Our new kitty Buddy!

Introducing our new kitty Buddy! 

Our kitty Poker has had to go to the vet for some care and checkups a couple times over the past few weeks and they occasionally have kittens or sometimes slightly older cats that they are looking to adopt out.

The first time I saw a new kitty in the cage was about 3 weeks ago and he immediately caught my eye and he was wanting my attention.  He pulled me in right away.  I started to pet him and we know all of the staff very well and one of them came over and started to tell me the story of how he came to be there.  It was not a happy story.

A guy had brought him in one day and his paws were all very badly burned.  She didn't say how and I'm not sure if they know how, but I really don't want to know anyway.  I just know he was in very bad shape.  They required a credit card for the very extensive surgery that was going to be required.

The guy's card never cleared and he never came back.  The doctor made the decision she was going to eat the cost and was going to perform the surgery even though she did not expect him to survive.  She had to de-claw both his front and back claws and had to remove two toes on one of his back feet and I think had to reconstruct his paws. 

But enough about that, he made a full miraculous recovery and it's as if nothing ever happened, other than he has the appearance of a small limp because he's missing the two back toes on the one foot.  His paws look completely normal as well.  She did a great job.  He is one tough kitty, but he is so calm and chill so far.  You'd think whatever he went through would make him afraid and skittish and that is definitely not the case.  He is very affectionate. 

I had already felt that we were meant to take him, but felt that even more so after hearing the story.  Knowing how much we care for our cats, I know the staff at the clinic were hoping we would take him also.  I resisted for a few weeks to try and give it time and not make any quick decisions to see how things unfold.

Every time we drove by we would think about him.  When I brought in Poker Thursday morning I played with the new guy a bit and I knew I would be taking him home that afternoon and I did!

I didn't mention it to the wifey, but she had just texted me earlier saying when you pick up Poker, bring him home too with a smiley face.  She didn't think I would actually do it, but when she walked in and walked into our office, she noticed an odd kitty laying on our bed out of the corner of her eye and she was so glad he was here!

He is very comfortable here already.  He's been rolling around and wanting his belly rubbed.  The other 3 boys have been hissing at him and watching him intently from a distance, but the new kitty has not hissed back or really cared at all.  He will walk by them slowly and try not to get real close and I think that is helping a bunch that he is not threatening at all.  

I really thought Sage would be a problem.  He hates it when strays walk around outside in the back yard and generally will act out when that happens.  But he has been very good.  He hisses and growls, but he has been pretty close by and he was even laying with his belly exposed pretty close by.  Hah, he must know I'm talking about him.  The new guy just used the litter box on his own for the first time (YAY!), but after he came out Sage was not happy with him and went up to him and told him so.  So I will reserve judgement on this one, but so far so good.

And a new interesting behavior for the new guy in the last few minutes, he has a meow!  He's been quiet all evening and his purr is very soft, but his meow is pretty loud.  It's dark and quiet now that the wifey has gone to bed so I think he was saying where is everyone?  He seems to like the bed and it would be great to have a kitty next to a pillow or close by again, so will hope for the best.

Hopefully the other boys come around soon and they get to be friends.  Should make for an interesting and fun weekend!  If you come up with a name, lemme know!

Here is a quick update on Friday afternoon.  He continues to be very good.  He did not sleep in the bed, he was too busy exploring, but he did come up after I woke up this morning.  

The vet office called to see how he was doing and they were so glad to hear he was fitting in nicely.  The one girl wasn't there yesterday when I got him and she said everyone in the office texted her to let her know we took him home.  They were so happy.  I emailed them some pictures and said thanks for fixing him up and making him good as new!

The new guy is excellent at hiding, so I think we might want to find a name that has something to do with that concept.  Not like Houdini, because he's not an escape artist, but something like that.  He was in my laundry laying down and then 2 minutes later I could not find him anywhere and I searched from one end of the house to the other 5 times!

Eventually I found him wedged between the wall and a big pile of old purses and bags in the corner of our closet, no idea how he got there.  Then later he was wedged between a kitty window shelf and a comforter with just enough room to fit in there and fall asleep.  He was looking for a secure place to sleep where he wouldn't have to worry about being spotted by the other boys.  And now he carved himself out a safe spot inside the comforter to sleep.  So cute!

Monkey has been great today, he and the new guy were within a paw or two distance of each other and he did not hiss.  Not quite friends yet, but getting there!  We're so glad to have him as part of our kitty family!