July 23, 2006
Show-off
Written by Shirley Karr in Jaunty PostThe new addition to our family has settled in. We even named him! Dakarai (pronounced duh-CAR-ray; it’s Egyptian, means “happy”) went to the vet for a check-up on Tuesday. I learned the importance of wearing a shirt with a collar instead of an open V. He’s bonded enough that I was the safe place in the scary exam room where they do rude things (”You’re going to stick that thermometer where?!?”), so he wanted up under my chin in a hurry. But there reached a point where there was no fabric for traction. The scratches are healing nicely.
According to the vet’s scale, our little guy gained 12 ounces in the 18 days since we first brought him home. Even with his huge energy output, running and playing at full tilt, he’s still gaining two-thirds of an ounce every day. He likes the fishing lure the best, an interactive toy that gets him doing incredible leaps and flips. In the middle of a manic play session, he’ll race to the bathroom for a trip to the box, eat some kibble, drink water (always in that order) and come racing back. If one of us leaves the room and returns before Dakarai does, all we have to say is “he had to gas up.”
We’re trying to teach him “time for bed” means quiet time, not time to attack bare toes or fingers. He’s now big enough he can get up on the bed in the morning to let us know he wants food and or to play. As soon as I return from the conference in Atlanta, we’re getting him a playmate. We can’t always time our departure to his naps, and he has these big blue eyes…
We’d already noticed that he stops playing with his solo toys if we leave the room. And, like most cats, he needs to be the center of attention – I was able to proofread galleys last week only by moving him from one side of the page to the other. Friday night, my crit group met at my house. Three of us sitting at the dining table were able to laugh and watch his antics as he played with his solo toys in the foyer. I wondered why he didn’t go in the living room where I could hear my husband flipping the kitty lure. Later, I realized Dakarai was playing where he had the biggest audience, visible to all four of us. Let’s face it, our kitty is a ham.
The next day, my mom was helping me sew the last piece for my smuggler costume (which I plan to wear at the big literacy signing in Atlanta Wednesday night) and I told her about his latest showing-off. Mom gave a wry smile and said, “Typical male.”
3:52 pm | Share This
Haven Rich Says:
Ya know since cats were worshipped in Egypt they have never gotten over it. Talk about egos!!
When Amie was a baby she would attack the killer moving things under the blankets in the middle of the night..talk about a rude awakening.
Word of warning for you…if you do get a playmate for your kitty be sure to buy extra bandaids. Two furballs = lots of chances for bleeding.
Enjoy the guy while he’s little, they grow up so fast. And before long, you’ll have a lazy cat that never moves…except when you remove them from your pillow.
Shana Says:
He sounds like a real cutie. Where are the pictures?
Shirley Karr Says:
On my hard drive, Shana.
I haven’t had time to add more to my web site, and apparently don’t have the software to upload here. Maybe Anne can help me out with that.
Haven, that’s so true! And partly why we gave him an Egyptian name. Our previous cats were so long-lived, we’d had only “senior” cats since 1996. Their activity level is a tad different from a fast-growing kitten. If curiosity doesn’t get him, his habit of walking under our feet just might.
Haven Rich Says:
Haha, try that with *6* babies. They all want to be under you feet non-stop. But they are just so fuzzy and cute..its hard not to resist their charm.
Here’s something you might not know. Male cats are often known as a Tom. The female cat is often refered to as the (are you ready for this??) Queen.