As I’m sure you know by now, I enjoy using my camera. I’ve taken a gazillion pictures of our cats, neighbor cats, birds and anything else interesting that I find in my travels. Our little tabby, Lily, has been one of my favorite subjects. I’ve caught her in sleeping poses, playing, being sweet, being silly, being cute, but there’s one shot I haven’t been able to catch in our seven years together. That is a picture of her carrying something in her mouth.
She has a basket full of stuffed toys—birds, a baby possum, an armadillo, turtle, eagle, lion, hedgehog, bunny, little bears, a doll and more. Every morning we find her toys scattered around the house—a small polar bear in the kitchen, a bird, the doll, and a few other things guarding my bedroom door and distributed up and down the hallway. After her breakfast each morning she brings me toys and my slipper socks while I’m working. I know she’s going to do it, so I have my camera ready, but I’ve never captured her with the item in her mouth—until yesterday.
We’d put all her toys away so we could clean the floors that morning. Late in the afternoon 
I saw her head for her toy basket, so I watched and I waited. She dug and searched until she finally came up with one of her bird toys and here she comes with it in her mouth—click! I got it—well, sort of. It’s not the winning photo I’d hoped for, but at least I’ve captured Lily in the act of carrying a toy in her mouth. I’ll keep trying, though, for that better shot.
Why can’t I get the shot I want? It appears that Lily doesn’t want to be seen in the act. If she knows she’s been seen heading for the toy basket, she’ll veer off and avoid the basket. If you see her with a toy, she’ll drop it. Most of the decorating she does around here is done when no one’s looking. Why do I want the shot? I just think it’s really cute to see her walking around with a stuffed eagle or cat or teddy bear in her mouth. Maybe tomorrow.
