Misc: November 2007 Archives
About a week and a half ago, Kate and I drove out to Monroe, WI to adopt two kittens. It's about a 2-and-a-half hour drive from our apartment, so we left early in the morning and drove out to Stoughton to the Parents place. Lexi printed off directions to the Green County Humane Society while we were en route, and we took back roads through small unincorporated towns and places like Brooklyn, WI. When we arrived there the place was nearby a large grouping of trailer homes, and it looked like sheet metal with a makeshift roof thrown over it.
Kate was a little concerned, but we pulled over on the gravel and went inside. I had already called, filed an online application, e-mailed and called again, so they were familiar with us as soon as I told them my name and pointed out the way to the Cats. It's tough, sifting through all the animals, any of which we would be happy with. Kate and Lexi took to some of the initial cats, and I realized there was a small back section that was for staff only. The girl volunteering told me I was welcome to go back there, but to only handle one animal at a time.
The back room was a night-and-day difference to the main room. It was colder, a lot of the cats were younger, and some of the smaller cages had 3-4 animals inside. These were the desperate ones, and immediately they began to pace and meow, in complete contrast to their skittish front room counterparts. A few that caught my eye were sleeping or keeping their distance, so I moved to one that was vying for my attention. The one directly above him began to reach out his paw and bat at my head.
I called Kate and Lexi inside and we scoped a few out. There were two black ones we really liked, the first was very cuddly and purred immediately once we tok it out. The other was the one that had smacked me around on the head a bit, and we took him into the front room to see him play. As soon as we set him on the floor he ran to the nearest cage and grappled his way to the top. It was impressive, but also worrisome. This was an escapist cat. The volunteers let him be for a bit, and we kept looking.
After a while we talked to the volunteer and she disappeared into the back room for a moment, emerging with a small, female calico. Right away she took to Kate and although she seemed nervous she was very playful. Pretty much from moment one I knew we'd be walking out with her. I talked it over with Kate and expressed my concern that in making a commitment that was going to limit our future choices in apartments and remain with us for over a decade, that I would rather have at least one of the two cats be a small kitten so that we can experience that. But, I was okay with this cat, Margie, and we adopted her.
When we set the cat carrier down in a room full of cats to pick her up, she left the small boy and his mom that were playing with her and came running over, climbed inside, sat and began to purr. She was incredibly well behaved on the ride home. As soon as we got home she ran and hid under the futon, but after an hour or so curiousity got the better of her and she came out to play.
We've renamed her Asuka, after Asuka Langley-Soryu from Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Granted, Kate hates anime and knows nothing about Evangelion, but I'm pretty happy with the name myself. Within a few days she fully let her energy out, and her favorite things to do are to knock glasses of water over and attack our feet at four in the morning. I've learned to make sure I have at least three layers of blanket over my feet while sleeping, and I try to make sure I wear socks to bed--or else she'll sink her teeth into my toes to try and get me up.
We are still planning to get her a companion in a few months, she definitely needs someone to play with while we're at work/school. It's a little strange, after growing up with several animals, to feel completely clueless on some basic tenets of cat care. She has toys, catnip, a scratch post and she's spoiled with tuna several nights a week. I still want to get her a larger structure to play on.
But, at least now I have my own cat to stick in an oven?
