A New Furry Friend

Last week, on our way home from the zoo, we picked up Smitty. Or Smitty Mittens. Smittens the Kitten. Fluffy Mittens. (I'm not really crazy about the name Smitty but everyone else seems to like it so I've just settled for riffing on it as necessary). Let me just say that I had not in any way been in the market for a third cat; after our poor Juliett died last summer our other two kitties have been closer with each other and general cat harmony has reigned in this house. But, I can't really pass up a kitty in need of a home, so here we are. 

Smitty's story is as follows: Don's brother lived near Columbia, SC, for a spell, with a friend, and while he was there he adopted a 4-year-old black cat from the shelter. He loved Smitty but when his living situation changed and he moved he could not take the cat. The cat stayed behind with the friend. Eight months later, the friend decides she doesn't want the cat anymore, threatens to return him to shelter, and brother calls Don in desperate plea to retrieve his cat. With a sigh, we agree, and coordinate his pickup with a much-requested trip to the zoo, also in Columbia. 

That was last Saturday. Poor Smitty spent about 48 hours in hiding, but after that became more comfortable with each passing day. I took him to the vet for a full once-over and vaccination on Tuesday, and as of Thursday he's been free to roam the house. He is settling in remarkably well, and Ollie and Humphrey have been tolerating him better than expected. Ollie just keeps a wary eye on him; Humphrey is a little less charitable and has done a fair bit of growling, but there have not been any fights or hissing or open hostilities. I am amazed by Smitty's lack of reaction to the others - he is the most chill cat I've ever seen.  Though he was handed over to us with words to the effect of "he's a real meanie, don't feel like you have to keep him, he probably won't do well with kids" he has been remarkably sweet and interested in all of us and more patient with the kids than he even needs to be.  So far so good. 

We will certainly keep him and love him and care for him for now, but there is an outside possibility that he might be re-homed with my parents at some point, depending on where we move and how the general 3 cat dynamic continues to play out here. But for now we are enjoying his little white mittens and his relaxed, "bunny-foot" antics.  He's a sweet boy and we are glad that we can give him a loving home.