Cat of the Day

December 11, 2008

Today's Cat
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Chino, the Cat of the Day
Name: Chino
Age: Seven years old
Gender: Male
Kind: Ragdoll mix
Home: Franklin, Tennessee, USA
 
   Chino came to us on a cold, snowy February evening, starving and lost or abandoned. He was about nine months old and hadn't come into all his beautiful glory of color yet. It was love at first sight though, and after a thorough search for owners whom we couldn't find, we adopted him. It took some doing to get him reaccustomed to humans, but he was very hungry so we quickly earned his trust! A very quiet cat, nonetheless, Chino is right there by my side, hanging out with me all day, whether it's napping while I fold laundry or napping while I am the computer. When he was younger he was quite fond of sneak attack hit & run's on his humans, but when he adopted a kitten those playful antics were transferred over to his new furry friend. At night he likes to sleep on top of the headboard or in the bathroom sink, unless it's winter, then he is right above my pillow sharing the other side of it. He is the best companion I have ever had.

    Chino loves flowers. When I first took him in, I tried to make him an indoor only cat. I noticed he loved grass and flowers. So I bought them for him. He eats grass a lot. And he loves to smell flowers. After three years of crafty escapes and neither of us being happy with forced captivity, Chino was allowed out on a leash. I didn't think he'd take to it, but he did it like a champ. After awhile he outgrew the leash and learned to stay in our yard all by himself. During those exercise times, we discovered Chino's favorite outdoor game is Chase the Stick. I throw it and he chases it and sits on it. Sometimes he pretends it's a snake and saves me from it first. You can always tell when Chino has a big imaginary game going on in his head because his ears and whiskers go forward and his face fluffs up even more than usual. Chino likes to hang out with me on the computer, often laying across the keyboard. I keep one shelf clear just for him to curl up in next to my computer. Chino is a big kisser. He likes to lick my hand and wrist and occasionally I get a forehead kiss too. I think it's quite sweet. A day in the life of Chino starts with us getting out of bed together, he gets his breakfast first of course. He goes outside to do his business and he always lifts his nose and sniffs the air as he purveys his kingdom. He walks me and my daughter to the bus stop and enjoys the exclamations of the kids on the bus and the bus driver who marvel at his size and beauty. Chino walks me home and plops down on one of his spots in the computer room to watch me work. He follows me around and does whatever I'm doing, unless he is in a particularly great napping spot. When I get home from work, Chino goes back outside for a stroll then comes in for dinner. In the evening, Chino watches TV with us, usually sitting between my husband and I on the sofa. Chino naps in the sink when Mom takes her evening bubble bath. Then it's off to bed, where Chino will get comfy either on top of the headboard, on one of the headboard shelves, or anywhere on the bed that he wants!

    Chino used to stalk me in the house and surprise attack me and then run, but when he got feline companions he stopped doing that except for the rare occasion. Chino has loved all the new additions to the feline family. As a matter of fact, we used to go around saying, "Chino needs a kitten" when he was a lonely only. We first added a female and they bonded right away and Chino never even hissed at her or anything. He just took her under his giant paw. A year later we adopted a brother and sister from the shelter and that adjustment was a little harder, especially between the boys. Mostly because Diego, the little brother, is something of a Tigger and bounces everybody constantly and Chino doesn't especially like being the bouncee. Chino prefers a civilized game of Pawsies on the kitty condo!

    Sadly, last year Shylah, the first little female we took in, got Rabbit Fever. Chino came down with it the next day, but Shylah didn't respond to the antibiotics as well and passed away after they both spent nearly a week in the vet hospital where I visited them twice a day and got them to lick cat food from my fingers and brushed them. Chino misses her. Pixie and Diego, still look for Shylah. Convinced she moved in next door, when I stepped in to feed her dogs one day, they jumped in and Commando Kitty Style searched the entire house, upstairs and down, never pausing as they went sweeping room to room searching for Shylah. I have never seen anything like it. Shylah used to hang out by her front porch so her scent must have been strong there. After such a close call, we are more aware than ever of both the fragility and the strength of the bond between us, and Chino and I often express how happy we are that he is here today.

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