The editors made me cut a lot from my book and advised to be more narrative on the sworn taped testimony. I had to drop some of my experiencing post leaving the classroom. Too long? Not believable?
My book does relate a huge issue in my neighborhood in NJ. That did not involve a cat.
There were two serious ones that did though.
I had a orange cat come visit from a neighbor. He rubbed up against my leg while I was in my driveway talking to a friend. I even said, what is it trying to tell me? The next night, my husband woke me up. The neighbors, who owned the cat had a huge garage fire. It was used as a living area heated with a kerosene heater. No one was hurt but living quarters had to be vacated for repairs. I wrote about that in a published poem.
Did the cat sense something was wrong with that heater? No one can convince me otherwise. The cat often sat on my front porch after that. I wish I could speak "cat"? I always asked what is going on today!
On another occasion, with yet another close friend at my house, the older neighbor, diagonal from my house, called to tell me that rental neighbors. who moved out, left a cat in the house (a different house and cat). My friend and I went to check.
We could not see a cat by looking in windows so we entered the backyard. The backyard was a wreck and full of trash and other things.
I went home and called the board of health.
The family, a father and two teenagers were friendly. They kept their heads low because the mother was in jail due to embezzling from her employer. The daughter was a cheerleader. The son was big, quiet and had a skinhead friend which was unsettling.
As my friend and I went back outside to wait for the Board of Health to show up, a man was wsllking up to that house. It was an insurance adjuster with a key. The landlord called him because of theft and inside damage. We entered with him.We called the police. No cat, but the walls were telling.
It turned out that the police could tie some of the info to threats made against our local regional highschool superintendent. Nazi slogans and threats on signs and the bike path. Lots of graffiti on the walls and on the bikepath. Paint spray cans in the yard.
The Current's police blotter listed some info after the discoveries. Did the parent move because of the son? My neighbor, right next store, could see the fensed in backyard but thought nothing of it.
Lots of damage and clues inside. Lots of clues outside.
One other cat made me think too. It was regarding the direct ssfety of one of my children. Glad the cat and I locked eyes.
Do you think animals are intuitive? I do.
The animals went to higher ground as the people at the ocean watched the waves in Thailand. When we least expect it, pay attention to the animals.
https://youtu.be/fH2MtMByP10?is=e3tK6IA10oNmyc2n
They use dogs to inspect for bombs. Why? This student's video is from 2006. Who brought the dogs in?
https://youtu.be/gkqDPbna6Aw?is=D16M1TjRcRVf1eGU
Marian R. Carlino
June 24, 2026