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Dec. 14th, 2007 11:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
saucy_dryadAs readers of this journal know, I’ve had my eye on a certain one-eyed tortoiseshell kitten for a couple of months. Said eye was not acquisitive; rather, it was concerned. Compassionate. A bit sad.
Some back story: when Don and I were engaged, he gave me a lovely ring and two kittens (the former because well, it’s traditional, and the latter because of a story I told him about my parents when they were newly married). We were in a teeny NYC apartment at the time; even after we moved to a slightly bigger place, and then a comparatively palatial apartment in New Jersey, we felt two kitties was a good number. But we did talk about the possibility of someday getting a third, and so in the summer of ’06 when the opportunity to adopt an abandoned kitten arose, Don left the decision to me. Quite suddenly, we found ourselves with two ten year old cats and a wee sma’ kitten. They’ve all settled in rather nicely, at long last. Zinda might wish the older girls had a bit more pep, but they get along well enough.
Thing is, there’s a ten year age gap between them. At some point - may it many years away, thanks! - Zee might be on her own. We could get another cat then, but better that she has a companion that she knows, one close to her in age. And lest you think I’m rationalizing, this train of thought comes from my husband.
My husband. He who is made of awesome. He’d planned on surprising me with the one-eyed kitty for my birthday, but wanted to be sure I really wanted her, and that I’d be okay if she was my gift. Also, there was mad paperwork he hadn’t known about, but still... the sentiment was there.
Even with all of this, I was still unsure. Yeah, yeah: I have three, what’s one more? Only it’s a big deal, bringing a new personality into the house. It’s a new set of vet bills, more to juggle at feeding time (and more of a pain in the butt when I ask someone to look after them when I’m away), hoping and praying there are no kitties going on strike from using their litter boxes or exhibiting other behavioral protests.
But then the tech at the pet store offered to let me hold her, and she kept butting her head up under my chin, and she purred so hard I feared she’d phase through my arms** and that was that. I put her back in her cage and started filling out the adoption paperwork. I left my name and number, and when I came home I had a message waiting for me from the woman in charge of ‘Angels for Animals Network.’ I’d neglected to write down the name of the cat I was interested in; when I told her it was Bebe, she was delighted. “I’m so glad to see you already have cats!” Gisela said. “We tried to place her in a home with no other animals and she was desperately unhappy. She needs company.” The adoption process may not be as stringent as I had feared; still, I’d provide references and be more than happy should they want to do an in-home visit.
So. After kickboxing class tomorrow morning, Don and I are going to go to PetSmart. If all goes well, we’ll be bringing the baby home with us. Then it will be all about acclimating them to one another and - just as important! - deciding on a new name.*
* If we focus on the one-eye thing, and I’m not saying we want to, something like ‘Una’ or ‘Winky the one-eyed Wonder Cat’ or ‘It’s all fun and games...’ might do. But then, we’re partial to book, comic book and movie names (note: Jilly, Zinda and Isabeau, respectively), and what with the news about Pterry we’re sort of inclined to name her Esme or Magrat. But we’re open to suggestions!
** hmmm. that begs a Flash name. Jesse (as in ‘... Quick’?). meh. not doing it for me.
Some back story: when Don and I were engaged, he gave me a lovely ring and two kittens (the former because well, it’s traditional, and the latter because of a story I told him about my parents when they were newly married). We were in a teeny NYC apartment at the time; even after we moved to a slightly bigger place, and then a comparatively palatial apartment in New Jersey, we felt two kitties was a good number. But we did talk about the possibility of someday getting a third, and so in the summer of ’06 when the opportunity to adopt an abandoned kitten arose, Don left the decision to me. Quite suddenly, we found ourselves with two ten year old cats and a wee sma’ kitten. They’ve all settled in rather nicely, at long last. Zinda might wish the older girls had a bit more pep, but they get along well enough.
Thing is, there’s a ten year age gap between them. At some point - may it many years away, thanks! - Zee might be on her own. We could get another cat then, but better that she has a companion that she knows, one close to her in age. And lest you think I’m rationalizing, this train of thought comes from my husband.
My husband. He who is made of awesome. He’d planned on surprising me with the one-eyed kitty for my birthday, but wanted to be sure I really wanted her, and that I’d be okay if she was my gift. Also, there was mad paperwork he hadn’t known about, but still... the sentiment was there.
Even with all of this, I was still unsure. Yeah, yeah: I have three, what’s one more? Only it’s a big deal, bringing a new personality into the house. It’s a new set of vet bills, more to juggle at feeding time (and more of a pain in the butt when I ask someone to look after them when I’m away), hoping and praying there are no kitties going on strike from using their litter boxes or exhibiting other behavioral protests.
But then the tech at the pet store offered to let me hold her, and she kept butting her head up under my chin, and she purred so hard I feared she’d phase through my arms** and that was that. I put her back in her cage and started filling out the adoption paperwork. I left my name and number, and when I came home I had a message waiting for me from the woman in charge of ‘Angels for Animals Network.’ I’d neglected to write down the name of the cat I was interested in; when I told her it was Bebe, she was delighted. “I’m so glad to see you already have cats!” Gisela said. “We tried to place her in a home with no other animals and she was desperately unhappy. She needs company.” The adoption process may not be as stringent as I had feared; still, I’d provide references and be more than happy should they want to do an in-home visit.
So. After kickboxing class tomorrow morning, Don and I are going to go to PetSmart. If all goes well, we’ll be bringing the baby home with us. Then it will be all about acclimating them to one another and - just as important! - deciding on a new name.*
* If we focus on the one-eye thing, and I’m not saying we want to, something like ‘Una’ or ‘Winky the one-eyed Wonder Cat’ or ‘It’s all fun and games...’ might do. But then, we’re partial to book, comic book and movie names (note: Jilly, Zinda and Isabeau, respectively), and what with the news about Pterry we’re sort of inclined to name her Esme or Magrat. But we’re open to suggestions!
** hmmm. that begs a Flash name. Jesse (as in ‘... Quick’?). meh. not doing it for me.
