Welcome Felix the Cat!

Paul surprised me with the best birthday gift today and I just had to share with a bonus weekend post!

I had been bugging him for a while now to add an extra member to our family- a new kitten. Linus is turning 9 and has traveled with me from Arizona, to Indianapolis (where I would truck him from my Indy apt. to Paul's house in West Lafayette for weekend visits- nothing funner than trying to get a cat in a carrier at 6am on a Monday morning), to California where he traveled via Dog Crate in the back of my SUV.
We no longer have our long lunches in AZ and IN together- Linus is home by himself for most of the day and well into the evening. And with the bigger house I no longer feel like we're limited by space.

So on to the big event! Paul had shared that we had an adventure planned for today but it required some advanced gift opening. I'll admit- I've spent several birthdays hoping to find a horse with a big bow around it's neck. And usually I have my horse fantasy all planned out in my mind but steel myself for the inevitable non-horsey but wonderfully thoughtful gift. Same thing here. I walked down to the kitchen reminding myself that if there was not a kitten in a box that I must not show disappointment. Spoiled much? I had actually shared with my Mom earlier in the day that I thought it was either a bicycle or a kitten.
When I opened the packages- cat food, cat litter, toys- so exciting! But where's the kitty?

That part was up to us. I happen to have a long history in my family of orange cats. It started with Charlie Brown, my Mom's cat growing up. I grew up with C.B. (short for Charlie Brown), then Charlie and Benny.
I, as a silly college student, got C.B. (v.2) that now lives in CLE along with Mo. My sister has Clem and Peanut. All orange. All male. And mostly named after Peanut characters- kinda.
It's weird. I know.

So I just knew I needed an orange male (if you believe the lore orange cats are supposed to be the most friendly). We started at the Oakland SPCA and clearly everyone had already visited and taken all the kittens. There was an 8yr old female Calico that stood at the window rubbing and meowing. Ladybug- noted on her information sheet as being a love. She just broke my heart.
Who can just give up their animals? I ache for the older cats that may not be able to find a home and honestly might just sneak back next weekend and pick her up. I just wanted to bring all of them home!

We stopped by another Oakland shelter and bonded with a shy grey kitten who was a little more skittish than we felt comfortable with. He was gorgeous and will find a home soon.

Finally on a recommendation we stopped by the Alameda Animal Shelter. I was not feeling very optimistic at this point- was fairly emotionally stressed by seeing all of the animals needing homes- and ready to call it a day. When we went into the Cat Room we were pointed towards two orange kittens- both 2 months old. One was a tiger- one a tabby. They both came out to play and it was clear that Felix was going to be coming home with us. He is rambunctious and brave- a fun little guy!

I decided to keep the name Felix vs. my usual Peanuts theme. Naming has always had a somewhat personal meaning to me. On our way to the farm in Findlay, OH there was a restaurant we'd pass, in one of the tiny towns, called "Felix" with an image of the cartoon holding a serving tray. My sisters and I would chorus "Felix the Cat." And there was an Indians baseball player with the last name of Felix- in the World Series we would chant "Felix the Cat, Felix the Cat." It sounds funny when I write it but always brings back memories from my youth.
His Shelter name seemed especially fitting.

So that's the scoop! He comes home on Friday! Very excited!
Finally- don't forget to enter my 31x 31 contest! Ends Tuesday!

You cannot escape my love!

Looking exhausted? Or haughty? 

The Real Felix