August 26th was my birthday, and my sister surprised me by telling me that I was going to adopt a cat, and that she was going to pay the fee as my present.  Could there possibly be a better birthday present than Love? 

We went to the shelter and I looked at all the beautiful cats.  I went to each cage in turn, bent down and asked, "Are you my cat?  Do you want to be my cat?"  Some of them purred, some of them hid, and most of them just sat there.  A skinny little grey one with cute little white paws came over to the bars, reached through them with her arm and patted me on the face, no claws.  I could tell she wanted to be my cat.  I took her out of the cage and held her.  She was so light, it was like holding nothing.  I wanted to take her home and give her a good meal.  Then she turned, looked me right in the eye, and growled at me, letting me know she wanted to be put down now.  I could see she wasn't afraid of me, and had her own personality.  So I put her back for the time being. 

We asked about her background, and found out her name was Mimi, and she had been picked up as a stray in Valleyfield.  Little else was known.  I told the staff that Mimi was the name of my niece, and my sister explained that it was Mimi (the person) who had insisted that her mother give me a cat for my birthday.  In fact, she had compiled a Top Ten List (from the home office!) of reasons why Uncle Fred Needs a Cat.  Apparently, #1 was "he talks to groundhogs".  So I go to the shelter on my birthday, and the cat I like happens to be named Mimi.  The staff said "little miracles like that happen all the time". 

I took Mimi home and opened the carrier - and she started running.  Up and down the hall, like a straightaway.  Then up and down the stairs.  Then up and down the upstairs hall.  Then back downstairs and up and down the main hall again.  Run, run, run, run, run!  I had commented at the shelter that she
has the body plan of a cheetah, but I wasn't expecting a track meet.  She's hardly stopped since.  I feel so sad, thinking of this adorable little cat, young, healthy and full of energy, who only wants to run, and who had to live God knows how many months in a 2-by-3 foot cage.  I'm so glad I took her home.  This cat has 2 speeds:  fast asleep and full speed ahead.  When she isn't running, she sleeps like an angel.  Then suddenly, she's awake and tearing around the house again.  She doesn't know where she's going, but she wants to get there NOW!

The 1st night, I don't know where she slept.  The 2nd night, she crept into my room and curled up at the far end.  When I didn't throw her out, she came back the next night and slept on the mat beside my bed.  The 4th night, she was bold enough to climb into bed with me and sleep beside me.  The 5th night, I came into my room and found her already in bed.  When I tried to get into bed too, she growled at me.  We've now agreed to share, and she's slept with me every night since.  I thought I was getting a cat.  I never counted on a friend and a roommate.

If there's one thing she doesn't like, it's a closed door between her and me.  She cries pitifully if she sees that I'm in the garage, or the basement, or just in the next room with the door closed.  I have to come over and open it a crack.  She doesn't necessarily come in, she just wants to know that she can  reach me if she wants to.  When it's bath time, she insists on supervising.  She cries till I let her in the bathroom, then she sits on the edge of the tub, not watching me, but watching the door.  I think she thinks I'm the world's biggest kitten, and she's guarding me as I splash around in the waterhole, in case a  predator comes out of the jungle.

I pick her up 3 or 4 times a day, hug her, and tell her how much I love her.  I wish she could understand.  I don't think I've ever loved anything as much as I love that little grey mongrel I took home from the pound.  She's the best birthday present ever.

Sincerely,

Fred W.
Mimi's Roommate

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