Black and grey dotwork tattoo of a cat with planets and stars on the inner forearm.

Enlarged with AI from a smaller original

Cat with planets on a forearm

Dotwork · Forearm · Black and grey · Photo

A cat sits on a curved base beneath a ringed planet, a large textured planet and small stars. Fine outlines are combined with stippled dotwork shading on the fur, planets and the ornamental band along the base. The tattoo is shown in black ink on pale skin against a dark background, with no colour.

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A story inspired by this tattoo · fiction

Dear Tom, the cat has taken over the orrery again. You'll remember the brass base of it, the band of knotted scrollwork Father polished every Sunday until his thumbs went raw. Ptolemy climbs onto it each night and sits square over the little ringed planet as if it were a cushion, and the spheres swing round on their wires beside his ears.

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The dealer from Hull came on Tuesday wanting to buy the thing for his shop window. I told him the mechanism had seized, which is half true. The big pitted planet with its scabs of dark stone hasn't turned since the winter the roof came in, and the moon arm snapped clean off in the gale. Mrs Pargeter says the stars pinned to the ceiling are still where Father left them, but I haven't looked up that far in weeks.

Last night the cat stretched out along the curve of the base, tail tucked tidy, and stared at the smallest planet as though it had just been dropped in from a height. I sat with him until the lamp guttered and the hall went cold.

I didn't sell it. I wound the spring instead, and the ringed planet lifted a fraction on its wire, and Ptolemy didn't even blink. Come home when the spring term ends. He'll want to meet you properly, and I think the orrery would like it too.

Your loving sister, Ada

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