Our
old cat died
last October and we spent five very sad and lonely months
without a cat until we were really ready for another.
We
finally got a new cat last April. We went to the Chicago
Anti-Cruelty Society. We were a little hesitant to go there,
because we were afraid we would see stacks and stacks of cages
with homeless, unhappy cats, and it would be too depressing an
experience since we couldn’t take all of them home.
But
that wasn’t the case at all.
They
have it set up so there is one room for dogs and one for cats
and there are a limited number of animals available for adoption.
There were enough people there looking for animals so that it
gave you the impression every cat would find a home. Probably
not true, but that’s what I prefer to think.
As
I walked past the cages, a little paw reached out and touched
my hand causing me to look into the cage and see a very alert
and curious little brown and white cat.
They
took the cat out of its cage and asked that we hold and pet it
for a while “to see if it's a good match.” She sat between
us and purred as we pet her. Though they said she was an adult,
she was still very small and cute. And she had the softest imaginable
fur. We bonded.
Since
she had really picked us, it was only right that we adopt her.
She
only weighed 5 pounds when we took her home, but once she got
some serious petting, playing, and eating, she quickly grew to
8 pounds. And now she’s 11 pounds! I think she must have
been just disguising herself as a kitten so someone would take
her home.
The
vet thinks she is mostly Somali, which is a long haired version
of an Abyssinian.
The
shelter called her Foxy, but we wanted a new name. Somehow we
chose Muffin, but we don't really love it, and we keep tagging
names on to the front and back end. Nows her formal name has lengthened
to Roxy-Foxy-Meepmeep-Muffin-Smartypaws. Meep-meep kind of became
the default because she talks to us all the time.
Yesterday
we noticed that from behind, with her full winter coat, she looks
like she is wearing balloon pants.
So
we started calling her Pants. Then Joey Pants. It might stick.
But I'm not sure I want a cat named after a despicable Sopranos
character. I think she'll have to be stuck with Muffin for now.
She is turning out to be one of the best cats we’ve ever
had, so now I'm a full convert to pet adoption from a reputable
shelter.