Gus Moves In

Happy Friday friends. Sometimes on Friday I like to do a Friday Favorites. But I guess one of my favorite things from this week is that the big orange kitty Gus has moved permanently into our house.

Remember when we got Gus a few weeks ago he had been living in a nearby neighborhood, hiding during the day and only coming out at night. He would go around to different people’s houses’ and they would feed him. Poor baby was not in good health. He had a bad respiratory infection and his fur was so matted you could feel these huge bumps and bulges when you touched him.

We put him next door at my father in law’s house so we could visit him and feed him several times a day. We took him to our vet and they checked him out. He had not been neutered and was not chipped. He had been living near this neighborhood for weeks and no one had claimed him. One of the neighborhood ladies had posted his picture on Facebook and it was shared several times and no one came forward. So I guess we were not surprised that he was not chipped or that no one was looking for him.

After we got Gus neutered and got the upper respiratory cleared up and his hair shaved we decided he should be an inside cat. He did really well indoors and seemed to be a big chicken when we took him outside. There is no telling what the poor baby went through during his weeks out in the wild.

We decided to do short visits to try and get him and Kitty Kitty and Molly and Scruffy all acquainted with each other. We did this for about a week. We would bring him over for several hours a day. Kitty Kitty absolutely hated him, Scruffy was intrigued and Molly couldn’t care less. The minute Kitty Kitty realized Gus was in the house she would run upstairs and get under a bed and that is where she would stay until he left. After about three days Kitty Kitty started wandering downstairs while Gus was in the house. She would dart around and run to her food bowl or the litter box. We got Gus his own litter box so that Kitty Kitty wouldn’t think he was totally taking over. But poor Kitty Kitty was miserable and I felt terrible. We decided to give it two weeks and then make a decision about whether we could keep Gus and still have harmony in the house. After all, Kitty Kitty was here first and we felt an obligation to her.

Last Friday was move in day. Mark and I both had a long weekend off and we decided this would be the time. We moved all of Gus’ things over. He ran around the house as he always did when he came for the visits. Kitty Kitty ran upstairs for a bit but it wasn’t long this time until she wandered back down. Her and Gus circled each other. Gus was very interested and tried to be friends but Kitty Kitty would have none of it.

This went on most of the weekend although, Kitty Kitty started coming around and they even sniffed each other a couple of times. By Monday night they were sleeping in the same room together along with Scruffy. Kitty Kitty was still keeping her distance. On Tuesday they started hanging out around each other more and more and by bedtime they were just a few inches from each other and seemed to be fine with it.

And now one week later and they are around each other all the time. A little hissing every now and then but most of the time they are fine together. I haven’t seen them lying together anywhere snuggled up or anything crazy like that but I’m not convinced it won’t happen.

O.K. now let me tell you a little secret. I am absolutely in love with Gus. He is the sweetest, loving kitty we have ever had. The outside kitties have always been a little ferrel and they don’t want you to pick them up or even pet them very much. Kitty Kitty has her moments when she wants to be petted but it is totally on her terms and you are only allowed to pet her for a couple of minutes at a time. But Gus, Gus loves attention. Actually he demands attention. If you are sitting he will jump right up in your lap and press his forehead against yours and hold it there. It is the sweetest thing I have ever seen. I had Scruffy on my lap the other morning and Gus jumped up and made himself at home under my neck. It was quite a cozy scene. Gus loves to snuggle and you could probably carry him around all day and he would be fine with it. When you pick him up he tucks his head under your chin and settles in. It’s so funny how each one has their own little personality. I think Gus may have been raised around dogs. When he meows it almost sounds like a dog. Mark said he sounds like the Cowardly Lion from Wizard of Oz. That is a pretty accurate description because he also looks like him!!!!

That is our Gus. We love him and can barely remember what it was like without him around all the time. It’s funny how these babies wander into your life right when you need them. Scruffy came along when my brother Allen passed away in 2018 and then Gus appeared when my sister Pat got sick and passed away last month. God definitely knows where to put them.

Have a wonderful weekend

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!!!