| When I divorced my ex, it was such a | | | | instead of the 6-foot human one I'd left |
| wonderful feeling to move into my own | | | | behind. The cats watched with interest as I |
| apartment, with my two cats. Freedom was | | | | moved knicknacks to another room with a |
| finally ours. Happily, I put the furniture | | | | closed door. Same with the accent lamp and |
| where I wanted it to be, and my knicknacks up | | | | flower bouquet. My spare bedroom sure looks |
| on shelves. They had previously been banished | | | | great; too bad the door to it has to stay |
| to the curio cabinet when my ex and I lived | | | | closed all the time. But, Beau is worth the |
| together, because he hated anything that | | | | trouble. He is a little rascal but the most |
| didn't pertain to golf or football. Now, my | | | | loving and sweet animal, who seeks me out for |
| books, animal sculptures and large collection | | | | love, acceptance and safety. His kittenhood |
| of CD's could be where I could use them. | | | | had been treacherous - getting declawed then |
| Freedom felt good. My pets had a nice, new | | | | taken to the pound to be euthanized by their |
| place to play in and a balcony to birdwatch. | | | | cruel owner. A nice foster family rescued |
| All was good. | | | | them, and now they have his sister and I have |
| | | | Beau, forever. He smiles, sleeps near me at |
| Generally, cats are well-behaved, with a urge | | | | all times. Even if he loves clearing shelves, |
| to play now and then. My two adult male cats | | | | desks and any other horizontal surface he can |
| are couch potatoes, so nothing ever bothers | | | | get his paws on, he does it all with |
| them. Having such a big place, I decided to | | | | innocence. If something falls, he looks at |
| adopt one more furry family member. My new | | | | me, as if to say, "Did I do that?" |
| cat came from an online rescue organization. | | | | |
| Beau is a large, beautiful pure white male | | | | Two years have passed by now. I have learned |
| with one blue eye and one green eye. As soon | | | | patience and happiness living with this |
| as he was acclimated to his new surroundings, | | | | lively ball of white fluff. From his |
| he decided to make a few changes to make his | | | | spontaneous bursts of song in the middle of |
| new home more livable. Knicknacks on shelves? | | | | the night, to meowing out the windows at the |
| Be gone! Desk papers just hinder his coveted | | | | neighbors, Beau makes life around here more |
| sleeping spot under the stained glass desk | | | | interesting for my other two cats and myself. |
| lamp, a.k.a. his suntanning bed. They end up | | | | Now that I've learned to co-exist with a |
| on the floor whenever he sees them there. | | | | curious kitty, now I know to "catproof" my |
| Marbletop tables are for cats and not for | | | | surroundings. Sure, he does a few funny |
| silly things like accent lamps. When I got | | | | antics here and there, like perching himself |
| home from shopping, the small lamp was | | | | somehow on the coffeemaker, on the range |
| unharmed, but lying on the floor. Bouquets of | | | | hood, and on the top of my stereo speakers, |
| flowers are not just for decoration, in | | | | but he's at least cute about it. I run over |
| Beau's mind. They make good salad, whether or | | | | and rescue him, and he just purrs. Somehow, I |
| not they are actually real doesn't matter. | | | | think this may be a plot to get my attention, |
| Those plastic stems sure feel good between | | | | but it's all OK. At the end of the day, he is |
| the fangs. Yikes! This mayhem had to be | | | | sleeping between my feet as I go to sleep. We |
| curbed. | | | | are all one very happy, mostly furry, family. |
| | | | It pays to have patience and grow together |
| It was apparent that I had to do some | | | | with an energetic cat, because they are never |
| re-arranging of my apartment. This time to | | | | boring, and make life a lot more fun in the |
| please a foot-tall, 16 pound furry male | | | | end. |