“Hello! Did you come to see me? Me? Zimba? I’m a well-mannered young woman. I am quite black and proud of my blackness. There are some rapscallion kittens in my suite. They squeak and put claws in people. I do not put claws in people – unless they deserve it, of course. I also do not “squeak”. As you’ll hear, I am well-spoken, pleasant to hear, and have an excellent vocabulary. None of this one annoying word over and over stuff. I carry on real conversations! Sit down and join me. Perhaps one of the volunteers will bring us some tea.”

“I’m not likely to sit in your lap on our first date. My momma told me, ‘Don’t do that.’ Besides, now that I have the opportunity to patrol the suite and sniff it up, I intend to do so. But, secretly, deep inside, I know that I’m a lap cat. My name, Zimba, suggests that I may be many things: a mountain, a town, a language, an entire group of people, and a politician. Let’s skip the politician, OK? A mountain, a language – they are noble things. I have some nobleness in me.”

“I was rescued and brought to Feline Rescue by someone who found me hiding under a car in a parking lot. Do I know how I got there? No. But I figured it was safer to be under the car than out in the rain or on the road or being chased by dogs or coyotes. Oh, yes, coyotes happen around here – one of the many reasons I intend to be, henceforth, an indoor cat.”

“Like the black guy cat in the rear suite who tried to turn himself in at The Wildcat Sanctuary, I sometimes have thoughts of growing up to be a big cat – a jungle cat – a panther, a leopard, a jaguar. I think it’s most because I think a black cat looks good in green – emerald green, jungle green. I really don’t want to grow up to sit in a tree and eat gazelles and antelope.”

So, if you would adopt me, perhaps you would buy me an emerald collar? I’d settle for green rhinestores. Listen, we could do this if you’d bring $120 to Feline Rescue, fill out some paperwork – of course – and take me home. I can see me in front of your mirror wearing my green rhinestones already!”