" Aunt and Katriona kept a few chickens, but the only other domestic animal they had—if either “domestic” or “had” was applicable—was Flinx, their not-a-house-cat. He was presently a fat tortoiseshell puddle sprawled in the sunlight a few rows over. Since he was only crushing a few nonessential greens, which would regrow anyway, they let him be. "

― Robin McKinley , Spindle's End