About a week ago the "cat lady" asked us if we wanted him but I told her Stephen wasn't in favor of having more animals just yet. But then last Shabbat I decided I did want him. It's been a year and 8 months since we had the dog and cat put down and I'm ready for another one. It's not like I went out looking for him. He found us. So I bothered Stephen about it and bothered him and bothered him and so did Yardena until he agreed :-). Just to shut me up, I think.
So Friday I took the kitten to the vet to make sure he was healthy and the vet said he was so he got worm treatment and first vaccination. Then I went and bought cat litter and food and a collar + name tag. Effie is scared of dogs and cats. He likes them from a distance so I wasn't sure how he would react. On Friday I put the cat out on the balcony and put the flea treatment on him and left him out there until about 6 pm so all the fleas would jump off of him out there. Then we let him in the house.
He really is a brave little soul when you consider all the new smells and sounds and voices and furniture scraping on the floor and kids dropping toys that he has to get used to. He was cautious about his new surroundings and hid under the furniture just for a bit but quickly came out to play/explore. He's got amazing blue-green eyes with an orange ring around the pupils. REALLY beautiful. I clipped his nails so he wouldn't scratch the couch and he didn't mind that. I'm looking for a 2nd hand scratching post. When we go out and also at night when we aren't around to make sure he doesn't scratch the couch, we put him in the bathroom/laundry room with his cat box and food and water. I let him in the house first thing in the morning.
The kids had a ball with him over Shabbat. He's very playful, always looking for a game. And late last night S and I sat down to watch TV and he did come and snuggle on my lap. We named him Tigger. It's nice having a cat again.
I spent over $100 on Friday on the vet visit and supplies so S and I told Y that the cat is going to be her birthday present this year. She usually isn't demanding when it comes to birthday presents but this year she did have her heart set on a scooter which is a more price-y gift. So we said no to that and that the cat will be her gift. She was fine with that. I told her she will get one or two smaller presents from us but nothing big except for the cat.
E, meanwhile, is still leary but getting braver about the cat.
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| The kids trying to coax him out from under the furniture. |
