The Cats!

I had a job interview in a town about an hour from here, right after I got my MSeD in Education. I had read about a cat shelter out there, and I decided to stop by after the interview. It was one of the nicest shelters I had ever been to! Their cats were out in 3 open rooms, allowing them to come right up to you, and for you to gauge their personality better than walking past them in a cage.

As I went in, this skinny white cat ran up to me, meowing at me and crying for attention!  Here is a picture I got of him as he implored me to come closer!

He got right on my lap, cuddling with me and I knew right then, I was taking him home!  I hadn't prepared to adopt a cat that day, but I ran right to the ATM and paid the adoption fee.  Cotton had a botched neutering, so he had to stay at the shelter a week more before he could come home with us, but we visited him in between, just so my husband could see how adorable he was!

What a little face! 

Cotton was very thin when we first brought him home, but we spoiled him and nursed him to health, and he became a loved part of our family.  Within the first few weeks of having him, several family members told us they'd take him if we ever wanted to give him up - but we'd never!  Despite the fact that ALL our black clothes are covered with white cat hair, having Cotton in the house is always a joy.

After we had Cotton for about 6 months, we noticed he cried at the door a lot when we weren't home.   The shelter had told me that Cotton came in with another cat who was adopted right away.  So he was used to having a friend!  I talked to my husband, who said, "whatever you want..."  (his mantra)  and so one day while picking up food for Cotton, I went into a closer, local shelter.  I asked if they had any "really nice cats", and they pointed to Smokey.

Smokey was 3 weeks old when she was found - her mother had been hit by a car, or had abandoned her litter, and so she was bottle fed by humans.  The minute I picked her up, she started to purr like a maniac, and I knew she would be a good fit for our family.

Anyone that knows cats knows it's always a challenge to introduce a new cat into a house where one already "rules the roost".  However, I was confident in Cotton's ability to accept a new addition (he is SO chill, nothing riles him), and since Smokey was a female kitten, they wouldn't have the territory wars that might erupt in a household with two male cats.

They quickly became BFF, and they can be found frequently grooming, biting, chasing, snuggling, sleeping, or getting into trouble together.