Back To Basics

"Confessions Of A Cat Juggler" started out with stories of my cats and our cats, and kind of evolved into just an online public diary. W e e e e l l l l. . . as of an hour ago, we begin a new chapter. Her name is Lucia.

When Yin died, she left a big empty space in our lives, especially Carmen's. With Remus as our only kitty, Carmen could never have a lapfull of cat, because, for whatever reason one might conjure, Remus just doesn't like her very much. People heard about our loss, and many knew people with kittens to give away. We resisted for a while, but then last week it was time. When we went to a parishoner's birthday party last Saturday, Carmen met a woman with a kitten she had rescued at three weeks old and nursed to robust health. Problem: she and her husband are going south on a sailing adventure until spring and don't want to take ten week old Lucia along.

This afternoon they brought Lucia over, complete with food and her dish and her large complement of toys. It was obviously very hard for them to give her up, but they stayed with us for a half hour or so and were assured Lucia had entered a cat-friendly household.

Soon after they left, Remus J. Lupin came out to investigate this new arrival. Overcome with curiosity, he slowly approached this tiny little girl. She let out a growl that sounded like a foghorn, followed by a hiss, and Remus backed away. I guess she showed him!

We were hoping a kitten would knock our bratty little boy off of his high horse. I think Lucia has already done it.