Here Kitty, Kitty!

Blog soundtrack:



Okay, who doesn’t love Tom Jones?!

As it always seems to happen, I lose a cat, and then I quickly feel that I need a replacement. I am very good about replacing things, well, things I care about a lot. For example, if the light bulb goes in the hallway, it takes me at least two days to replace it.

First, I have to think about where the light bulbs are. Then I have to go look for them, and, finally, I have to get someone to hold my office chair while I stand on top of it to install the new one. Oh, and if there are no light bulbs, “light bulbs” goes on the shopping list, and then the whole light bulb replacement process can take a solid week!

Now, if things I care about alot were to fail, like my iPod stopped cranking out Frou Frou, the heel tip on my favorite pair of kitten heel pumps got worn down to the nail, or my favorite lipstick would no longer make my lips “Primrose” due to lack of stick, those would all be immediately replaced. It’s just the way replacement works in my world, and light bulbs aren’t high on the replacement list. They’re right above toothpicks but just below cotton balls.

Anyway, since Rover has been gone, the climate has changed quite a bit as you can imagine. Whenever I go down to do laundry, I see the huge empty spot in the basement where her nighttime crate (or “condo in Boca Raton” as I used to call it) was. And, as expected, both Iz and Nate have been down.

Rover’s playful days were surely gone, but Iz missed carrying her up, like a newborn baby, in the morning from her “condo,” and Nate and I missed seeing her waddle around the kitchen, making that sound only he and I could hear – it sounded somewhat like a squeaky door being open and closed repeatedly. And no cat ever had the purr that Rover had.

After I put my cat Caesar to sleep, it took me one week to go from loss to www. petfinder.com. I remember typing in the search field, “Maine Coon, large, male,” and Liam came up on the first page. Nathan and I went all the way down to Connecticut to get him; while we didn’t miss Caesar any less, Liam gave our hearts back their equilibrium.

By the way, Caesar was the only cat I ever met who would lie on the floor with his hind legs like this.



I got an email from Nathan last week saying that he was bored with his homework, so he took a break on http://www.petfinder.com/, like mother, like son. His email contained the resumes of four potential feline candidates, Bulk, Sammy, Tavish, and Plume. Earlier, I had told Nathan we’d “think” about another cat; however, I guess while I was sleeping, Nathan changed “think” to “thought”, and now we were ready to interview candidates.

In a way, I think we were lucky with Liam. After a few days, he was friends with Thunderbolt and Monty. Rover never liked anyone. Well, Rover liked all people. She didn’t like any other animals. Come to think of it, I don’t think I can ever recall Rover catching a mouse or a bird. Like I said, she disliked all animals!

So, last night, I reviewed the candidates’ resumes. Fortunately, Bulk had been adopted. Well, it was unfortunate for us, but I’m glad he found a home. Sammy was in Western Massachusetts and Tavish was in New Jersey, so I ruled them out initially due to the fact that I thought it would be a long commute for both of them! Nathan prefaced Plume with, “I know you said no kittens.”

Well, Plume was 7 months old and beautiful. (I said no kittens, because I felt that being kittens, they had a better chance for adoption than the older cats.)

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=15174890?rvp=1

And then I found Nestle. Well, the double paws, which Rover had, spoke to me, and I thought Nestle was somehow a meant-to-be candidate.

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=15259042

I also found this fellow named Yard Sale. If he had not been in Pennsylvania, he’d be in my lap right now. Is this not the poster cat for fierce gentleness?



Anyway, we have potential interviews with the two candidates this week. I have made up a list of questions (How did you get started as a cat? What are your strengths? How much were you fed in your last job? What are your thoughts on dry versus wet cat food? Why do you think you’d do well as our cat?), and then there will be the tests: petting, purring, and kissing. I know cats don’t kiss; I get to see how well the cat tolerates me kissing it, of course!

Though, there is one less to care for now, it’s amazing how much the absence of one little cat can change the whole world, our world here at home. It’s as if the energy we gave to Rover has been whirling around the house, lonely and unattended like a lost spirit, leaving Iz lonelier, Nathan quieter, and me avoiding that corner of basement and subsequently the laundry.

Sometimes things just can’t be replaced; however, when something is lost, especially an important thing that made a house a home with three cats, perhaps it is easiest on the heart to find a replacement sooner rather than later. ♥

Craziest Calendar I’ve Seen Yet Note: Yesterday, I passed a calendar store at the outlet mall. What kind of store don’t they have there?! Anyway, every year, I buy the Lang American Cat calendar. It’s probably the most consistently catly thing I do, well, besides owning cats.

Anyway, when perusing the other calendars, I saw this one, Monthly Doos.



Can you believe it? And, don’t you wish you thought of it first? Though, I cannot imagine giving someone this or hanging it up!

It made me think of this picture I took in the cemetery in Nantucket.



I only took it, because I couldn’t believe the dog had ended up maneuvering his deposit onto a rock. AND, I was even accused of “posing” it just for the picture. I’m wacko but not that wacko!

And, on a related note, thanks to Chris for this!

http://www.firebox.com/product/2201/Plop-Trumps?via=sbp

I Don’t “Get” Sixteen-Year-Olds Note: I asked Nathan what he wanted for Xmas this afternoon, and he said quite annoyed, “You and Dad!!!!!!” Then he said, “No, you, Dad, and Grandma!!!!” I said, “Jeepers, what’s wrong with your parents asking you what you want for Christmas?” He said, “I don’t want anything!” So, it is; Nathan is getting socks and underwear for Christmas! Oh, and maybe cat. ♥