Sterling “TrapKing” Davis
Growing up with physical abuse, drug abuse, and dealing with constant dysfunction led me to look for outlets. One of them was animals—mainly cats—and the size or breed didn’t matter. I love everything from a lion in the wild to the orange tabby with the fat face running around your neighborhood who needs to be TNR’d (trapped, neutered, returned).
I’ve always been a cat lover and have had a few come in and out of my life over the years. But it’s been my feline friend Rick James who’s been with me through some of the best and worst moments of my life. This little homie of mine—named after the iconic funk and R&B singer—has probably taught me as much as any other relationship I’ve been in.
As I battled alcohol addiction as an adult, it was me and Rick James. In my bathroom I’m throwing up, and for the millionth time I’ve run everyone away being a mean drunk. There was nobody left but Rick James and the job I may or may not make it to in the morning. After so many years of a sad routine of work/drink, work/drink, and repeat, I finally got into trouble that scared me enough to go to AA.
In a sense I was scared straight, and everyone was gone. I could say I was courageous, but I probably was just out of options. In any event, at my lowest, just like at the toilet, my cat—my buddy Rick James—was there with me. Every night with the shakes he was there, still purring as if I wasn’t the bad person I felt I was. I’m proud to say that I’ve been sober now for more than eight years, and my buddy Rick James is still right here—hasn’t missed a beat! No matter who comes or who goes, he’s been there with me.
I believe a lot of times in relationships we can mirror each other. I feel like Rick James has mirrored me over the years and, in turn, has helped me see myself so I could make needed changes and grow into the person I know I can be. At times when I was a raging angry drunk, I could see my behavior and how Rick would mirror me. His behavior would be just as crazy and irrational, as if he was the one drinking all day. “Why the hell won’t you just pull it together, Rick James?!” I would question my furry friend during these crazy, unruly times.
Eventually I realized that the only way I was going to get Rick James right . . . was to get myself right.
Although Rick never opened his mouth and gave me an answer, he continued to mirror me. Eventually I realized that the only way I was going to get Rick James right, just like the only way I was going to get everything else around me right, was to get myself right.
This small but really big epiphany would help me continue to stay away from alcohol and aggressively go after my dreams/goals in life—one being to start my own nonprofit based on educating the community on TNR, the only humane alternative to euthanasia (death) for feral/stray cats. TrapKing Humane Cat Solutions is now a reality, and just like all the other big moments in my life, Rick James was right there by my side when I rescued my first feral cat.
Dealing with feral cats, you learn that it takes a “humble confidence.” You have to be confident enough to interact with this stranger who more than likely assumes you have ill intent toward them. At the same time you need to be humble enough to know that you’re not in control. It’s a balance, and that, in my opinion, is the key to life—balance.
I could probably write a few novels on how much Rick James and other feline friends of mine have taught me, but I wanted to share this one with you while my homie Rick James is in his usual spot—still right by my side!