I have recently acquired a cat. This is all good because I like cats and was planning to adopt a rescue cat anyway, but what I have ended up with is The Bloke’s cat, which was not what I had planned. Well yes, she was also a rescue cat and I have cat sat her, on and off, over the years but I never thought she would end up being my full time Resident Puss!
You see, much as I love her, she is not really the cuddly feline I had in mind when I was daydreaming about getting another cat because this Resident Puss, cute as she is, is not all that cuddly. Actually, you are lucky to get in a bit of a pat, let alone a full on cuddle because she is Feisty! To be more precise, you couldn’t look sideways at her when The Bloke first brought her home to his place because to look was to court Death. She was actually on Death Row at the cat rescue place because she was so anti social and the staff there had serious doubts about ever placing her so The Bloke, big softy that he is, chose her, took her home and set himself the task of convincing her that not all humans were bad news.
At least, we’re pretty sure that is what might have been behind all her aggression. During her formative years we suspect she was badly mistreated and as a result she was constantly on the defensive, either that or she was a feral, but I think the former is more likely because of how she was at first. To get too close to her (let alone touch her!) was just asking to lose your face or be slashed to ribbons at the very least. And so went the slow steps to showing her that we were not all monsters and introducing her to a much nicer second chance at life. But it worked and she will now seek us out for company and most of the time will even welcome physical overtures of affection. Most of the time…
But how did she end up with me? Well, The Bloke lives alone and does a fair bit of travelling and Puss hates the car with a vengeance. Longish trips were a nightmare for both of them because she howled the whole way and he was stuck in the car with her. Forget a crying baby, a yowling cat is so much worse! Anyway, if he was going to be away for a while he would leave her with me and then pick her up on his way back. If he was spending time at my place she would have the run of the house and seemed happy here and naturally, being an animal loving type, I spoiled her! But it was when she began exhibiting signs that she Did Not want to leave (think hisses, claws, teeth, etc…) he suggested that I might like to keep her on permanently as she seemed happier here that at his place. And he could still see her.
And so I have a cat and another, more affectionate rescue puss is out of the question as current Resident Puss does not like other cats! So I’m not getting another one.
But hey, I do love this one and it is lovely that she allows me to give her the odd kiss and cuddle, that she sits beside me on the couch and will sometimes sleep on (occasionally in) my bed and she just loves having the run of the house and the acreage it sits on and she looks happy. Genuinely happy, and isn’t that what it’s all about? Yes it is because it is all about giving her a second chance at life and making it a much happier one this time around.
And so I have a cat.