I miss my Dusty Girl (again)!

It's Wednesday and I have 5 full days of vacation left and I miss my Dusty Girl a lot! I can't wait to see her next Monday night and hope that she remembers who I am! I'm happy that once I return Monday night I won't have to go out of town again until the end of March. 'Til Monday then...

February 16-19

I am out of town again, at home in Germantown, TN and then off to Arlington, VA. But first, let me share what happened when I returned to home to Ann Arbor on February 16 and then until February 19 when I was off again.

Monday. Dusty did seem happy to see me! Lately when I come home she'll roll over on her back and show her tummy. It seems to me that she was lonely during my trip; she was in a super playful mood when I came back and I played with her for a long while. I was happy to be home too!

Over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday, we settled into our routine again. I'd be away during the day and she's 'hold down the fort' while I was away, and then evening time we'd hang out. I've noticed that she's really become very playful lately. She's even started to pounce on a green ball that she's ignored until now; she also really likes her flashing-light ball.

She's still very talkative, especially when I'm at my desk. I don't know if it's that my attention is clearly focused elsewhere, that my back is to her, or what, but she'll come by and start meowing quite a bit. I've figured out that she wants attention. What's new--she'll jump up and place her front paws on the chair so I can pet her head, and one time she even jumped into my lap where I petted her for about 10 minutes before she jumped off. I tried once to pick her up and sit down with her at my desk chair but that was a no-go; she jumped down instantly.

She's still loving looking out the window. I'm so thankful she likes her cat tree; I can't believe that I even thought she wouldn't like it! It is by far her most favorite place in the apartment. I've noticed that she's jumps down differently from the top perch--instead of jumping down right to the floor, instead she'll break her jump by stopping at the second perch with her front paws where she pauses momentarily on her way down. Of course that is cute as well.

She's definitely a picky eater. I tried to feed her some chicken on Wednesday, Feb 18 but she wouldn't have it. And this is CHICKEN! The only two foods I know this cat likes is the "Good Life/Wholesome Delights" treats and her Iams Cat food. Not even canned cat food attracts her!

I tried moving her wall-corner scratcher but she's still not going for it. I wonder if she even really gets what it's for? It seems she would go for it--she's always rubbing up against protruding objects. We'll see if she gets it eventually...

One night I tried an experiment: since once she had pushed open the bathrooom door that was slightly ajar, and I got such a kick out of it, I thought I would try it with the bedroom door. Frankly, I was extremely tired and was getting a little tired of her keeping me up with her intermittent 'pet-me-now' demands. So I left the bedroom door slightly ajar when I went to bed. She definitely followed about 10 minutes later; I was definitely amused and certainly glad that she is feeling so comfortable. Another instance of this new confidence--she had no hesitation climbing up on my side to perch out briefly as I slept . Usually she likes me to be on my back so she can climb right on my chest. But I'm trying to be less accomodating now since I do really like to sleep on my side; nevertheless I'm glad she's feeling comfortable!

Health update: it seems Dusty's eye thing might be back. I noticed it a little on Wednesday night and put in drops on Thursday evening before I left again. I hope it clears up or else I'll have to take her to vet when I come back. (And this may be gross but I feel compelled to mention it since I'm trying to document as much as I can--when scooping her litter box I noticed that she hadn't buried her deposits like she usually does. What gives? I thought cats always bury their stuff?)

I'm also going to have to work on grooming her more; I'll try to sneak in some brush strokes when I can, but she definitely loses patience after about 5-6 strokes. I thought she would like being brushed?

Pictures: the top is one I took before I left for this second trip; the ones below were taken while I was away in DC from Feb. 13-16.

I miss my Dusty girl!

I'm currently in Washington D.C. right now visiting my husband. It was hard to leave Dusty yesterday because I knew I wouldn't be seeing her for a few days. I made sure to play with her quite a bit before I left since she wouldn't have much stimulation and human contact for a while (with the exception of her pet sitter). I'm sure she will be fine, and I wonder if she notices my absence?

