Two Years Ago Today ...

First Day Home - 12/23/2011

Two years ago today, on Friday, December 23, 2011, Bella Bella Smokey Noella came home.  I had lost my two girls, Rosie and Cata, a little over a month earlier.  A very dear friend had been emailing me stories about kits up for adoption, but although they all were wonderful, I just was not ready.  Then she emailed me about a little girl up for adoption for almost a year.  She had been at her vet's since February.  Her parents had dropped her off to go on vacation and, tragically, both passed away.  There was a picture attached to the email, of a chubby, wide-eyed tabby.  Her name, Smokey.  At first I said no, thank you.  But something about those eyes just grabbed me and refused to let go.  Christmas was around the corner.  The idea of that little girl spending the holidays all by herself, waiting to be taken home by someone, just burrowed into me.  So, I called the vet's office and made an appointment to go see if I liked her.  They were very nice at the vet's office, but I could hear the doubt in the vet's assistant voice.  Apparently various people had looked at her before and changed their minds.  I thought, what in the world would make this little girl so difficult to place?

"The Look"

Halfway to the vet's office I made up my mind, Smokey was coming home with me.  Period.  I stopped at a Pet Supermarket, bought a carrier (Sherpa, very cushy-comfy-cozy), litter box, litter, food, two feather fishing wand thingies and a squeaky toy.  Got to the vet's office, everyone was so nice and happy someone was willing to "take a look" at Miss Smokey.  It was obvious they were very fond of her.  I filled out papers, showed my i.d. which if I remember correctly, they photocopied.  I liked they were so thorough, showed they really cared about her.  They warned me she was not a "lap cat" and usually did not take to strangers. She was 10 years old and people want only kittens.  I said I thought that was pretty unfair.  Same goes for kids up for adoption though, once they are past the "cute" stage, it's really hard to place them.  I think that sucks.  The vet assistants told me she did not like to cuddle and she was a "plain" tabby.  I told them I didn't give a fig what she looked like, she was going home with me.  The waiting area was empty, it was late in the afternoon.  There was a large crate with a sign saying "Take Me Home, Please" or something along those lines.  Good grief, that was where she spent her days.  Sitting there, seeing other cats, dogs, whatever, arrive with their parents and leave with them.  While she waited.  That just broke my heart.  I sat down to wait, they had taken her inside to groom her a bit before presenting her to me.  They told me, again, she probably would not warm up to me.

Lavender Girl

Well, the door opened and they brought my girl out.  I held out my arms and they put her in my lap, she was bigger and heavier than my girls, but I held up my hand and she head-butted me, purring.  The girls at the vet's said she had not done that with any of the others that had seen her.  I said, well, that's because she was waiting for me!  They asked what I was going to call her and I said she was used to Smokey, Smokey she would stay, I was just adding Noelle to her name, since she was coming home at Christmas.  She was great to hold because she is declawed on all four paws.  Had never seen a cat declawed on all four paws, but no scratching!  We put her in the carrier without a hitch. Last time THAT happened, she now grows extra limbs whenever a trip to the vet is called for.  I think it is a trait shared by most felines.  They really loved her at the vet's, making me sign a form saying if I decided I did not want her, I would take her back to the vet's and not turn her over to Animal Services or some other type of shelter.  I readily signed, no problem.  The office manager helped me taker her in the carrier to my car, along with a big bag of food, "She's very fond of her food" she told me.  Yeah, I got that, she was (and is) a hefty little girl.  Solid.

Got home, unpacked all her stuff, let her out of her carrier, put some food and water out for her.  She walked around, sniffed everything, jumped onto the dining table.  Sniffed some more.  I changed into my comfies, turned on the t.v., there was an NCIS marathon on and I settled in.  Soon she hopped onto the sofa next to me and, I swear, watched t.v. next to me.  I took a few photos of her.  She settled in.  It was all good.  My girl was home.  Bedtime came along, she got in bed with me and snoozed.



Made You Look!

