Someone I really could care for

Well, there is a sweet furry little addition to my home. Boogaloo Jake arrived yesterday from CAHS. He is an orange kitten. I saw him online first and, even though he wasn't my first color choice, I fell in love with him on the spot. Stephanie and I were going to go today after 3 but I wanted to get him before someone else snapped him up, so I booked over there alone. God, that's a long drive! I got more and more anxious as I drove along. What if he was gone? What if I got there too late to do the adoption? What if we didn't get along?

When I got there, I told them I wanted to adopt a kitten. They directed me to the nursery and I began my search. There were lots of cute ones, but the shorthairs were all girls. I didn't see him (his name was Travis at the time). A clueless volunteer finally got me someone who could help me. I saw three girls sleeping together and asked if the orange one was gone. She said, "No, he's still here". She opened up this--I can only call it a cubbyhole--and there he was, bright and chipper, a little cutie with worried eyes and a high squeak.

She took us to a room where we could get better acquainted. He ran from me and rushed like a crazy person around the room, meowing in panic and looking for a way out. "Oh, no", I thought, "He's a scaredy cat". But there were dogs barking all around, the room was cinderblock, and there was nowhere for him to hide in the big room. (Big compared to what he was used to). I asked the volunteer if there were any cat toys and she went and got one--a feathered toy attached to a string on a stick. I dragged it across the floor and talked to him calmly. Finally he started to play. He still had that worried look in his eye but he would take periodic forays into my lap and back out to play some more. Finally he curled up in my lap and I knew we were meant for each other. The volunteer came back in and took him from me and he started to fuss, so I said, "Let's do this". I held him and he snuggled right up to me. :)

We took him back to the nursery and I reluctantly put him back in the cage where he would wait while we went through the adoption paperwork. The volunteer remarked to me that he was pretty aloof from his sisters and didn't seem to care about them. I took this as a good sign, knowing he wouldn't feel much separation anxiety.

The adoption paperwork took FOREVER. I had to fill out a bunch of forms and they basically quizzed me to see what kind of parent I would be. I dealt with three different people so we went over and over the same stuff again and again. I just wanted to get my Boogaloo! Finally they brought him out and we were able to go to his forever home--home with me.

They recommend giving the kitten time to explore one room before heading out into the big world of the house/apartment. So I put him in my room with his potty, food, water, and a few toys. He explored for a little while but then, when I opened the door to come see him, he bolted out. He was free! He ran like a banshee around the apartment. He didn't even do that tentative bobbing up and down cats do when they're cautious, and he didn't run under the couch like Dante did when we moved to Lansing. He explored everywhere and ran back and forth to the bedroom, then to the living room, then to the kitchen, back to the living room, meowing all the way. I got him to play with some toys. He LOVED Da Bird and the laser pointer. He started to scratch the furniture and I showed him how to scratch the scratching post. Now he scratches the post! So smart and obedient!

He also knows how to go in the litter box--and man, is his poop stinky! Also almost as long as his body. Food was no problem--I gave him a little hard and he ate some of it. My book says a kitten's stomach is the size of a walnut so he doesn't eat much yet. I gave him a Pounce and he liked that, but he wasn't crazy about it. So not very food-motivated...at least not yet. :)

Last night he was very good. He started meowing like crazy so I put him up on the bed with me. He immediately found a spot and settled down. We slept for a while and then I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. So we played for a while and went back to bed. I woke up early to him snuggling under the comforter with me. We ate and started playing again. He likes it best when I chase him through the house, saying "I'm gonna get you!". He also found a plastic ring from a milk jug and likes to throw it up in the air and pounce on it, and then carry it around in his mouth like prey.

He's good about being by himself and doesn't need to play with me all the time. Right now he's dozing on the futon as I write. He was good while I went to Soldan's today. And he's wonderful in his carrier! He actually fell asleep when I was bringing him home last night, and he didn't make a peep while we took a little ride today.

So I have a good, perfect boy. It's just a joy to be with him, to train him and love him and sit with him. He can be mellow and playful, and he's very loving. Just an all-around doll.