when I saw him. And it seemed his attitude towards me started to soften.


One night, while coming home late, I saw him sitting on the bonnet of a large 4WD and just by habit called out his name: 'Ralf!'
Ralf leapt off the car and ran towards me where he was greeted by his usual pats. 
Then as I said goodbye and walked towards my home, he followed me, right inside the door, up the stairs and into my apartment.


He soon became a regular guest.


I'd see him on the street, call out 'Ralf!' and he'd trot along with me to my door.
Once I called out 'Ralf!' and he followed me all the way across Craigend Street and down to Ward Avenue, about 500m away.


In my apartment, I would place a dish on the kitchen floor and feed him cheese and ham and milk and whatever I could find of interest to him in the fridge. 
I eventually started buying little packets of Dine cat food from the supermarket and always made sure I had ample supply in case Ralf should visit.


He was rather picky about what he ate and would occasionally refuse to eat the new Dine flavour I had bought him, such as Turkey in a Delicious Gravy or Country Chicken. 
When that happened he would just sit in the kitchen expecting me to dish something else up.
I refused to pander to this behaviour and would just ignore him. 
But it didn't happen often, as Ralf mostly had a ferocious appetite - which only added to the mystery of his living arrangements. 
Did anyone feed him regularly? Where did he go when he wasn't in the street? 
Yet despite his apparent independence, he was always wearing a different new fashionable collar, strung with a metal circle engraved with his name. So clearly he had a home somewhere.
Once he had eaten his fill, Ralf would stand by my front door, waiting to be let back out into the street.
At first, the visits didn't last long.


But soon, Ralf began to make himself at home. 
Instead of standing at the front door when he finished eating, he would stay awhile and keep me company.
I'll never forget the day when I was lying on my bed reading and he climbed onto my back, padded around to make himself comfortable and then fell asleep.
It was a rather uncomfortable 10 minutes, but his presence was still a comfort to me nonetheless.


One day I saw the man with an umbrella talking to Ralf, so I went up and asked him if he was his owner. 
The man said "No, Ralf just comes up to eat sometimes. He visits a few different people in the street." 
"I think he lives in that apartment over there," the man said, waving to the place where I'd seen Ralf emerge from the bathroom window. 
So Ralf really did have a home. And I wasn't his only friend.


Still, I liked to think that Ralf preferred me best, especially when I returned home one day and found him waiting for me in the pot plant outside my door, showing off his latest collar.


The last time Ralf came to my apartment was on 23 March this year. 
It was a Saturday night and I had a friend over and Ralf joined us for dinner. 
He didn't visit long, despite us imploring him to stay. He just stood by the front door and waited for me to let him out.
About a week after that I saw him on Nimrod Street at night, walking towards the little park that opens on to Caldwell Street. I called 'Ralf!' but he didn't respond and I had the feeling that he didn't want to chat or be patted. In fact, he practically scampered off, as if he didn't know me.
I shrugged my shoulders and went home alone. 
I didn't know then that it would be the last time I saw him.


It has been two months now and there has been no sign of Ralf. 
There's no cat lounging on bonnets or lurking in bushes. No cat to pat and chat, no cat to call out to, and no cat to follow me home.
Royston Street just isn't the same, it almost feels dead without his presence.
At first I thought he had maybe gone on a short trip away, as his disappearance coincided with the school holidays. I would arrive home in hope, expecting to see his furry face.
But I have now accepted that he is gone for good.
I often wonder about him and where he is living. 
Is he out exploring a new neighbourhood? Or is he trapped in an apartment, with no outside access? 
Is he well fed? Is he happy? Has he made new friends?
I may never know, but I'll always keep a small packet of Dine in the cupboard in case he returns.

11 comments:

Refugee from the Cross. said...

Quite a sad post:( I too hope he's allright. To have a love for animals is to have a big heart, and Ralf knows you love him and miss him. And when you do meet up again it'll be a joyous reunion.

I've gone through a few seperations of this nature and it's awful but know this that other good people share your sadness, and send you their (me) love and comfort.XXOO

Anonymous said...

Dear Violet,
Hope Ralf re-emerges , maybe he was jealous?

Have you thought of hosting any pets whilst the owners are away if thats possible?

Do you know Atticus the ferociously regal Siamese of Green Park , who arrives on his owners shoulder and chases my dog sometimes? Haven't seen them as much since the weather is colder , but their usual haunt is near the tree beside Michelangelo and Carlo's cafe in the bandstand.

Violet Tingle said...

Yes, I do know Atticus! Apparently his owner toured with The Doors.

Lucy said...

Nice post on Ralf, we live down the corridor from "the man with the umbrella" and used to enjoy Ralf's visits. "The man with the umbrella" has a cat too but timid Timmy is not at all social.

I was wondering why I hadn't seen Digger

Anonymous said...

Hi, Ralph used to live in the building on the north side of the Royston, I met his owner, she was nice and at that point he was up on the roof!. Thinking they must have moved. Ralph used to come and sit in my beetle with me when I was waiting for a parking spot, a gorgeous soul, I am sure he is fine! Funny to find your post as I was just back in Royston and I always think of Ralph when I'm there.
^. .^

Anonymous said...

I loved Ralph! He used to sit on my lap in my beetle whilst I waited for a park. I was worried when I hadn't seen him, but I since found out he has moved to the country, living on a lovely property so he is fine. Just wanted to put your minds at rest on that.

Anonymous said...

it's now 2015... have you seen Ralf again? i loved reading your story about him!

Kimberly O'Sullivan said...

Violet - where are you? Come back! So so so miss your blog. I hope you are well and happy.

Violet Tingle said...

Aww, lovely people with your concern for that funny cat. I still miss old Ralfy. He was one of the best felines I've ever met.
I'm now living in the inner-west.
Darlo became too expensive and I like Newtown now. I've been here a year and have built up some great community connections already. It took me about four years in Darlo to do that! Newtown is very inclusive and colourful.
I have a new blog coming in September, The Diaries of Hildred Moore, but it won't be at all like MDD, so you may not enjoy it. But I need some creative writing to keep me happy.
I have an Instagram account, Violet Tingle, and also a Facebook page, My New Town of Newtown.
Please come and join me there. xxx

Unknown said...

Hope you are well Violet, you have such a great voice

Alan. said...

26/09/2020 Ralph is back in town!!!!!!!!! In 2013 he was taken to the families farm at Molong but was not happy and was brought back to an inner Sydney suburb and was unhappy there as well, so he was brought back to his Royston Street address about eighteen months ago. He is now living next door with us, he is not allowed to go on the street as has been said already he will walk in front of cars, and now he is too old to get out of the way, but he is always trying to get out the front door as we come in. He is spoilt with every type of food and his bikkies(biscuits),he has special beds made for him around the flat usually in green as cats like that color, he has his own heater and also an electric blanket (that we monitor closely). We have plenty of photos of Mr Ralph who is highly intelligent and there is a few stories about him even in his old age. He likes being on the flat rooftop with the pot plants, he has his own cat-grass and catnip(a type of mint) 30% of cats get high on catnip and guess who is in that 30%! He is behind me at the moment purring loudly even though he has had some challenging health problems.We love this little boy.