My friend Leslie recently sent me a photograph of a red kitten. Not a ginger, mind you, but a fire-red cat. She said an acquaintance had taken the picture in Jordan. I was intrigued, particularly since I was planning a trip to Jordan. I promised her I would bring back a bunch of red cats so we could begin our own large-scale red-cat-breeding operation. We would be rich!

In Jordan, where I walked around with hard-boiled eggs in my pocket to attract needy cats, I showed the picture to the woman guarding the Dead Sea Museum. As if I was going to put a curse on her, she proclaimed shocked: “Not in Jordan!” Maybe the picture was Photoshopped, the cat had a genetic mutation or, god forbid, someone had dyed the poor thing. This red cat pillow honors the fabled red cat(s) of Jordan. It’s hand-stitched, 22 x 22 inches and made from 100 percent Kona cotton. It has a zipper in the back and can be hand-washed and line-dried.

SOLD. Contact me at sabineheinlein@gmail.com if you’re interested in a similar, custom made pillow.

Photo: Rebecca Krasnik