I've also been getting into cat books lately. I bought Cat Speak yesterday from Borders, which was ok. I've seen that Think Like a Cat by Pam Johnson-Bennett has gotten rave reviews so I can't wait to get my hands on that one next, as well as Catwatching by Desmond Morris. I'm just so curious about what cats are thinking, and why they do what they do. As I've quickly learned so far, they are so different from dogs! I'm eager to learn more and welcome any suggestions about particularly good informative books to read about cat behavior.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Today was a low-key day. I was out most of the day because Thursday is my long day. This morning had some special moments, such as when I was in the bathroom with the door only slight ajar (usually it almost always fully open). As I was brushing my teeth, I heard Dusty walk by and she pushed open the door! She didn’t come in, but kept walking by with the door more open now than it was before. It seems like she’s getting more comfortable with how things should be?

Another cute morning moment—I was sitting at my desk writing an email when I heard her meow behind me. She tends to meow quite a bit when I am at a desk—perhaps because my back is to her? Perhaps because she just wants to alert me to her presence? Regardless, I patted my lap in order to prompt/invite her to come up onto the chair. However, instead of jumping into my lap, she jumped through the space between the arm rest and the seat of the chair and thus sat right behind me. This was only for a few moments however, because my clothing accidentally jostled against her face, and then off the chair she jumped. Of course I totally didn’t mean to do that and I hope that she will continue to try to jump up on the chair again.

An experiment: she had previously tried to jump up onto the window sill that’s in my bedroom but wasn’t able to make it. This morning I left a few cat food bits on the windowsill to see if she would try again. However, this evening they were still there. It seems that she ‘remembers’ bad experiences; once she has had one, she is likely not to repeat that experience again.

This evening—Dusty seemed more playful, with a lot of energy. She seems especially into her laser ball that she likes to pounce upon. Here are some other pics from playtime and her lounging time today.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009- It's been a week!

It’s now been one whole week since I got Dusty! I’m still have so much fun shopping and thus went to PetSmart this morning to return a few items and get some new ones, such as hairball preventative treats (not a hit) and catnip-flavored, long-lasting bubbles (also not a hit).

Since I don’t have class on Wednesdays, I was able to spend a lot of quality-time at home to aid in Dusty coming out of her shell and getting used to my presence. I was truly amazed at how much she was able to sleep, right through most of the day. And yet, even when she awoke, she would still yawn! What’s with that?

I was happy later that day when she licked my hand although I had no treats in them (though I did earlier that morning). I’m not sure whether she thought I had a treat or whether that was out of affection; I’d like to think it was the latter. Boy this cat is really making me work for her affection!

The biggest highlight of the day: Dusty took an hour-long nap on me. I was really happy at this because I’m relieved she’s found at least a few other places she will rest besides her cat tree, and I’d like to think that she considers me a safe, pleasant ‘place’. Here are some adorable pics of her napping!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Finally I am in real time and am caught up with posting! I expect that from here on out it should be much easier to post in a timely fashion because things should even out into a routine. Like yesterday, today was similarly a low-key day for Dusty, though not for me. Tuesdays and Thursdays are my long days, and today I had class straight from 10-4. I'd really be curious to know what Dusty does while I am away all day. I expect a lot of was sleeping, because when I came back, she stretched out quite ceremoniously as if she had taken the best of naps. I was happy to see that when I came home, she came close to the door; I'm hoping that one of these days she will actually come closer and 'welcome' me.

One thing I'm concerned about- I haven't noticed Dusty rubbing up against me yet. I understand that cats do this to place their scent on you, to stake their claim on you as 'theirs.' I'm wondering if that will take time for Dusty to do, or perhaps she is still warming up to me? Admittedly I am insecure and do find myself working for her affection, as Robert DeNiro's character observes in Meet the Parents.

