2 Dodos and the One I Actually Like

Just felt like showing of some cute photos of my cat Nova - aka the 'normal' cat, the one my daughter and I like. I adopted him when he was 7 weeks old and now he is almost 2 years old.

I had previously adopted 2 cats from the ASPCA named Azucar and Arecibo. I thought it'd be good to adopt 2 cats so the could keep each other company. Being that the ASPCA was requiring Azucar & Arecibo go to the same household - we chose them. Figuring I was doing the 'right thing' and adopting cats that were going to be harder for the ASPCA to place. We were not told that they had any particular emotional problems, etc.

But I soon found out that they have profound trust issues and must've been abused in prior households. Arecibo (cat in foreground of photo below) is uber-afraid of everybody and stayed under my bed while I was home for the first year I had him. The only time I saw him is when he'd come out from under my bed after I had turned out the lights to go to sleep. My daughter and I would tactically get him out from under the bed to pet him. He'd fight us like his life depended on it. But once you get him into a small room, like the bathroom, he is still scared but happy to let you pet him. Purring and all. But that's the only time he feels comfortable being held or pet. I will say, though, ever since we got Nova he's been a lot more social... in his own way. As long as we don't have any guests at our house - he doesn't go under the bed. But he hangs out a good 15 ft. away from me. When he feels that Jazzmin (my daughter) is not likely to show up - then he'll get closer and hang out 2-5 ft away from me. And he'll give me loving, happy expressions.

Then there is the "queen" of the household, Azucar (left w/Nova trying to get her to play). She won't ever let you pick her up - no matter what room. She loves to get pet while she's eating - she will devise strategies just to get you to go to the food bowl so she can be pet there. But away from the food bowl she has major issues. She'll let you pet her - but only when she feels like being pet. Being the true diva - it has to be on her terms. She has this funny idiosyncrasy of drooling out the sides of her mouth when she's particularly happy about being pet. She also was positively affected once I adopted Nova. She finally learned what the cat toys were for. Before she wouldn't have anything to do with them, but was happy to play with a piece of scrap paper on the floor. But after Nova came she figured out the toy situation and now likes to play with the toys. She and Nova also have developed an affinity for wrestling with each other. But Nova has to be in the submissive position for Azucar to play - otherwise she can't be bothered. As soon as it appears Nova has gotten the upper hand - she runs off under the couch. It's at that point the game stops being fun for her. But Nova is always happy to oblige - so it's usually not a problem.

I kinda regret getting Azucar and Arecibo because it's like having all the work and expense of the pet but none of the actual enjoyment. That's why I opted to adopt Nova (even at the risk of looking like 'the cat lady'), because I wanted at least one normal cat that wasn't emotionally damaged by previous owners. Nova was also a rescue cat - he was one of a litter of kittens found abandoned on the streets of Brooklyn. He has been a delight from the very beginning. He's loving, sweet, playful and trusting. If I could get rid of my other 2 cats, I'd do it in a heart beat. then I'd get 1 other cat just to keep Nova company.

Sometimes I feel like bringing Azucar and Arecibo back to the ASPCA but I don't want to go in there looking like a schmuck for taking on the cats and then returning them. sigh. And I know it's not very charitable of me to not be understanding of the fact that Azucar and Arecibo have likely had hard lives. Ah well. At least I have Nova - he's such a sweetheart!