Mr. Boo

We have inherited a cat.  This does not particularly thrill me as we already have a cat.  Ms. Put does not always take too kindly to stray cats, visiting cats or "throwaway" cats that meander into her territory.  This one, however, she seems to like.  I have written before about the Maine Coon Cat that ventured onto the hillside and how Ms. Put seems to tolerate it.  She ignores it most of the time but occasionally will actually be rather nice.  We have been trying for most of the summer to befriend the cat and I do believe the time has come that we can say he is a part of the family now.  Michael is much more patient than I am when it comes to sitting for hours to coax a critter to the food bowl.  He has made great progress with the cat that I have dubbed "Boo".  The name came about because the cat was so scary that just a calm "boo" would have scared the bejeebies out of him.  Mr. Boo, being a part of the family now, has laid claim to the lumber pile.  The lumber pile needs to be moved but with Mr. Boo making it his abode, we shall have to wait.

This afternoon, I was out rambling the hillside when I came upon Mr. Boo snoozing happily on the lumber pile.  Either he did not hear me approach or he has grown use to my shuffling about, because he never moved.  He just slept.  When I was just a few feet from him, I saw one eye open.  He stared at me through that one slit but never moved an inch.  I cooed to him in a nice sing-songy voice.."Yay, sweet Boo.  Are you sleeping?  You are a pretty cat!"  He opened the other eye...and stared.  I continued "You sure are a nice cat!"...he stared. After a few minutes..both eyes closed!  I assumed that he was going back to sleep!  Awww...the cat is beginning to trust me!  I was about to reach out and try to pet him when the one eye opened again.  His tail gave a slight twitch and he made the motion of a hiss..no noise just sort of mimed the act.   It was then that I realized that although he was not making a physical effort to scurry away, he was trying to block me out by closing his eyes!  That rascal was hoping that I would just disappear! I thought..for just a second..to reach out again but decided instead to just let him have his space.  He was just not ready to be cuddled.

I backed away and found Ms. Put snoozing on the back porch.  She had no qualms about my petting her!  Have you ever noticed how calming it is to pet a cat?  Well...at least how calming it is to pet one that actually does not mind you being near her!  Ms. Put is a good cat!  I am sure, eventually, Mr. Boo will be just as nice.  Hopefully.....