But one good thing--as I mentioned on Sunday, Dusty ate out of my hand for the first time that day (those treats are really good apparently!). To encourage her to eat her dinner, I held out more treats in my hand which she did eat, albiet slowly and cautiously. Later this evening, as I was petting her, she did actually lick my right hand though there was no food in it. I'd like to think that she did that out of affection and trust, but then again, she may just sniffed the treats that were in my hand earlier. Who knows? Will keep updating!

Above are pics from the day; the first two are of this morning, the last two are in the evening time in Dusty's now favorite place :) Note the absolutely adorable using-her-paw-to-sleep-on in the third picture!

Monday, February 9, 2009

Monday was a low-key day after a very busy weekend! Dusty got another taste of her antiobiotic today, and boy did she not like it! As usual, after giving it to her she began salivate to get rid of the yucky taste. I truly hate to administer this thing and especially to see Dusty to be uncomfortable. I really don’t want to give it to her anymore. Drops are one thing, but this is another. I guess that I’m especially worried that she might associate the negativity of the experience with me as the agent of it, and since I’m trying to establish a healthy, positive beginning for her, and to encourage her to bond with me, I really don’t like making myself unpopular by giving her medicine. I’ve heard that cats can hold grudges, right?

Dusty got a new litter box today; I saw a really cute one at Dogma Catmandoo on Saturday and decided today that I would get it. Of course, it’s purple and goes much better with the prevailing purple theme in my apartment. I was bit worried that she would hesitate in using it, but since it seemed that she had already taken to her new Fresh Step litter, it wouldn’t matter what type of box it was in. I was relieved to find out I was right! Phew!

I think I commented on this on my first night with her, Wednesday February 4, but Dusty has a cute habit of meowing at me when I am at my desk. Is she trying to get attention or voicing her objection that she can’t easily be petted there? Or does she simply not like my back to her? I’ll keep you posted. Here are some pics from the day, starting with my girl in her favorite sprawled out position on the couch, plus some shots of her absolutely LOVING her new cat tree.

Sunday, February 8, 2009- Dusty Meets New People!

Dusty met a lot of new people today! First she met Aunt Simone who came over to see Dusty after we had brunch together. Though one may expect Dusty to hide with new people, she hung around Simone and generally enjoyed the attention. She did sniff out the new smells, such as Simone’s shoes by the front door. I’m very happy with how comfortable she is with other people, including myself, considering all the new changes she has experienced over the last few days.

Next it was time to get ready for more people coming over that night! In class on Thursday I had mentioned to my English grad student colleagues that I got a new cat! They—Karen, Alison, Geremy, and Ann—were super excited for me. I said they should come over to meet her, and I invited them over for a informal welcome party for Dusty on Sunday night. In the afternoon I cleaned up the apartment. It was particularly cute when I vacuumed the living room and Dusty ran away and hid und the bed. I checked on her, and I noticed that this wasn’t normal hanging out under the bed; this was huddled behind gym bag freaked-out-by-that-crazy-sound. It was some coaxing, but once the scary vacuum was put away she didn’t take long to come back and reclaim her space. The first picture above shows our Lady resting before her party begins.

Her party was so much fun! Dusty’s Aunt Karen, Aunt Alison, and Uncle Geremy came over to welcome the little girl, with wonderfully fun gifts in tow, such catnip toys, a new dangling toy, a new bed, and yummy treats! Although Tim thought Dusty might hide out due to all the new people and excitement, boy did our girl prove her Dad wrong! Dusty loved all the attention she got and enjoyed being played with. I sure did learn a lot from Alison and Karen (they own cats themselves), such as more fun away to entice Dusty into the hanging wand toys. It was truly a delight to see Dusty come more out of her shell; I had never seen her so playful before! Another thing I learned—the right kind of treats to get for Dusty; she went absolutely nuts for the new treats she got that night—Wholesome Delights.

