The CATastrophe

Chapter 3:  Bedlam in Sylmar
 
 

Click on the small picture to see a bigger one.
Then hit your back button to return here

Christmas is over, Scampi survived the melee and we are back at the pound.  No kitties to be found.  They tell us that it's the wrong time of year for kittens and we should come back in the Spring ... who knew?  I started searching the local papers on-line and finally found an ad for a "family" ... mother and two kittens - a male and a female.  I called and asked if they would consider separating them because we really only wanted one cat.  They thought this would be Ok and invited us over to "meet" the "family".  We went thinking we would bring the male home and that's it! 

I need to add here that I had already decided that I was not going to have anymore outdoor cats - strictly indoor only.  Once we got there the male kitten jumped off my lap and escaped outside to partake in his favorite activity - climbing trees.  Hummm ... he might be a problem if he is used to being outside, I was thinking.  Then they brought the female kitten in, sat her on my lap and she just cuddled right up.  Well, maybe we'll take the female and leave the male to his trees.  They finally captured the male and he decided to be a little friendlier so now the dilemma ... which one to take or ... take them both?   We took them both!
 

Ashley
Tigger
Scampi was quite shocked when we returned with his new friends, but he tried to make the best of it.  Ashley (the female) and Tigger (the male) didn't seem too happy with their new home and it was bedlam for about a week, especially if Ashley walked into a room where either one or both of the males were.  Then they slowly started calming down and getting closer and closer together. 
 
Our next project was "kitty-proofing" the patio so we could let them outside for some fresh air yet not be able to escape.  Once we figured that out it was time to introduce them to the great outdoors.  Tigger decided the first thing he was going to do was show off his tree climbing abilities.  Unfortunately the only thing in the patio resembling a tree is a tall cactus with some pretty long and sharp thorns.  I wish we had a picture of his face when he realized it *wasn't* a tree ... he hasn't tried that again.  Their favorite activity is chasing bugs in the evening and leaves in the wind.

We spent the first several months hauling them all to the vet many times (who we figure put a down payment on a Porsche with all the money we'd spent there) for their shots, got them all declawed and Ashley & Tigger "fixed".

It's strange to see how different their personalities are.  Scampi is the "nutty" one.  He comes up with more silly ideas and we spend a lot of time just laughing at him.  Ashley is the most curious cat I have ever seen ... nothing gets by her and she has explored every little corner and thing in the house.  Tigger is pretty quiet and mellow (hard to believe since I figured he was the one who would give us the most trouble).  Maybe it has to do with his experience with our *tree*. 

Today they are all the best of friends and we are really enjoying them.

And if you're not too bored already here are some more pictures:
 
 

This picture was just taken in July 1999 of our much bigger kitties trying to share the rocker ...
And if you made it this far ... thanks for indulging us!!

 
Back to Chapter 2
Return to Contents