~/ode-to-spot

Felis catus is your taxonomic nomenclature,
An endothermic quadruped, carnivorous by nature;
Your visual, olfactory, and auditory senses
Contribute to your hunting skills and natural defenses.

I have fondled your curled paw with satisfaction,
And occasionally observed your dorsal reaction;
And thought you are compelled to cuddle and embrace,
You have demonstrated your defiance to my face.

A tail is quite essential for your acrobatic talents;
You would not be so agile if you lacked its counterbalance;
And when not being utilized to aid in locomotion,
It often serves to illustrate the state of your emotion.

O Spot, the complex levels of behavior you display
Connote a fairly well-developed cognitive array.
And though you are not sentient, and though you do not fret,
I am glad to have had you as my pet.