After her party, Dusty also took right away to her new bed that she got that evening. The pics from the day are above. The pic that appears first actually occurred last, when Dusty was worn out from her party--also note her Michigan tag!

Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009: More Dusty Shopping!

Boy am I spoiling the crap out of this little one. I had a coupon from Dogma Catmantoo for adopting Dusty: 20% off any purchase $30 or more. I must say that this store is fabulous for supporting Dusty’s shelter, the Humane Society of Huron Valley.

This is just a general trend I am noticing now, because of course until now I didn't need to pay any attention to cat items--dog items way overrun those of cats'. What's up with dogs having almost all the cute items, such as cute Michigan dogbone ID tags? That was the case at Petsmart. And though I have to give Dogma Catmantoo mad props for their clever name, I thought the “Cat” in Catmandoo is a little deceptive because there’s not as much cat stuff as there is dog stuff. But I did get fabulous customer service from the woman who was working there at the time. She advised me on certain cat toys and which were popular. Needless to say, I bought several and couldn’t quite restrain myself from the many cute toys I saw.

Off to Target and PetSmart. Bought more necessary items, cat toys here and there, hairbrush for Dusty (from the human section because the ones in the pet aisle were just too hard and brittle), etc. I was relieved that I didn’t have to return Dusty’s litter box that I had bought for her on Wednesday. The vet’s tip to remove the liner which I had put originally and to wean her off the old litter box by placing more that litter in with the new kind had paid off that morning! Much to my delight, Dusty went in her new litter box and even in front of me! I’m so relieved not to have had any potty problems so far :0)

After Target and PetSmart I was off to Pet Supplies Plus in the nearby Kroger shopping center on Plymouth. There I had in mind to buy a cute cat tree that I had seen earlier; of course I loved it because it was white and purple! Plus it wasn’t too tall or intrusive. Thank goodness that it was still there; in addition to that, I also bought a plastic container for pet food as well as a cat ‘harness and bungee leash system’. I’m excited about that so that Dusty can soon get some fresh air and not be cooped up all the time. I’ll have to try that in the next few weeks after she gets more adjusted.

When I came home I was so excited to take out all of Dusty’s new toys and to see which one she would like and dislike. She seemed to be the biggest fan of the toys that are suspended in the air, such as the wands with the feathers that dangle. At Dogma Catmandoo I also got a wire one that swings around very easily. She seemed to like those a lot; as for the static toys, not really. I thought for sure she would be into the laser pointer, but not really there either. It’s like she’s thinking, “Yeah I know that’s not real; why bother?” I told Tim that it seemed like Dusty was indeed ‘his daughter’ after all because she seemed to go for the cheap toys (even one plastic bag that her toys came in) than the more expensive ones! :-P

Since I was so excited about the cat tree, I was eager to see if she liked that one. I put catnip on all three levels, treats, and toys. She sniffed at it, but maintained her distance. I was a bit disappointed because I thought if she didn’t like it right away, she wouldn’t like it at all. I was proven wrong, because much to my delight, after I came back from a party that evening, I saw my girl on the top level! Imagine my glee that I could keep my/her purple and white cat tree! Here are some pics; the first picture is of her in early Saturday morning perched on the couch totally sprawled out and relaxed- I can't get over it!

Dusty's Third Day, Feb. 6, 2009: Back to the Shelter again? Oh No!

Psych! Dusty was going back to the shelter, yes, but only for a vet visit. I called the shelter that morning and was able to get an appointment at 10am. I packed up Dusty’s things and off we went. I felt bad putting her in the carrier and once she was in there boy did she meow, all the way to the vet. Each time she meowed I would say her name in the hopes to establish the consistency of my presence as well as her own name. At the shelter, the vet checked Dusty out and answered all of my nervous cat mom questions—how to feed and how much; caring for ears, nose, teeth; do I have to bathe her; etc. As for the eye, it was looking much better but I still needed to administer the drops and the antibiotic for a little while longer. I was glad my Dusty girl checked out all right! I got suggestions on how to feed and the amounts as well as how to prompt her to use her new box (remove the liner!). Leaving reassured and happy, my Dusty girl and I went home, but of course with her meowing all the way in the cutest possible voice.

