Here she is! Our new family member. Her name has been Smudge but we are looking for a more fitting name. Tillie is being considered. If you have any thoughts on a name for our beautiful white kitty I would love to hear them! On Wednesday I drove up to Bellingham - near the Canadian border - where this little beauty was waiting with a sign on her cage that said "I'm Going Home!"
As I mentioned in an earlier post - I fell in love with her on March 31st. Lauren and I did not have time to go and get her after my medical appointment that day but I filled out the adoption paperwork and spoke with the lovely woman who runs BelWest Cat Rescue several times - and I developed a really good feeling about her genuine love for the fabulous felines in her care. 'Tillie' was owned by a woman who had three cats. She died from cancer two hours after releasing her 'kids' into the care of Zella Chapman and BelWest Cat Rescue. The lovely thing is that before she passed away she wrote a letter about 'Smudge' - what she is like, what her habits had been and how she had been raised. I have the letter now and am really touched and honored to have it - along with the opportunity to now be 'owned' by this beautiful cat!
I had her in a carrier until I got off the freeway and picked up DH. I took her out of the carrier while we waited-for 2 hours- in the ferry line and she sat in my lap during all of that wait, the hour and half boat ride and then the drive home - very calm and sweet. I just carried her into the house! All in all in she remained calm and collected in my lap for 5 hours! Amazing. She is a bit skittish - and I gather from the letter that she has always been somewhat that way, but she's a mix of skittish and amazing calm. I can;t blame blame her - she's been through a lot! She stays in her new bed in the window of the bedroom - and I have, temporarily set up food and litter in my bathroom which is near the bed. She ventures out to the living room more and more each day. Her appetite is good and her grooming is immaculate. Last night she discovered that she is welcome on the bed and we spent the night with her jumping up - waking us each up in turn for pats & purrs - then she would jump down again and it seemed like she was thinking "I wonder if I can wake them up again?!" She's met our grand dame, Cleo, who is still spry at 16. They have some issues to work out but Cleo is pretty much ignoring her now - and life continues as always.
I was nervous about getting another family member at first-but I followed my gut on this and I am so pleased that I did. Finding her has been a bit of kismet. When I considered going into the pet store that day I thought 'wouldn't it be weird if if there is a white cat in there?'. Sure enough there was - and I am so pleased that she has joined our family!
Name suggestions anyone?
I picked up a "Furminator" cat hair grooming tool at Pet'sMart on Wednesday after reading about it on JenClair's blog, Bayou Quilts. I am generally skeptical about new pet products but I thought I would try it out. It's a wonderful tool - and the cats actually seem to enjoy being groomed with it! Very good! It's sort of like a mat cutter for dogs but the teeth are MUCH finer and not as sharp. It does an excellent job of getting the shedding done faster!
We have been enjoying some lovely early Spring weather and the sunsets have started to be breathtaking again. This was what the sky looked like about 8pm this evening- look at those colors! Have a wonderful weekend. Be well and be happy!
