You could pick up to five cats to "meet" in one of the little Getting Acquainted rooms and they would bring them out of their cage one at a time. We looked over all of the cats, and after writing down a few choices, we chose a gray tiger tabby to meet first. He was sleeping in his little Plexiglas cage on top of a hand-knitted blue blanket when we first walked by. The tag on his cage said his name was Chief and he was very sweet and loving.
The volunteer brought him in, saying how bad she felt that she had to wake him up from sleeping. Immediately, the gray cat jumped into Tyler's lap and started purring. He climbed all over Tyler, purring and kneading his paws into Tyler's chest. He curiously sniffed our faces and snuggled between us as the volunteer told us his story.
"Not much here," she said, flipping through his charts. "He was brought in last week, found on the streets of 24th and D. He's been a calm cat; considering all the trauma cats go through around here -- coming to a strange place, living in a place with lots of animals and people and bustle -- he's been pretty chill."
Tyler and I looked at each other. "Well?" I said.
"Do you want me to bring another cat in?" the volunteer asked.
"Um...can we spend a little more time with this one?"
I knew I couldn't let this snuggly gray cat go back to his cage. Ty and I exchanged glances before agreeing this was the cat we wanted. The volunteer was thrilled, got the paperwork, and then tried to put Chief in the cardboard carrier for us to take him home.
He was NOT happy about being put in a box.
The whole way home he whined like a baby, and I talked to him and tried out different names. But he was a Niles. Not a Chief.
Bringing home a cat is like bringing home a baby. Sort of.
Especially when you've never owned a cat in your life. What do cats do? What do they eat? What do you do with the poop after you've scooped it out of the litterbox? What kind of toys do cats like? How do you play with a cat? WHAT WERE WE THINKING?!
When we got home and let Niles out of his box, he roamed around the apartment with a cautious step, exploring every room.
I was thrilled when he drank out of the little water bowl I placed on the kitchen floor, and even more thrilled when I showed him his litterbox and he REMEMBERED where it was and used it!
That first night Niles laid on my chest, kneading me with his soft paws.
Niles' slim and trim 9 pounds must've been a result of living on the streets for a few days (he obviously was a housecat in his previous life), because we quickly learned of his love for food.
My turn.Niles. Loves. Food. That's why he got so fat he looks like this:
He's on a diet now so he doesn't look so ridiculously humongous.
He will sit and bark at you and let you know he's hungry and oh-so-patiently waiting for his food to be delivered. And he will only eat the Fancy Feast Classic Seafood variety, thank you very much. If you give him dry food, he simply cannot live. He'll get urinary tract infections and pee all over the apartment. You do understand, right? He can ONLY eat wet food. Seafood. Not chicken or beef. Must be salmon or tuna or cod and sole or whitefish tuna.
In fact, I recorded a sample -- a very mild sample -- of what goes on during breakfast and dinner in Niles's immediate world.
Point is, we LOVE YOU NILES, FAT OR NOT SO FAT. I love how you cuddle with us in bed and I hate that you sleep in my closet on top of my shoes. I love that you kill cockroaches and hate that your new favorite spot is on top of the audio receiver. I love that you greet me whenever I walk in the door and I hate (or do I?) that you never play with the expensive toys we buy you yet you'll play for hours with the string from Tyler's Adidas shorts. I hate that sometimes you don't cover your poop in the litterbox and it stinks up the whole house. I say I hate these things about you but they're really endearing and I wouldn't have it any other way. Even the poop. Our love goes deep!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND WE CAN'T BELIEVE YOU SURVIVED A WHOLE YEAR WITH US!
Happy birthday Niles! I remember when we first brought Tina home. It was a night of pure torture. We've come a long way since then - in fact, Tina just performed her first act of heroism as a dog big sister recently. Emory fell off the couch and would have been beyond angry and hurt if Tina hadn't been laying right there and broken his fall. She took it in stride and didn't make a peep, and Emory didn't bang his head. She's the best dog we could ask for, just like Niles is the best cat.
ReplyDeleteYep, I remember those first Tina days. I'm glad she hasn't had sibling rivalry issues like we thought! I can't wait to see my dogs when I come home next week.
ReplyDeleteGma sends a great big happy birthday to you,Niles.....You are a special boy and much loved by everyone in your family....Keep Sarah and Tyler on their toes....
ReplyDeleteI think Niles is slimming down! He looks great. I remember when you got him - got a picture on my phone of our "grand-cat". I'm glad you brought him into your lives.... he's good for you.
ReplyDeleteRox
Happy Birthday Niles! Hopefully your day is filled with fake mice and Friskies!
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