The next morning I could not find her anywhere.  Now, my place is a whopping 576 square feet.  It's perfect for me, but there's not a whole heck of a lot of room to hide in.  I figured she was hiding under my bed.  No problem, I could peek under there.  Hanging upside down, trying to see under my bed, I almost broke my neck and had one heck of a time hauling myself back up.  Decided she would come out when she was good and ready.  Went and got myself a cafe con leche.  It was Saturday, the 24th, Christmas Eve.  Since the 25th was on a Sunday, we got Monday off.  Giving me three days at home with my new baby girl.  Perfect.  I lit my candles, mixed up a batch of brownies, started to watch a holiday movie, all was cozy and sure enough, about an hour or so later, out came Miss Smokey, calm as you please.  She gave me a sideways look as if saying "Ha!  I saw you almost break your neck!  Made you look!" before hopping onto the sofa and settling in next to me.  She put one paw on my lap and placed her head on top, purring away like a little motor.  Yep, I was in love.  I had been pretty blue about losing my two girls, Smokey made me see the bottle half-full again. I call her my little heart healer.

Groom n' Snooze Time

In the months that followed we got used to each other and developed our little routines.  I discovered she likes wet food for breakfast and dinner, but also likes a bowl of dry food to snack on during the day.  If the water in her bowl is not fresh, she will sit by it and give you "The Look" until you put fresh water in there.  She is persnickety about her litter box, sitting in front of you after she does "her business" once more giving you "The Look" until you scoop and clean.  She grooms herself fastidiously after eating and likes a nap afterwards, having a tendency to sometimes fall asleep in the middle of a particularly lengthy grooming session.  I have a picture of her doing just that.  Cracks me  up every time.  She is a master thief, she'd give Bilbo Baggins a run for his money, having once stolen an entire grilled cheese sandwich when I turned my back for just two seconds!  Dragged it under the dining table and chowed down, making little smacky noises as she ate it.  And, yes, she ate the whole thing.  Grooming and a long nap followed.

Her Royal Feline Highness

She has proven herself to be loyal and comforting.  Sticking to me like glue when I have been under the weather.  Picks up on my moods and unfailingly makes me feel better, whether I am wheezing, dealing with tummy troubles or just plain blue.  She is a very serious girl, until she sees a ribbon fluttering or one of her feather wands, then all sense of decorum flies right out the window.  She loves clean sheets right out of the dryer, rolling around my freshly-made bed while making happy kitty noises.  Her favorite meal is Fancy Feast Turkey and Giblets, followed by anything with salmon in it.  She is my love.  Tolerates my hugging her and calling her my Fuzzy Love Muffin (I swear she rolls her eyes when I do that).  Loves to sleep perched on my hip.  Does not appreciate it when I move around in bed, patiently waiting until I settle in once more  and then perches on my other hip, muttering what I am sure is in kitty-ese "I do wish you would stop this turning over, it is interrupting my beauty sleep, you inconsiderate human!"

We were quite happy, just us two, until this summer when first The Boys arrived.  All was fine as long as they were tiny and contained in their kennel.  Once they were big enough to walk around without possibly getting stuck under things, well, there was a bit of an adjustment period.  But she soon showed them she is The Boss.  Then Miss Millie came along almost at the end of summer.  Maybe because she's another girl, she took to Miss Millie a lot quicker than she did to The Boys.  Taking Miss Millie under her wing, as it were.  When she feels The Boys are playing too rough with Miss Millie, she will march over to them, smack them and then take Miss Millie away, giving her a thorough bath.  Almost as if saying "There, there, now you are all nice and clean again.  They won't bother you any more!"

After losing my girls in 2011, I never really expected to fall so much in love with an opinionated little girl, with very elegant whiskers and a most defined personality.  But I did. I am eternally grateful to my friend who sent me the email and to the vet's staff who took such good care of her.  I realized losing my girls, who had very long, happy, well-loved lives, opened the path to Smokey coming into my life.  I call her my Bella Bella Smokey Noella.  Every night when I get home from work, I open the door and she is there waiting for me.  I go "Bella, Bella!  There's my beautiful girl!" and she prances and preens, welcoming me home.  The Boys and Miss Millie stay in my room, door closed, when I'm not home, giving her full run of the rest of my nest.  I always make sure to spend a good long while just with her, we watch a little t.v., she has dinner in peace and snackies afterwards.  I make sure she knows she is my special girl. She is, after all, my Fuzzy Love Muffin and I am ever so glad she chose me.

Bella Bella Smokey Noella and Me