Disclaimer: I promise to try hard not to become the 'crazy cat lady' with an over abundance of photos of my kitty doing mundane kitty things, dressing him up for special events and the like...but I did just get him a little over a week ago, so must take a moment to document our story....ya know, so I can embarrass him on his wedding day with the details of his arrival to my home and all the naughty things he got in trouble for...Just kidding.
For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted a little grey kitty. Growing up, my mama was allergic so we didn't have any pets to speak of (unless you count the goldfish I won at the school carnival playing that ping pong ball toss into a fishbowl game...he died days later).
At some point, one of us kids (can't remember who) innocently asked, 'Mom, when you die can we get a cat?'
She kindly said,'Sure kids, you can get a cat then.' Happy to report that she is alive and well....and consequently, we never got that cat.
Out of college, apartment dwelling did not make it easy to fulfill this dream. Roommates, lots of added fees and small spaces. The dream had to wait.
Fast forward to 2 weeks ago. I decided to rescue a kitten from the Humane Society and began my search. The website is quite helpful and kept up to date by the minute. I kept watch for any and all grey baby kitties that were posted. Kittens get adopted very quickly so timing was key...to be there at just the right moment before someone else snatched one up.
I first spotted this cute little guy:
Awwww...so cute. I was kind of busy that day, so kept watch online until I was free to go check him out. As long as his picture was up, he was still available for adoption. Pulled up to the facility...yep, still there. Got inside, searched around. Saw him being escorted out of his cage by his new forever family. Boo. Wipe the tears away and move on.
The following weekend, I found him:
Awwww....so cute. I called right away when they opened to see if he was available. Again, I had a busy morning and arrived about 45 minutes after they opened. Pulled up to the facility, checked the website...still there. Got inside only to see kitty #2 literally being whisked away into the arms of HIS new forever family. Really? Ok. It's fine. Let's see if there are any others that may fit the bill...to my surprise, I found 2 more little grey furballs in another cage. I said hi and thought maybe I had a winner...as my excitement grew, an employee opened the cage and took them both out right before my hopeful little eyes and handed them to a happy young couple. What? At this point i am starting to feel a bit sad/frustrated/offended and head home once again...catless.
That evening, I took one last look at the website before heading to bed. Out of the blue, this little buddy had appeared:
Gandolf the Grey...very strong and regal name. Could I get him? Well, the facility was closed for the night...so unless there was a late night break in or building fire or some other unforeseen natural disaster between that moment and the next morning, I maybe had a shot.
I skipped church the next morning (I knew that Jesus would understand. He wanted me to have my kitty...I am sure of it) and headed over to the facility bright and early before they opened. I parked in the first spot next to the door and waited. I may have gotten out and stood at the door a few minutes before they unlocked the doors, just to be sure that Gandolf the Grey wasn't stolen from my arms like the others the week before (the anticipation is mounting- can you feel the excitement?)
A nice employee opened the door and I told her who I was here for. She took me right to him and that was that. I was the winner! I was the forever family that was taking him home. We had a chance to play in a little room for a bit just to make sure we were a good fit, I filled out all the paperwork and bought him a few little toys and we were off!
They told me to keep him confined to a smaller space at first to help him adjust to his new (much larger than a little cage) space. So I set up shop in the bathroom and waited for him to feel comfortable to explore. It didn't take long:
Is he winking at me? I think so...he was settling in to his new home and getting to know his new mama (oops, did I say that out loud?) And it's been great:
So cute! Right? Our first week together has been magical...aside from him coming down with a nasty baby kitty cold (probably exposure from the other shelter cats) which made me feel so sad/worried. A visit to the vet, some meds and extra snuggles and he is on the mend.
Some things I have learned so far about my dear kitty Mosby:
He likes to lay upside down so I will scratch his tummy.
He loves to jump in the bathtub and attack the shower curtain...but gets stuck and needs help to get out.
He is awesome at using his litter box (too much information? Too bad, I'm a crazy cat lady...). On a related note, I am seriously considering toilet training him at some point in the near future. If I can train a 1 year old toddler, I can train a cat. Right? Challenge accepted.
He likes sunbeams, scratching posts, sitting on the porch, snuggling at my neck in attempt to grab my hair, chasing things, and sleeping close to me at night. He is delightful.
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