He hadn’t been in a fight since we left Bangor. We thought he had finally turned his life – and his wayward habits – around.

Then, out of the blue, he comes home one night, bloodied and battered. Looking way worse for the wear. Crying like a baby.

I’m talking about ShopCat (alias The Murph). He of scrappy ear and pendulous belly. He’s like the Russell Crowe of the feline world – handsome, but a little rough around the edges. To look at him, you’d think he was all hiss and vinegar, but his meow is much worse than his bite. He always ends up on the losing end of a catfight.

Which is how this story begins. I’ll spare you the details, but suffice it to say that ShopCat got into a scuffle with something that may or may not have been another cat last week. As a result, he’s having an extended indoor vacation. Which is no fun for anyone, especially The Murph.

He is an outdoor cat through and through, so to ease the pain of his confinement, I decided to spoil him rotten. Normally, a fresh pouch of Whisker Lickins would suffice. But this situation called for extreme measures. Like high-test organic catnip and lots of noisy toys.

Luckily, I was able to find both. And the stress here is on luckily, because when it comes to shopping, it truly is a dog’s life. I could write a column about ShopDog and ShopPup with my eyes closed, but ShopCat is a different story entirely.

Why do cats get the shaft? Sure, some felines are aloof. But The Murph is like a cinnamon-sugar-colored ball of love. And, unlike many dogs I know, he wouldn’t be caught dead in my purse, a Halloween costume or a bandanna. That is so not his style.

His tastes are fairly simple. He likes a cozy place to sleep (and though he already has one, Mardens has a great selection of beds and puffs right now). He likes very strong, organic catnip (a Cat-A-Tonic Catnip Bed from Vassalboro’s Catnip Queen – www.catnipqueen.com – is on his Christmas list). And he likes to eat. As one of my friends said, “he looks like a healthy boy.” Which is right, if by healthy, you mean plump.

Since this is no time to cut back on his treats, I decided to get him double-duty snacks. I picked up a pouch of Greenies dental-cleaning cat treats at Animal Crackers on Hammond Street in Bangor. He’ll probably hate them, but he’ll love the stinky catnip Jack-o-lantern toy I got there, as well. If you haven’t been to Animal Crackers, I highly recommend it – great service, a small but nice selection and lower-than-big-box prices.

I’m wild about the stylish ID tags by Red Dingo, which you can order at Green Acres on Union Street. When ShopCat is ready to prowl again, I’ll get him a tag and trade out his manly leather collar for a glow-in-the-dark model by Mainely Collars (http://stores.ebay.com/mainelycollars). It may or may not keep him out of trouble, but I can try.

I was pleasantly surprised at the cat-goods selection at Target. I went seeking nail polish remover and left with an attractive metal dish – the feline equivalent of a silver platter – and a few crazy-looking, noise-making, catnip-stuffed toys. At Pet Quarters, I almost bought a crinkly fleece-lined bag, but since I’m usually the one letting the cat out of the bag, I wasn’t sure how that would go over.

Because of the construction on Stillwater Avenue, and the excellent traffic direction, I nearly killed myself and a few oncoming drivers. In the process, I missed the turnoff to Petco completely, and I was so flustered, I decided to skip it – and Blue Seal – and go home. But I know both stores have a healthy – if not dog-size – selection of kitty goodies.

No matter. With the amount of catnip I bought for him, ShopCat will be all set for a while. Of course, this could result in other problems – next thing you know, he’ll be breaking into the people’s houses, searching for some quality ‘nip. More catfights could ensue.

There goes the neighborhood.

On the blog

Read all about Belfast’s hottest fall event – the Haute for Hospice fashion show – at http://shopblogbdn.blogspot.com/. And read about the donors who helped make one Bangor woman’s evening “fashionably great.”

ShopGirl would love to hear from you! Send questions, comments or suggestions by e-mail to: kandresen@bangordailynews.net, by U.S. mail to Kristen Andresen, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329, or by fax to 941-9476. For exclusive online shopping tips, visit http://shopblogbdn.blogspot.com/.