Ode to the Random Cat

We found you at the PetSmart on a Sunday in January 2002, one of those Rescue Shelter cats that the store likes to showcase. You were such a sweet, quiet looking kitty, with big soulful eyes. We almost got you that day, but we had to think about it some more. Two weeks passed by, and we couldn’t stop thinking about you. We doubted that you were still there, but when we went back, there you were.

The lady told us that you had been left at the shelter TWICE . . . both times, your previous owners said that they had allergies. She said that you would take a while to trust us, and also that you liked to be petted while you ate, since that’s what they did at the shelter.

We brought you home, not knowing what was in store. The quiet kitty developed a loud voice. You told us when you were hungry and when you wanted to be petted and complained when we didn’t move fast enough. I have never seen such a vocal cat, outside of a Siamese. We learned quickly not to give you any food with turkey in it, or else you would be filling the house with fragrant emissions. You didn’t like to be picked up, and you still don’t like to sit in people’s laps. No one could ever accuse you of being an overly affectionate cat . . .

But with all of your standoffishness, very slowly you wormed your way into our hearts . . . or rather into MY heart, since I did not like cats to begin with, and especially a cat that hated to be hugged and wanted nothing to do with me outside of being fed. But the little things she did got to me . . . her habit of coming to bed with me and falling asleep curled up near my legs . . . her greeting me everyday when I come home from work, by flopping down at my feet and wanting to be petted . . . hopping up on the back of the couch when I am watching TV and trying to groom my hair by nibbling at it . . . OK, I guess I like you for that. It took you three years to get to this point, because of your “trust issues,” but I’ll take what I can get.

So I’m writing this little note to you, Random Cat, just to say that for all of your quirks, and the fact that we also call you our “Foster Cat,” we are so glad to have you and we wouldn’t know what to do without you. You are like your owners in more ways than you know . . .

{I seem to be having technical difficulties, since I can't get the stupid picture of the cat to post! Oh, well . . .}