New Friends

Over the summer our neighbors had a gray tabby cat. He was a stray that they had taken in, but I don’t know that this little guy was well treated. Over the course of the summer months, this little man found a home on my car. He often slept on top of it at night, and underneath during the day.

 He’d watch our movements like a hawk but would never let anyone get close to him. By the end of the summer Ramon had been desperately trying to make friends with this cat to no avail. Then one day the cat let me pet him, and suddenly jumped in my lap. From then on I was his pet.

Eventually he began venturing inside the duplex on occasion and wormed his way into my little heart. Then our neighbors moved, and left him. How could anyone abandon this adorable little face?

 

I was already attached so there was no point in arguing. This was now my cat. He’d curl up on my lap and purr, follow me around the place, and cry if I was behind a door he couldn’t get through. Again, how can anyone say no to that? I took him to the vet and got him fixed, vaccinated, and healthy. Even the vet staff fell in love with this curious little man and he has gained a few much needed pounds. He’s spoiled rotten and knows it. But I’m his for good now. In retrospect I wish I would have named him Rochester, as he’s become a bit moody with recent events, but it’s too late for that. His name is Pancho Via.

 

After our long European adventure, I was told by my fabulous cat sitters that this little guy gets VERY lonely. I’d been thinking about getting another cat for him, but the duplex was too small and we were moving. Pancho had no trouble adjusting to the much larger house as his domain. For a while I think he was in cat heaven, until the novelty wore off and it’s just plain old boring home. His domain. But working all day, and not being around much I figured he’d get lonely again. So two weeks ago I caved and went to the animal shelter.

This is my cute little Manette (3 gold stars if you can guess where I got that name from). She’s a 1 ½ year old orange tabby cat who’d been at the shelter in a tiny cage for 4 months. She’s petite and so sweet. She meows, and purrs, and would rub against you all night if you’d let her. Plus, I had to get her since she’s more of a strawberry blonde than orange. We match!

Anywho, poor thing is quite shy. After hiding behind the dryer for a day, I coaxed her unto hiding underneath the couch instead. Makes sense she needs some time to adjust from a tiny cage to a large house. I placed a little bed under there for her, which she loves, and put a taste of food and water just to keep her hydrated. Of course Pancho did not take to her kindly. There were a few days of hissing and growling at Manette and me, making me rethink his cat name. But he’s getting over it. She will venture outside of her cave in the evenings and eat her food with Pancho, and then she’ll venture upstairs for a while. Though the hissing has stopped, Pancho watches her every move and doesn’t quite trust her out of his sight.  He’s still ticked at me, but hopefully he’ll get over it. And I’ve seen her whack him in the face a time or two so I think she won’t be bullied. (the shelter volunteer said she whacked her jerk neighbor into shape and now he’s the sweetest cat. Figured she’d be good for Pancho then).

I’m hopeful the chasing and animosity will end and they’ll be best friends someday. In the meantime this is where my cat collection ends. I will not collect cat figurines or other decorative paraphernalia. I will not hang picture of my cats in any frame on any place. These are the only pictures that will be publicly broadcast. I refuse to be the crazy cat lady.