Ode to an Ugly Cat

"Idly is not a beautiful cat. There is something about the way he looks at you that will set you on edge and it will take you a long time to get over this feeling. The edges of his ears are jagged, a little bit frayed. Old cat ears. He has scratches on his nose. He always has something sticking to his whiskers and there is nothing you can do about that. He would rather have cat litter stuck to his face than let you near him with a tissue. Idly is not exactly dirty but he is by no means clean. His paws are a mess, suspicious dark substances cake the spaces beneath his claws. When he yawns, his breath is hot and terrible. He drools constantly. One day, a single yellow tooth falls out and is found lying on a blue pillow. There seems to be so much to overcome, before you can begin to love this prickly cat..." Snigdha Manickavel's unforgettable tribute to this unforgettable cat is a reminder of how relationships that get off to a rocky start can sometimes despite -- or perhaps because of the odds-- turn into something incredibly special.

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