Well, we have a new cat. We lost her predecessor, Floyd, to illness back in September and we thought we might remain catless because Melissa’s a bit allergic to them. Her resolve lasted five months, which is impressive, given that she’s lived almost all her life in the company of the furry felines.
We’ve named this one Hildy after the intrepid reporter in “His Girl Friday,” my all-time favorite newspaper movie. Rosalind Russell plays the indefatigable Hildy Johnson and Cary Grant is her boss who will not let her shirk her duty to The Paper. For you purists out there, I realize Hildy is a guy in “The Front Page,” the basis for “His Girl Friday.” Didn’t matter to Howard Hawks; doesn’t matter to me.
May as well look at some pictures:
Hildy’s coat is called a tortoise pattern. She’s much faster than a shelled reptile. Took her about 30 seconds, for instance, to declare are whole apartment her new domain. She likes the digs — much more spacious than her digs at the SPCA in Dublin — but she’s taking her time getting used to her new human neighbors.
She’s checking out the smells of everything, including empty Super Bowl beer bottles. (Too bad about the Bears .. I think there’s a clause in their union contract which forbids proper passing, blocking and receiving on Sundays in February. Of all the luck. )
The living room’s her new fitness center and the couch is her obstacle course.
Where will she go next?
Ah yes, over to make sure no mice are partying down under the stove.
A moment’s pause after declaring the kitchen mouse-free.
Oh, wait, something else must be explored.
Pausing between explorations.
A slightly flirtatious glance, I do believe.
This is her “look, bucko, there are limits to how much flash photography I accept before shredding a roll of toilet paper” look.
Got something on your mind? Talk to the tail, she says.
G. Kitty Willikers! Or is it Kitty G. Willikers? Meooow.
C
Congrats on the new furry friend! And good for you for adopting an adult cat — so many people go straight for the little kittens and too many great cats get euthanized because of it. We adopted our Molly when she was 2, and we are currently fostering two adult cats (one should be going home this week, even).
I love the toroise-shell coat!
We got her from the humane society, which had an adorable 5-month old orange tabby kitten that as playful as all get-out and totally charming & affectionate. But as it was playing with my shoe strings it occurred to me “this little guy’s gonna shred everything within claw reach,” so I decided the 5-year-old cat would be much saner addition to the household.
She plays fetch == I toss little toy mice across the room and she takes off after them, and politely carries ‘em back (well, one at a time) … unless she decides not to, which is about half the time.
Today she brought her little toy mouse and dropped it in my lap as if to say “play time starts NOW.”
She was not refused.
I am one up on you. After the service 1963 to 1967 US Army Medic, I went through two wives and couldn’t land in one spot. After becoming a High Voltage Power Line Lineman, I landed a woman and started 48 years of tramping the US of A and more than a few foreign countries building their power transmission grid. From 1972 to today, our one or two constant companions has been of the four legged fur ball variety. They will let you slave to please them and serve as your master for their only too short of a life span.
Actually I came looking for you, as a veteran I miss your articles relating to politicss and the military, with all that is happening in DC.