Hook, Line, and Sinker

The more I think about how I came to adopt my beloved cat, Fitz, the more I think it was just meant to be. I won't pretend to know the exact day I adopted this friendly feline: not because it's not important, just because I have a hard time mentally tracking dates. It was sometime in late November of 2019. One of my good friends from work had heard me talk many times about wanting to have a cat to bond with in my recently-moved-into apartment, but I'm sure I'd also told her that I wasn't quite ready to adopt yet. It was financially doable, but I generally try to have a safety net of emergency funds. Perhaps I just needed a little push to take the leap of solo pet ownership. I'd almost always had a cat around staying with my mother, but it had been some years since enjoying the longstanding presence of a cat companion. And I'd certainly never been the sole caretaker; I think that was the real cause for hesitation. Anyhow, it came to be that while I was out with my friend we ended up visiting an animal shelter. She had two cats of her own already, and I think she was just really excited for me to have one for myself. I didn't yet realize that her goal for the evening seemed to be putting me in the environment most suited for me to give in to committing to adopting a new pet. We just "ended up" at the adoption center to "look" at the animals, but it wasn't a zoo. I knew this was a trick, and I certainly fell for it.

We looked at some dogs, and gave them some love and attention. We looked at some kittens, and adored their clumsy behavior. All these potential adoptees had their own cages, but when we got to the room for free-roaming adult cats over one year old I knew it was trouble. Being that they are not confined, there is more opportunity to observe their personalities, such as their inherent unassisted playfulness, how they interact with other cats, and how they react to being approached and touched when they can run away. I happily caressed several of the cats in this room, but there was one that stood out. He checked all the boxes and then some. Okra was his name then, a 6-month-old cat that really wasn't even supposed to be in this room, but man did he sway me into bringing him home with me. When I approached him initially, there was no hesitation to contact. When I left his space, he followed quietly. When I sat to rest, he climbed on my lap. When I put my face to his, he pushed his face against mine. He purred, and it was noticeable and unique. He lets out a sort of higher-pitched falsetto-like whimper on the outbreaths of his purring which I found to be incredibly adorable. He had some reflexive drawbacks when I touched his legs and feet, but it didn't cause him to run away. He didn't mind being picked up and held, and when being put down he did not try to jump away. I knew I wanted this cat, and, even though it wasn't the plan, I knew it so well that I had to have him that day for fear that someone else might adopt him before I could come back. So I adopted him, dubbed him with the name Fitz, and have never looked back.

Fitz is the only cat I've ever known to actually get comfortable and stay put for long periods of time with an arm around him. He does like to make sure he's not stuck, I guess. He'll occasionally squirm slightly like he's about to move, but when he does I just lift my arm and he settles back into comfort very quickly. I love this trait. He's a very affectionate and human-loving-and-trusting cat.

He is always so easy to handle, I clip the very tips of his claws for my sake. He kneads me because he needs me. It's literally done in about two minutes, and he still wants to hang around after, which is really cool of him. He has very little qualms about being pet in normally sensitive areas and being gently restrained for some light clipping. I love this, too, and I felt he would be easy to handle when I first adopted him. it's why I checked how he responded to being held and touching his toe beans.

Fitz is an awesome cat, a wonderful pet, and a beloved friend. I felt he would be when we met, and he has not let me down. I knew I had to have him, and I'm so thankful for my friend urging me to join her at the adoption center.