Friday evening. Low key night with my new girl. I think she continues to grow in her trust in me; here are some adorable pics of resting on my chest that night; again they should be right here but they're at the very top instead.

Dusty Day Two: Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009

I had to give Dusty her medicine in the morning which was not fun. Especially since I just got her I didn't want Dusty to associate with my negative, unpleasant things, though I didn't want her to get worse. You can see from the pictures above that she couldn't really open her right eye all that much on Wednesday, Feb 4.

I took her to the bathroom and tried to administer the syringe-filled medicine. I wasn't quite sure how to get her mouth open wide, and didn't want to hurt her in the process. The end result was that I some medicine got on her whiskers and her lower chin which she licked off. Drops were much easier.

I was preparing my own breakfast when I noticed Dusty skulk off. Since I was concerned I hadn't administered the medicine properly and that she was unwell, I watched her, and noticed strange bodily jerking motions. I figured she was about to throw up, and sure enough she did, and about ten minutes later, she vomited again. Not very reassuring for a new cat mom! I figured that I would try again that evening. As I got ready, I continued to coo and call to her and she seemed to be recognizing and reacting to my voice. However, I did freak out a bit when I suddenly couldn’t find her. I looked under the bed, in the bathroom, kitchen, and in my shoe closet. I was definitely freaking out a bit, and kept telling myself and again and again that she definitely had had no chance of getting out. Eventually, she appeared, and what a relief! What a little scare before leaving for the day. I now suspect that she was hiding in another closet that I forgot to look in.

It was hard leaving her that morning, especially since I would be gone all day, from 9-5:30. I thought of her frequently throughout the day, wondering what she was doing, was she eating, was she going to use her new litter box that I set up right next to her old one from the shelter, etc. I told some of my friends in one of my classes who I knew also had cats and gushed away about being a new ‘cat mom.’ I told them they should come over to see her, which we planned for Sunday, a little “cat warming party.” Finally, when my last class was over, I can definitely say that I had some ‘pep in my step’ as I headed home because I couldn’t wait to see my gal!

She came out easily and of course I cooed and petted away. I then tried to give her medicine to her again; unfortunately I am just not a good giver of medicine, especially when it involves opening a cat’s mouth. Again, a lot of the medicine got on her whiskers and sure enough, about 15 minutes later she threw up and after that first expulsion, another smaller one. Adding to my concern was also that she was not eating that well, probably due to being sick and being new to her environment. By that point the vet at the shelter had closed so it was too late to call or take her in. I decided to call the vet in the morning to see if I could get Dusty checked out. She was kind of shook up after that bout of vomiting—who could blame her?—and took it easy after that for a little while. After a little while though she seemed better, and even became more receptive to her toys that I had bought her the day before, particularly the blue wand with feathers, and of course she loves her cardboard scatcher! There are some pics below.

It was another night of sleeping fitfully. I eventually decided to wake up earlier and continue reading for class. Can I tell you how cute it was when I was at my desk and she would sit behind me and ‘meow’ occasionally? I’d turn around and reassure her that I heard her and that was there, asked her what she wanted, and then turned around. And again she’d ‘meow.’ What gives? Who knows, but it sure was super cute and entertaining.

Dusty's First Day!

