I've Got Kitty Pride

I feel stupidly guilty that the dog has his own post on my blog but the cat does not. Intellectually, I understand that the pets don't give a damn whether or not I'm talking about them on the Internet. What can I say? The husband claims that I'm a huge sap. He's probably right.

I also feel that I can't talk about our current kitty, Miri, without talking about my first kitty, Julian.

Julian was, essentially, the first pet I ever had. Growing up, I wasn't allowed to have pets. I once had a goldfish for about a week, until, like most kids, I killed it by overfeeding it. The summer I turned twelve, I had a rabbit for about a month. A friend of my mom's had been looking in on this rabbit for another friend who had gone out of town. That friend never came back, abandoning the rabbit, which my mom allowed me to adopt. I suspect it was already sick when we got it, because it just up and died one day, although I certainly took care of it.

So adopting Julian was kind of a big deal for me. I got him in early 2001 from the Portland Humane Society. He seduced me with adoration that I was incapable of resisting.

This is Julian, aka Jujube, Pumpkin Belly, and Jules Verne.

Julian was your basic black American shorthair. He had a messed up ear, coarse fur, and was constantly full of dandruff. I called him a mongrel. He was also incredibly sweet, very affectionate and intelligent. He always wanted to be wherever I was. If I got up from a seat, I would find him in it when I came back; if I was sitting or lying down, he wanted to be on top of me or next to me. He purred loudly and drooled when he was really, really happy. He also had a very pathetic silent meow. He was capable of meowing normally, but went with the silent meow for attention. It was funny.

Sadly, in June 2008, when we moved to Hawaii, I decided to give Julian to a friend. By that time, he was 10, getting a little old. He never had traveled well. I was afraid that a big move would destroy him mentally (he never had fully recovered from the previous move, and had grown increasingly neurotic). I don't regret the decision to give him up, but I still miss him to this day.

In December 2008, we adopted Miri from the Maui Humane Society. She was approx. 1.5 years old at the time.

This is Miri, aka Miri Cat, Mau Mau, and Kitty.

Miri is an "abby tabby," a cross between an Abyssinian and a tabby cat. Her Abyssinian side is evident in her looks, as well as her personality. Like Julian, she is very affectionate. She's also loud and talkative. Like most Abyssinians, she's "inquisitive," which generally translates into her being both pernicious and naughty. If there's something she absolutely should not be getting into, she'll be in it. I thought she would grow out of it, but she's over 5 now and still getting into all kinds of trouble. At night, she likes to sleep by my feet, but can't seem to refrain from attacking them when I move, even after all these years.

Unlike Julian, Miri isn't very smart. Since Abyssinians are supposed to be intelligent, I like to say she got her smarts from the tabby side. We call her "pretty but dumb" (don't worry, she doesn't mind). She's the only cat I've ever known who not only chases her own tail, but also shadows. As exasperating as she can be, though, I adore her. We brought her with from Maui, and I'm glad. I don't think my heart could've taken another cat abandonment.

Those are the kitties I've had in my life. I love cats. They're a lot less work than dogs, more suited to my personal needs as a pet owner. My dog is cool, but I'll take a cat any day.