Δαφνη Ευτυχια Αρθουρος

Today wound up being cat-errand day. I coaxed her into the borrowed cat-carrier, and took her, squirming and pacing, to the car for the drive to the SPCA. First, a stop at the photo lab to drop off a roll of film -- tomorrow I'll have an 8x10 print to tape to the streetlight post along with a "Found Cat" sign. At the SPCA we found, to nobody's surprise, that she does not have an ID chip implant. A low-cost vet that the MD SPCA works with was suggested, to check to see whether there might still be a kitten developing and whether there were any other immediate problems I should know about. The answer was that, no, she appears healthy. And judging from her teeth, the vet estimates her age at about two years. Which means she's one tiny cat. As of this afternoon she weighs six pounds, and she's noticeably heavier than when I found her. (And her ribs are much less prominent. I didn't expect that to happen so quickly. But I've been refilling her food dish every time it gets low 'cause I didn't like how skinny she was. I guess she'll be up to a healthy weight Real Soon Now.) The vet didn't think I was likely to find her previous owner, but said, "You just do what you have to do," about the search.

The receptionists at the vet's office remarked how pretty she is. So it's not just me -- this is a pretty cat. And she made a couple of friends at the photo lab despite being edgy and uncomfortable-looking in the cat-carrier. (The customer who was ahead of me she was glad the cat hadn't turned up in her yard, or she'd have a third cat now, 'cause this one would be hard to resist.) She was extremely well behaved at all stops, appearing very calm in the presence of rather agitated dogs of nearly all sizes (tiny, small, medium (smallish doberman), large, and not-quite-enormous). She cried a little in the car, softly, but communicated most of her unease through body language.

At the SPCA they commented that she seemed to be pretty sure she's my cat. I still wonder whether she might just be happy to have any person, but it's hard not to react emotionally to her attention with anything other than, "Awww, she loves me!", y'know?

I was told she's unlikely to go into heat in less than a month, so aiming for sometime in the next couple of weeks to get her spayed should be okay. It was also suggested that I wait until I decide for sure that I'm keeping her before spending the money for a feline leukemia blood test.

She still prefers to be in the same room as me whenever posssible, and seems reluctant to go to sleep unless I'm staying in one room for a while; she's obviously eating when I'm not in the kitchen, but she still seems to prefer that I be there when she eats. But I've found something she'll allow me to do with my hands unmolested other than petting her -- she'll allow me to play mandolin. (Gotta see whether that goes for guitar as well.)

I wish I could take her to Thrir Venstri Foetr rehearsal to show off how pretty she is! Oh Hell, I'm going to turn into one of those doting cat owners, aren't I? Feh.

Still way behind on responding to comments, but I am reading them as they come in.