Life with Athena...

In my life, I've had two significant companions: 1) girlfriends and 2) cats. I'm still trying to determine which of the two is more stubborn. But that's a different tale altogether. Let me introduce you to my favorite feline, “Athena Missy Harty.”

I brought Athena into my life in July 2014, just a few weeks after her birthday on June 21st. After losing my cat Autolycus six months prior, my housemate and I decided to visit the local SPCA in Louisiana, as I was eager to find a new furry friend. As we approached the SPCA, we noticed staff loading cats into a van. Curious, we asked about them and learned they were being taken to PetSmart for a Last Ditch Effort adoption event. While they were explaining, I playfully poked my finger into the cage of a stunning calico kitten. “Be careful,” they warned, “She can be a bit rough.” When I tried to pet her, she surprised me by licking my hand. I chuckled, as she seemed anything but rough to me. The staff was taken aback, mentioning she had never done that before. After they left, we entered the “Cat Room,” a delightful space filled with cats of all kinds, and I was amazed to see them all playing together without any signs of fighting or hissing. They were all really well-mannered and got along nicely. I must have held at least a dozen cats. I remember glancing over at my housemate and telling her that I just wasn’t feeling it. She asked if I was thinking about the cat from the van, and I admitted I was. So, we decided to leave, hopped in the car, and drove to PetSmart. Once we arrived, it took us a moment to locate that same kitten again, and there she was, curled up in the corner of her cage, clearly not interested in interacting. She was hissing and wouldn’t let anyone touch her. I approached the cage and said, “Hey there... do you remember me?” She looked up and blinked, then came over to the side of the cage where I stood and rubbed against the metal bars. I cautiously petted her while her head was turned away, just in case she decided to bite. But she didn’t bite; instead, she turned around and licked my hand. I looked at my friend and exclaimed, “This is definitely the one!” We paid the $30 adoption fee, and all of us got back in the car to head home. This cat transformed into a completely different creature around me. She didn’t hiss or try to escape during the ride home.

On the drive home we talked about names and I was liking the name Juliet like from Romeo and Juliet. My housemate mentioned Athena who was the goddess of Wisdom and War. She is known for her strategic skill in warfare, is often portrayed as a companion of heroes, and is the patron goddess of heroic endeavor. In all honesty, I watched way too much Xena: Warrior Princess in my 30s! So Athena it was!!

The only problem with my new kitty was she despised dogs! And I had a dog, “Basil Eoin Harty.” He was a dachshund. Not all that much bigger than her really. He was very friendly and had gotten very used to Autolycus, my former cat, so he really had no problem with Athena. She however kicked his butt on day 2. Poor dog had tons of scratches and just couldn't figure out why she didn't like him. But I fixed it. I put a plate of sour cream on the floor in the kitchen and they went after it, after that long of sharing the same plate to get some of that delicious cream they chilled out until she decided to get curious and lay down with him a week later. After that they were fast friends!!

I soon realized that Athena was incredibly possessive. She couldn't stand it when I focused on anything else, whether it was other animals or even objects that distracted me from her. Her biggest nemesis? My trackball mouse! Whenever I used it, she would swat at it, clearly annoyed that my hand was on that instead of giving her the attention she craved. To her, it was the ultimate foe in the universe!

Here is an example of an average conversation with Athena:

Me: No, it's mine, plus it's not chicken.

Athena: Chicken.

Me: It's not chicken, it's cabbage.

Athena: Chicken!

Me: You'll hate it, it's cabbage, not chicken.

Athena: [snatches a bite, makes a face, then Glares at me.]

Me: Told ya! Cabbage!

Athena: CHICKEN! [Eats it anyway just to be stubborn]

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Fast forward 10 years.... She's my one and only girl now. She doesn't attack the mouse as often anymore. She's really calmed down since her kitten days. And boy does Athena enjoy lounging on my bed and playing with her brother, my other cat, “Charlie Cheshire Quest Harty.” Although she can't win a fight with him, since he’s twice her size, he definitely knows who the Queen is when she bops him in the face!

See what I mean? Jealous kitty!

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Thanks for reading! - Sam