I adopted Dusty on Wednesday, February 4, 2009. I had seen her profile on the Humane Society of Huron Valley website as "Pet of the Week" from roughly January 26 through February 2. When I first saw her description- "super friendly" "loves attention and being petted" I thought right away that this was the perfect cat for me. I also wanted an older one, between 5-7 years old, because they are lower maintenance than kittens. Another personal reason for getting an older cat--I had a pug growing up named Nikki whom I loved tremendously but that died suddenly at the age of six. Of course, I thought it would be wonderful to give a second chance to an older pet who are less likely to be adopted anyway, but in addition, in some weird way, I thought this older pet could 'continue' Nikki's time with me that ended so abruptly.


I went to the shelter on February 4 not thinking that I would take her home that day. I wanted to finally meet this pretty girl that I had seen on the website and to see if she would really click with me. When I arrived, I went to the cat room and checked all the cages but didn't see Dusty's name on any of them. I learned that she was in another room due to a cat cold. The staff member who was showing me around took me first to see Gato, a three year old orange DSH, who was on the way to see Dusty and was the other cat I was considering getting. She was cute and sweet though when I tried to pick her up, didn't quite like it. The other volunteers and staff to whom I had told that I wanted an older, friendly female cat then wanted to take me to see another cat, but I knew I wanted to see Dusty next and asked her to see her. I was led to the back room where cat cages were; it was quite loud in there since the dogs were closer by.


I was finally meeting Dusty! She was in the bottom corner cage. I saw that she was actually in the corner of her cage and definitely seemed a bit freaked out. I began petting her, which she of course enjoyed. She began to venture closer to me and seemed to thinking how to get out of her cage. That seemed pretty understandable to me since she had been there since last November! The staff member warned me not to let her out because Dusty would be difficult to get to were she to get in the space under the cages. As I was petting her, she ventured closer to the edge, plopped out, and immediately tried to get in that space. The staff member was quick to grab the bottom half of her and pull her out. Poor Dusty girl had to go back in her cage!


As I continued petting her, I asked the staff members about her personality. Of course the description on the outside of her cage said "Calm, friendly, affectionate" but I wanted to know of any direct experiences of the volunteers with her. Since there are so many cat cuddling volunteers, none of them had any direct experience with her. The staff member who I was talking to did tell me that when she pulled Dusty out from under the cages, she didn’t try to bite or scratch. Her gentle, docile personality was getting increasingly affirmed as I petted her and how much she seemed to love it! As I grew more and more in love with her, I was reminded of how much she fit my description: older, calm, gentle, affectionate, friendly. What clinched the deal—Dusty had a cute small lavender mouse toy in her cage. Lavender is my absolute favorite color and anything that I can get in this color (or purple generally) I do. I know it’s silly, but the presence of this toy that I would have picked out myself for her just affirmed to me how perfect and destined this match was. I knew right then that I would have to adopt Dusty!

The staff and volunteers were thrilled. Not only was Dusty, former pet of the week, and resident of the shelter for over two months getting a home, but also now they had some more space to accept another cat. This is the bittersweet cycle—pets go in, pets go out, some never go out, and over and over again…

At the adoption center I made a request that could I adopt Dusty today but actually take her home on Saturday so that I could prepare my home and get all the necessary things? I had envisioned originally bringing her home on Saturday with all the stuff ready that she would need and so that I would be entirely free to help her adjust. But as the cycle goes, once a pet has been adopted/claimed, the shelter desires them to go home right away so that they can make space for other incoming animals. I learned also that there would be a $25 fee to ‘hold’ her until Thursday late afternoon/early evening when I was done with class. I considered going for the hold option until I thought that I could alter my schedule so that I could be free that day, and moreover, why spend $25 in a hold fee when I could just spend that money on Dusty herself? The shelter staff said that they would give me the food she was eating, litter box, and even her little bed with her blankie. (I would also be getting the medicine that Dusty had just been put on for the puss buildup in her right eye.) I had also developed an action plan with another staff member, Donna, who was extremely gracious and informative in my adoption counseling session with her, what with all of my questions and nervousness of becoming a new cat parent and making sure that I did things right. She assured me that the items I would get from the shelter would suffice while I ran out to the store and got everything else. Besides, I already been scoping out a nearby pet store, Pet Store Plus (I noticed they had a lovely white and purple mini cat tree that I liked), as well as the pet aisles in Target. I also knew there was a PetSmart right near the Target. Plus, I would be getting Dusty out of the shelter that day and she could have more time to get to know me. It was an easy decision to make to take her home that day and I’m so glad I did!

