a cat story for love week

Happy belated Valentine’s Day, friends! Handsome and I have celebrated with a handful of traditions as well as a few fun new treats which I’ll post about later.

But for now! What a sweet and loving week we have had at the Lazy W, mostly because of two small cats? I never expected to say that.We have needed more mousers here, more cats who could be tasked with snake patrol once things warm up, and that should be soon. So after a few days of searching online ads and messaging with nearby offers, Handsome settled on a pair of young cats from a woman in Harrah who takes in ferals and strays and has them fixed and immunized, etc.

On Tuesday evening we drove to pick them up. They were over-the-top sweet and much smaller than they appeared in photos. They cuddled us, we said our goodbyes to the woman, and we drove our feline quarry back to the farm, where Klaus welcomed them with exuberance and hospitality. I tried to play it cool.I should cut to the chase here: We fell in love with the cats. This was especially annoying to me, because I generally do not get the obsession people have with cats. No offense, but I like most cats from a distance. I only agreed to adopting more because my sweet, wildly convincing husband had said they would be outside cats with a job to do. Earn your keep, and all.

Another chase worth cutting to, and keep in mind that these animals are closer to the kitten stage than lion or tiger. Okay: they slept inside with us. Also, we decided, very seriously and unanimously as a family, to make blanket piles and cuddle puddles and all sleep downstairs with the new farm residents, so they could get used to us.

The next day was Wednesday, frigid cold and raining in Oklahoma. I did not have a run that morning, so I spent lots of time trying to think of what to do with this new situation. When Klaus and I went outside to do chores, I carried the kittens to the hay shed, intending to introduce them to Forest Cat and show them where the working cats eat. Maybe get them to sign their W-2s.

Okay I’m just going to tell you. They bolted. After a few minutes of tentative interaction with their much larger, much less social coworker, I turned my back to talk to Johnny Cash (the gander), and when I looked back they were gone. Into the dark, dismal, cold, wet February gloom, two skinny little motherless babies had vanished.Also, I have a lot of feelings this week thanks to hormones and the full moon.Chase, cutting!! When Handsome got home he tried to make me feel better, like it was an inevitable happening to lose feral cats, but I knew he was as sad as I was, and I felt awful for it happening on my watch. I just thought they would follow me! I was aghast. We missed them. It was a long, worrisome, sad day that was also, it is worth mentioning, filled with some business about Jocelyn and some plenty stressful hours at the Commish. We were verklempt.

By evening, though, each of them had been found. They were hiding nearby, the boy between two large bales of hay (I barely caught his eyes in the gloom) and the girl in the forest (Handsome had to show her how to navigate the predator fence). I cannot relay to you the joy and relief! You might never have guessed we only knew these animals for eighteen hours, ha.

In the days since, we have decided the will be indoor cats until they grown bigger and stronger and have a better bond with us to not hide, if they get scared. Here are some facts:

• They love hot breakfast in the morning. And if they don’t get scrambled eggs and warmed milk they try to steal your coffee.
• They use the litter box, thank heavens because I cannot emotionally uphold such a serious deal breaker right now.
• They are supreme cuddlers, affectionate and endearing, which is the job of all babies in nature.
• Cats, it turns out, are difficult to reprimand and are terrible followers.
• Klaus is patient with them, allowing all antics except playing with his toys.
• The little boy is a gorgeous black and silver tabby, named Johnny Ringo. Sometimes we call him Toonces when he is naughty. He has a suckling fixation that absolutely heartbreaking.
• The little girl is a perfect silky black with snowy white feet and a few white splashes, including this sweet white dot on her lip. We call her Domino for now, but it doesn’t fit perfectly.
• Cats are crazy. They really do stay awake all night. That is not a myth. And they actually love yarn toys and foam rollers. My macrame artwork is at risk.
• I don’t know anything anymore. This in in the category of Paradigm Shift.
• I love them. Don’t tell my husband. Definitely don’t tell Klaus.

Questions and marital negotiations remain about more animal additions, much larger animals, but that whole story will simmer on the back burner for now.Gotta go. I have an attention starved 130 pound dog on my arm and two hungry kittens lurking nearby.

XOXOXO