Time Cat

Ticky, the fuzzy one.

My obsession with cats goes back as far as I can remember. My parents had a cat, Merlin, before I was even born. I grew up with the little fuzzballs. When I went away to college I frequented the cat section of animal shelters and waited for the day when I'd live in an apartment instead of a dorm so I could get a cat of my own. I had it planned out: I would get one that was middle-aged so they wouldn't be too rambunctious, a personality somewhere between standoffish and cuddle-bug so they'd be the sort that would be ok with me being gone all day, and would be named Time Cat. I do understand that Time Cat is more of a title than a proper name, but I was mildly obsessed with Dr. Who coming out of grad school (I own every season of the new series except for the first) and wanted a cat with a unique name.

About three months after I moved in I went to the surrounding animal shelters with J.D. I ended up at the shelter in my own neighborhood where they had a cat room instead of individual cages. I remember there was one giant Mane Coon named "Big Momma" who had claimed the entire top of the cat tower as her own. Anyway, after we had finished playing with some cats we were ready to go but just as I was standing up a little grey tabby belly-crawled out from underneath of the kitten cages and flopped right into my lap. I wish I could find the picture we took of him. He was only six months old, way too young but obviously I had been chosen. This was Time Cat.

Young Ticky, still drugged up from being neutered.

I found out I couldn't take him home that day because he had only just gotten there a few days before. He still needed to be neutered and finish his deworming meds, so I spent the next three days being super anxious and buying way too many cat toys. When he came home he was still coming off of the anesthesia so he mostly slept (The ride home was also his only ride in a cat carrier that didn't involve stress pooping). It took him a few days to acclimate but soon he was romping around. It turns out he's very photogenic so I got lots of pictures of him being adorable. I made him a TARDIS since he is a Time Cat, and it remains one of my favorite photos of him.

Bow ties are cool

It turns out you can train cats to do tricks just like dogs can, but you have to actually have treats in your possession in order for them to deem it worth their time to do it. Ticky can sit, turn in a circle, touch an object with his nose, give you a high five, jump onto a surface on command, go under your leg, over your leg, and into his carrier when you snap and point into it. He also walks on a harness in order to go on outdoor adventures. It took awhile to get him to accept harnesses which might be another blog. It was necessary for outdoor adventures though because he likes squirrels too much and we're too close to a main road. Now he can sit in shrubbery for long periods of time! :P

All in all, despite the occasional hairball thrown up on the carpet or incessant meowing because "hoomans are boring," he is an awesome little companion. I'm pretty obsessed with Ticky. More of him to come in future posts!