The heat and humidity of summer have peaked. Soon the cooler winds of autumn will sweep the sky and turn the leaves scarlet and golden.

And I forgot to shave the cat!

Dai-un is the 27 year old cat that lives with me (see my homenode for a photograph). He is a Persian with very very long and thick black and white (and greying) fur.

Around four years ago, when I was cutting someone's hair for them with a set of electric shears, it suddenly occured to me that if I were to shave Dai-un's belly he would be more comfortable.

I set him up on my lap and trimmed the fur with some scissors and then shaved him down. The skin was pink and black (he has pink lips and black rims to his eyes). He was, as always, very patient.

Once he became accustomed to his tonsure (which matched my head) it was clear he revelled in the freedom of sensations on his skin, unhampered by a mat of hair (which matches how my head feels).

Since then, every summer, I have shaved the cat.

But this year I forgot.

My apologies to Dai-un, here posted publicly.

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