This is Max, named after Maximum Ride, which is my oldest daughter's favorite book series.
We knew right from the start she'd be special. She just had this attitude. Today, I'm dedicating this blog to her. :)
It was a ridiculously hot day last summer. The girls and I went for our walk up the road and on our way back this tiny ball of fur comes tumbling out of the corn field. She was no bigger than a speck a fuzz. Of course we couldn't leave her! Who knows what might have happened. We looked around at first to see if we could see a mother or something, but nothing. So, we brought her home and gave her some milk. She ate as if starved.
When my husband came home and saw her, his reaction was as we expected. No way, no how. No more cats. LOL We already had two indoor cats and one outdoor cat. So, he wasn't crazy about adding another one. I pleaded with him, swore she'd stay outside, and finally he caved. Three women against one guy. He didn't stand a chance. LOL
Our outdoor cat swiftly became our indoor cat when it became clear she would not be stuck outside. Again, attitude. Little by little she started coming in. Soon, she was getting into the trash, climbing the curtains and basically just driving us crazy with her outrageous stunts. When she knocked the angel off the top of the tree and took off under the bed, we knew. She'd become part of our strange pack.
Max has kept us laughing from day one. She's still tiny as hell, but she thinks she's a moutain lion. Well, yesterday, we had to take Max into the vet to get her fixed. All the way there I was a nervous wreck. I worried because of her size. She's so little! Then I worried that we'd have to leave her there. Alone. In a strange place. Sad and scared. When we arrived, Max was terrified. Other animals barking and meowing. She was way out of her comfort zone. When the vet told us Max won't in fact be staying there overnight my anxiety lessoned. I still hated leaving her, but a few hours I can handle.
When we picked her up she looked so pathetic. Groggy, vulnerable, her big eyes trying to focus and come out of that drugged state. When she heard our voices her little heart started beating faster, I swear she knew. She looked at me as if saying, 'you didn't abandon me!'
We got her home and I sat with her on my lap for awhile, stroking her, letting her know we love her. She started to come out of it a bit and tried out her legs, fell several times. It was so pathetic.
The girls sat up with her a bit last night, my oldest is a nightowl anyway, and helped her to the litter box. Today, she's sleeping it off on top of a pile of dirty clothes. The best part, she's home, she's safe and I never want to go through that again!
Pets are such a huge part of our life. My girls, my husband and I would be lost without Buddy, Cinnamon, Sassy, Mittens, Sugar and Max. They've brough us so much joy. Their silly antics keep us laughing. I realized yesterday just how close I'd gotten to Max.
All I can say is, I'm just so thrilled we were there the day she came tumbling out of that field.
What would we do without our pets, right?
13 comments:
Aw, she's a cutie. I love cats.
Thanks, Kelley. She's so silly, I swear.
Wonderful tale .... can I enclose another one, every WORD is true ....!
It would appear that I can't, as the tale is < 4000 characters ( = "letters & spaces")
You may wish to read it on www.greatwriting.co.uk
Follow my name, look under "non-fiction" for a tale called "The Christmas Cat"
Aw, she's so pretty! And I don't know what I'd do without all my babies. 3 birds, 1 dog, 4 snakes, 1 turtle. And through my guy, 2 cats. They all add so much to my life, and I worry for them when they're sick.
Hm, about my pets... Well, my cockatoo thinks that I'm her mate. Yes, her. We didn't realize she was a girl though until she laid her first egg. That was a clue!
She's always so sweet with me though, and she just shakes and lifts her wings to ask me to pet her.
The turtle begs for food. Not quite like a dog, but she has these big, brown eyes and that cute little face I can't resist.
The dog is jealous...of everyone. He's an attention-whore, LOL. We must pet him and pay attention to him, unless he wants to do something else. He's a cat in a dogsuit. Very independent.
The 2 cats are sisters, and don't always get along. But as long as I always have two hands, they'll join me on the couch and throw themselves into my lap.
My cockatiel tries to convince me not to put him to bed, every single night. Hehe, he wolf whistles at me and climbs to the top of one corner and looks cute and harmless. Which he is, unless he's grouchy and bitey.
My parakeet is a shy boy. He happened upon us in the yard one day, and we've had him ever since. He's a bit skittish around people and hands, but he's come to trust a few people.
The snakes...are snakes. Silky and cool and mostly sweet. They're eager to be held and stroked, and get themselves in funny positions. I love it when they sun themselves and seriously lounge around. They like to swim in their water dishes though. The cage my kingsnakes share usually has them both curled up around each other, a big stripey ball of snakes, floating in the water.
I love my babies so much. Each one is special. I never want to lose any of them. They give me purpose and joy and make my life richer than it would be without them.
Blessings,
Dena Celeste
Paul--I'd love to read it, but I can't find it on the site. Do you have an exact link?
Dena--You have quite a houseful! I love snakes. I didn't realize though until I went on a field trip with my daughter and I got to hold one of those big yellow snakes. Forget what they're called. Like this one: http://www.strangezoo.com/images/content/108231.jpg
So cool!
Had to come over and read about Max. Glad she came through the surgery okay.
Right now I have one of our cats, Orca sleeping in front of my monitor. He drapes his legs over the keyboard, which makes typing a bit of a challenge. :-)
He is the cat I blogged about in May who disappeared for a week then came back with a broken leg and dislocated knee. http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/2009/05/miracle-cat-update.html
He has adapted well to limited use of that leg, which just shows how resilient cats can be.
Maryann--Oh no, I bet you were SOO glad to him come home! All that time and he still found his way back. Amazing!
Yes, they are such fighters. Last night Max kept wanting to walk, but kept falling over. I wanted to cuddle her, but the dh said to let her walk that she was trying to fight her way back out of that groggy state.
My husband is the one who adopted the little stray cat my grandson named Perci. We were feeding some stray cats who lived in the woods above our house, and one of the kittens followed my husband home. She was so sick! He took her in the house, fed here, and told me to take her to the vet which I did. She's been with us five years now, she totally loves my husband. Me she just tolerates.
I love cats. Orange ones are my fave because I had one as a little girl. Mom named him Tootsie because she thought he was a girl, but he wasn't. OOps!
Anywa, I had a grey tiger cat when hubby and I got together, but after 5 years the poor thing died of kidney failure. Oh man did i cry.
The following weekend, BIL and I went to the APL and got Rusty Wallace (yes, he's named after the NASCAR driver). He looks an awful lot like Messy, the first tiger, but this one has fur on the tips of his ears like a Bobcat.
I told hubby if i ever got another cat, I wanted an orange one and I already named said cat Kenny Wallace (Rusty's brother).
Kenny was found along the road, covered in cinders and oil and no bigger than a minute - all ears, I swear. Hubby brought him home and surprised me. Poor thing was FULL OF FLEAS!
But now I can say he's healthy, fat and happy - like Garfield.
Yes, i love my two dogs (Jojo and Darlington) and the boys (Rusty and Kenny) and the non furry kids (hubby and the 6 yr old).
he he he.
wow a cute story and a cute cat.I've got two dogs my self that i do not no what i would do whit out them around to get into stuff all the time but i love them.
sasluvbooks@yahoo.com
Elaine--Aww, what a sweet guy!!
Wendi--LOL! I'm not surprised they're named after NASCAR drivers! That's too cute!
Stacey--My cat just got into the trash. She's so ornery! But you're right, what would we do without them?! :)
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