Day Fifty Four

New Addition

There is a new member of our household. His name is Aramis, but I'm calling him Dash. If you met him, you would know how fitting that name is. He doesn't walk - he flies - and jumps. No, I haven't adopted a circus performer. Well, not a human one. Dash is an Abyssinian kitten.

Abyssinian cats are one of the oldest breeds. Think Egyptian Sphinx. This breed closely resembles a wild cat. They are known for their smarts and agility. This is not a "starter" cat.  
Abyssinians are very active. And they can jump very high. They are also clever and very sweet.

So, I've been planning this for awhile. Since there are four cats here already, and my husband is a saint in staying with me even though he is not a cat lover, I kept this plan to myself. I have had to wait a very long time. I found a breeder who has also become a friend. The kittens weren't even born yet. That meant waiting until they arrived then waiting some more until they were old enough for visitors. Even picking him up was delayed because I've been sick. I finally got him yesterday; three months after he was born. I had originally wanted a female, but there were three boys in the litter and since I seem to be destined to have boy kitties, I just figured it was meant to be.

I brought him into the house in his carrier and announced that I had something special for everybody! They all came running to check out the new addition - safely tucked into his carrier. Then I took him into the back room where I'd set up a kitty condo with food, kitty cave and litter box - and lots of toys. It's a screened enclosure that is perfect for introducing a new family member to curious siblings. What I hadn't considered is that Abys are short haired cats with not much body fat. Our house is freezing cold. Even though he had a little cave to hide in, he was still shivering. Thermostat went up; bedroom vent closed and a blanket tossed over the top of the enclosure. The rest of us are fat, some with lots of fur, and heat intolerant so I may have to get him a sweater.

So, there we were. Chance was fascinated and watched him thru the screen; Finn was eager to baby him; Eli was pissed and Fancy - well, Fancy doesn't consider himself a cat so he didn't give two hoots. I had already discussed this with him so he was cool with the arrival. The Bullys will be fine once Jack has had a chance to let him know who's boss and Rooney gets to chase him. She will never catch this cat. There was only one hurdle left to overcome. The Big Guy.

My husband came home from work in a very good mood. I hated to spoil it so I kept my little secret a while longer. He had supper and we watched TV. The meows coming from the bedroom went unnoticed. It was getting late and I figured it was time to fess up. He was in the kitchen eating ice cream when I told him to sit down. His first reaction was, "Are the kids okay?" Then he went down the list: "Did you wreck the car?" "Is it gonna cost me money?" "Did one of the kids wreck their car?" (What is it with this guy and car wrecks?) Finally, he got to the right question: "Is there another animal in this house?" "Where is it?" "Did you get a lizard?" (A freakin lizard?! Really?) When he declared that it better not be another cat, I decided to let the matter rest awhile. This is when the truly strange occurred.

Jack, who was lying on the floor in front of us stood up like he was a puppet on a string. He sort of levitated, if you can believe that. His head was up and he was on alert like he could smell something. I thought the house was on fire! He was staring at the back door - and backing up into the living room. Andy's first thought was, "Hah! I knew it was a cat! He just smelled it!" I didn't want to tell him that Jack had been "smelling" the kitten all day, so I just kept my mouth shut. It took awhile to get Jack back to Earth. He was afraid to go on the back porch but Andy took him out to show him there was nothing there. We never did figure out what happened to Jack. We probably have a ghost.

I finally brought Dash out to meet his new dad. Even though Abys are supposed to be "guy cats," my guy wasn't in the mood to bond. He said hello then reminded me that he doesn't do cats. He's never mean to them, he just works around them. He is partial to Finn who follows him around. Andy is all about the Bullys - especially Rooney. I suspect if he had to choose between us, she would win, paws down.

So, I'm still in the house and Andy didn't take a suitcase to work with him. I did sleep in the back room with Dash. He was in his condo and I was close by. I let the bedroom door open so curious brothers could come and go. And they did. All night long, the room was like Grand Central Station. Oddly, I sleep better when there's activity going on. I know, it's weird. I think it's a cozy reminder that I'm not alone.

Beautiful boy