If you follow me elsewhere {twitter, facebook, instagram} you’d know that we’ve sort of adopted a stray cat. For me, this is kind of huge because I’ve always been of the mind that you do not under any circumstances feed stray cats in fear of, well, I dunno what. But I’ve also never been in a situation where a stray needed me either.
Stray Cat, as I’ve been calling him – Kitty Kitty to his face, had made a few appearances in our backyard and on our general property since the beginning of the year. I assumed he was a neighbor’s cat and because my dogs may or may not try to find and/or eat cat poop lying in our yard, I have always shooed him away. I may have even told LeRoy to “Get the kitty!” once or twice. But don’t worry, LeRoy is fast but he could NEVER catch a lofty cat. It’s all in fun 😉
It’s not that I’m not a cat person, per se, but I’m allergic to cats and have never been able to have one as a pet. I can’t even pet one really. But also, because I’ve never been close to one, I’ve never really wanted to pet one either. Which I think they know because I’m always the first one they come up to to rub their bodies all over.
About a month ago while I was lounging in our backyard in the sun, I peeped Stray Cat at the back end of our yard leaning over the edge of our pool trying to drink the water. And then I remembered {TMI alert} all the cat poop I’d been seeing in the yard was riddled with what looked like sesame seeds and realized the poor cat was eating palm tree droppings. I almost cried when it all hit me.
Back in the moment, I must have made a noise because Stray Cat froze, then ran into a perfectly cat-sized square cut-out at the edge of our pool shed fence… where I assumed he had moved in to. I was heartbroken for him… or her?
So I started feeding him.
That afternoon I gave him some dry dog food pebbles and water and he ate it up like he hadn’t eaten a meal in his entire life. Though he wouldn’t come out to eat while I was standing there, I ran into the master bedroom to peek out the window to watch.
It was purely coincidence that I had to stop at the vet for the dogs a few days later so I picked up a bag of specialty dry cat food {you know, that’s all the vet has} and had the husband grab some low sodium tuna at the market.
For the first few weeks, all I’d see of Stray Cat was a head poke from his entrance to the pool shed {above} when I was out there leaving his food. But he soon came to know when I’d be out there with his meals by the sound of our sliding glass door. A theory I tested one day by using the kitchen door instead.
But he learned my feeding schedule as well: he gets dry food in the morning when the dogs get their breakfast and tuna in the evenings when the dogs get their dinner.
Stray Cat is becoming braver and braver.
Now when he hears the sliding glass door open, he’s waiting at the wall for me.
But as I approach him, he runs back to the pool shed until I crouch to leave his food then sort of rushes me like he’s going to pounce my head! I have to admit, he scares me a little sometimes because I don’t know what the hell he’s doing. And when it’s tuna time, his meows get LONNNNG AND LOUUUUUUD and sometimes he opens his mouth like a snake and makes a whispery/hissing but haaaaaing sound {like the photo below}. What is that? Then, when I’m trying to scrape the tuna onto his dish he gets so close to me I think think he may eat the tuna out of my hand. The other day he SWATTED the tupperware container I was holding with his tuna in it!
We see him quite often now around the house; the roof, the nearby walls, our front pillars, the sidewalk in front of our house. I think he definitely feels like this is HIS place now, which is kind of funny I think. The other morning as I was opening the windows in our master bedroom, I saw him curled up on one of the lounges at the back of our pool. It made me smile. I’ve never had a cat.
But Lovecats, we need your help!
We are having a major debate in our house about what to name Stray Cat. Since I’ve been feeding him and “taking care of him” I just assumed that I would have full naming rights. But I suppose that was silly of me to assume that the husband didn’t care because last week when returned home from the gallery the husband suddenly announced that Stray Cat’s name was Scraps.
Now, even though Scraps is not in the realm of names I would normally think of {I like human names for pets because I think it’s funnier} Scraps would have been one to consider being that this cat looks like he’s been in a few “scraps” of his own. However, since the husband “decided” it without me – after referring to Stray Cat as “yours” {meaning mine}, I said “No… I don’t like the name” and we’ve been debating ever since.
The other night while watching Mad Men {we’ve just finished Season 3} Kinsey had a run in with the janitor whose name was Achilles – click here for pronunciation, if you’re not sure. and immediately I announced THAT’S IT! THAT’S STRAY CAT’S NAME! It was an “aha moment” and I was happy.
The husband replied… “The cat already has a name”
You see where this is going?
So here’s the breakdown: I like Achilles better. I like the irony of the name… instead of the obvious fact that this cat is scrawny & scrappy {he has a few scars on his face} and I also like the fact that it kind of also sounds like “kitty” a-“chillis” and would be easier for the cat to get to know since I call him by saying “kitty kitty”.
So Lovecats, we leave the decision up to you. Whichever you decide, will be the namesake of our newest family member. Please help us 🙂
What should we name Stray Cat?
* all votes are anonymous