Before we left I got a lesson in how to administer her antibiotic orally and to put drops in her eyes. I was taken with how gentle and docile Dusty was in taking these medicines. She didn’t squirm or resist all that much. I had also asked for her nails to be clipped since I’ve always been nervous with doing this with my pets for fear of them squirming too much and my accidentally cutting their quick. (Whenever possible, I always had someone else to cut Nikki’s nails when I had him). Though Dusty didn’t seem to enjoy her nails being clipped, she tolerated it. She was also making the most adorable meowing/groaning sounds to indicate that she really wanted this over as soon as possible. Again, I was struck and taken with how gentle and relatively docile she was. How in the world had such a wonderfully behaved cat remained unadopted for so long?!

Dusty was on her way home! She was in a cardboard cat carrier for the ride home, and again made the most adorable meowing sounds on the way home. As she meowed, I would coo back, “I know honey, we’re almost home,” “Don’t worry, Dusty,” etc. so that she knew I was there and could get used to the sound of my voice. Boy was the little lady vocal! This is of course understandable—being in a cardboard carrier and being uprooted from familiar sights and smells.

I brought her home and got her set up in the bathroom with her litter box and food and water bowls (temporarily Tupperware). I got rid of random items on my counter that could pose any kind of a hazard were she to jump on it and put the shower curtain inside the tub in case she wanted to scratch it. I took her out of her box and showed her where the litter box was and her food and water bowls. She began sniffing around; I petted her and was cooing all the while of course. I then decided to get going to get all the stuff I needed. I went to PetSmart and got all the critical items (real litter box; Iams (a friend recommends it; Fresh Step litter (same friend recommends that too); toys; ‘safety release’ collar; cute food and water bowls; mat to go under them; etc. etc.). Of course I had the great excuse that I was stocking up on the essentials as I was starting out so I easily caved to temptations and cute marketing here and there which I suspect will be a continual thing especially when it comes to my little girl. The cutest purchase at PetSmart: Dusty’s “Michigan” ID tag which I absolutely could not resist. Of course it’s in the shape of a dog bone, but why should dogs have all the fun cute stuff?

Bought additional items at Target, such as more toys, flat horizontal cardboard scratching board, a cute blue bed (again, it was meant for a dog but it was so soft, cute, and the perfect size so I didn’t care). Finally I was done for now and could go home and check on my new friend!

She was good and ready to explore. I let her out as I set up, putting the new food and water bowls out, getting out her scratching mat and board, her bed, etc. I was amazed at how quickly she took to her cardboard scratching board—she went to it right away and began scratching away. Yes! One fear that she would be a bad scratcher had been allayed. I tried playing with her too; I had gotten a wand type thing that has a feather and shiny ball at the end that you dangle in front of your cat and they bat and jump at it. She wasn’t quite into it, and I recall reading back at the shelter that though she was gentle and sweet, she wasn’t exactly playful (perhaps anymore?). But after all, it was her first day and was dealing with a lot of new things.

Of course I had to do my work too as much as I wanted to put it off and pamper my new friend. I began reading on the couch and she immediately came over; I indicated that she could lie next to me, and she did not hesitate to. She also found her favorite place—up on the couch back. Some pictures from the first day are below.

At night too, I was so amazed that she did not hesitate to jump on bed and sleep near the foot of it. She was testing out waters, and soon ventured to my side where I praised and petted her some more. Sleeping was fitful due to my concern for her due to her eye infection, and her not eating that much. But overall, it was great first day and the first of many to come I’m sure!