More Meow?
It's an issue that everyone over here has been bugging me about since Parrot's passing. When am I getting another cat? The kids have asked me. My coworkers are asking me. Family and friends have asked me. And the answer I was giving them was 'I don''t know if I'm ready yet'.
And I didn't think I was. I didn't want to take another animal home with the underlying motivation being Parrot replacement. Sometimes it can be hard to not let that be the reason. Not to mention the guilt tripping I thought I would feel over spending money on a new pet after not having the money to spend saving his life. Also, what about Mitten? He's still here, obviously. And he's a perfectly good companion (when he wants to be... antisocial furball). I wasn't sure I wanted to chance ignoring him for the arrival of a fresh, fluffy, heart-string tugging squeals, itty-bitty kitty. And that was the end of it for me.
Or so I thought...
One of our regular customers came into the store on Tuesday with pictures of her kitten litter to give to Ronn, because he had known about them and had been interested. Unfortunately, Ronn wasn't there. And where did the pictures end up? In MY hands! *ack* Of course, like any person trying to part out their pet's offspring, she was just laying it on thick about how adorable they were and how they played and squealed and purred and snuggled...
Me? I think I mentally drooled and collapsed. All of my opponent arguments drowned in that mental drool puddle. And all I could do was listen to her and say 'D'awwwwww!' ^__________________^ I wasn't hopeless by the time I left work... although pretty damn close to it. So I thought, well... okay, then I'll let Rich be the deciding factor.
Rich, as I've mentioned before, is really not a cat person. Never has been. So I was certain that he would say no, and that would be the end of it. I sputtered out the details that the woman had given me, bit by bit. And he seemed wholly disinterested until I recited one little word. Gray. His eyes crinkled and he cracked the tiniest smile, right before he told me no.
Relieved and disappointed. That's the way I felt for the next couple of hours. just before he went to bed, however, he says to me, 'Fine. But only if we get the gray one.'
*bwahahahaha* XD
Long story short (or am I too late for that...?), this afternoon we checked out the kitties. And it just so happened that the gray one was one of the more loving and social of the litter. So I was happy. :D
Let me introduce you to Smokey!
Yeah, Rich's decision for the name, not mine. *sigh* I was kinda hoping to name him Charcoal or Soot.
Anyway, Smokey is just about eleven weeks old. Male. Solid gray except for his almost burgundy paw pads. And he is a sweety! :D
Spent all day today comforting, cuddling, petting, soothing, and playing with Mitten and Smokey alternately, making sure the first wasn't feeling dumped and so the second was getting lots of human connectivity. Max... er, upon the initial feline greeting of hissing, growling and raised hair, Max pretty much stayed out of sight the rest of the day until Rich came home from work.
Sometime this week or next, I'll be getting Smokey in for his first checkup and shots and deworming (if necessary). I do need to get some ear mite remedy before that, though. Otherwise, he seems to be a relatively healthy and happy kitty.
Totally unrelated thought... boss Joe is made of win!!! XD