Today's article will be of lighter fare than the last, a truly brief piece on the small-spotted striped Cicero's cat, that famous breed of mental illumination, unique mischief, and distressingly appealing shape.

Measuring in at a reasonably shoulder-sized four pounds on average, this beloved cat is perhaps one of the most universally-loved zoological oddities. Cicero's cat is possessed of a charming blunt snout and neatly-aligned, thick whiskers of alternating dark and bright hues-- purple for the males, and decidedly long- perhaps a foot on some outstanding specimens; the whiskers are turqoise on the females, with an exciting verdant green scent! They make charming noises when pleased, almost like wind chimes. Their tails, uniquely bulbous at the very soft tips, bobble in the air at a steady height. Given the length of the rest of their tail, it can look very like a child's balloon being pulled along at knee height.

Spots, stripes, freckles, rings, and even flame patterns of all colors appear and dissapear on the same animal like waves on the ocean, making physical identification impossible. Cicero's cats keep to the person, or people, they have chosen as companions, adding an unusual dimension of innate trust to the master-cat relationship: no man may tell a cat apart, but the cat knows all men down to the one he loves. (When Cicero himself was murdered, a plague of the cats descended on the estates and homes of his murderers. Let it never be said that the cat does not love!)

Their bodies are neat and compact, with short limbs that end in rounded, notoriously dexterous paws. Due to the touch of ChaO in their blood, perhaps hinting at older, more stately relatives, Cicero's cats' fur lengths are heavily variable down even to the second. This makes cleaning up after the cats a bit difficult if one is possessed of carpeting. They are incredible jumpers and mightily strong, with a very sharp bite indeed. As is standard with many creatures of multi-plane origin, Cicero's cats have double rows of sharp, serrated teeth. Due to matters of their fur, however, it is almost impossible to detect the mouth of any of these cats unless the animal him- or herself has opened it.

Odd as the creatures are, they are notorious for their innate muse-like qualities. So named for Cicero, the beasts are uniquely inspiring and have even been known to stabilize those of more artistic temperaments. Van Gogh is said to have ultimately spiralled into madness after the pair of maiden sisters that had taken a shine to him were killed in a tragic wagon accident.

Though it is difficult indeed to abuse or debase Cicero's cat simply due to the natural abilities the animals have, it has happened. Caution, good friends: this is not a safe animal to bait. Rumors run that Cicero's cat is possessed of a curious power, the specifics of which are unknown. Regardless, wholesale slaughter in defense of a wronged chosen human has been well-documented, and there are several well-documented cases of a tormented cat wreaking terrible vengeance on the villains responsible for its pain.

Dark corners aside, Cicero's cat is a charming and fundementally gentle beast. Loved by many, loving of all, any household blessed with their presence will soon become a fount of knowledge and culture.