Big Tom

A bit camera shy, Big Tom decided to not to stick around
for a photo shoot 

Our neighbourhood is the undisputed territory of a large, threatening orange cat that I like to think of as Big Tom. If he is not caterwauling from the neighbour's empty lot for hours on end or having yowly, hissing fights with any cat unlucky enough to take a stroll through his turf, he is sitting perched high on the roof of a rusty, ramshackle shed across the street. He spends hours surveying his domain from a face crisscrossed with scars and eyes nearly squinted shut from some crusty infection. I am fairly sure that he was born with a bobtail, but I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to find out that he lost it in some ultra violent run in with a dog, car, or lawn mower.

He is one tough looking bruiser of a cat and I would hate to find myself accidentally in a small enclosed space with him. I am pretty sure he would come out with the upper hand.