Clockwork Orange

It’s been a few days. I have managed to recover from my weekend. People who know me know I HATE being ‘busy’. I think society’s almost universal obsession with appearing, or actually being, busy is ridiculous. I love nothing better than snuggling into my couch in pajamas with my down throws wrapped around me, a good movie or tv show on, the dogs napping nearby, popcorn, candy and a coca cola(with ice) close at hand.

What am I busy doing? Adding another redhead to roll call. Mallaig (mal-eg - stress the mal, shorten the eg) is an 8 month old orange tabby who was abandoned by the side of the road in January. I got her from Happy Cat Sanctuary in Strathmore (which, by the way, is further from the city than you think). She used to be called Sunshine but I changed it to Mallaig which is a town on the west coast of Scotland. I spent a day out there with one of my best friends and if you travel down the coast a little to Morar you will find beach with sand so soft it’s like you can’t feel it. Mallaig is where I acquired the sheep stuffie that Raimi obsesses about.

Why did I add yet another creature to my comfort? Ceilidh likes company and oddly for a cat she doesn’t like it when I go away for a weekend. I come home and she’s right there with ‘Where have you BEEN?” I have a few shows I’m going away for this year and she needed company so the house doesn’t feel SO empty. It’s normally full of activity so when we go away it must seem incredibly quiet.

Mallaig was in the bathroom the first couple days and last night was the first night she slept in my room with the dogs and Ceilidh. She spent most of the night on the pillow next to me and then made her way into the livingroom where she found the perfect hiding spot behind the couch. I know Ceilidh is excited to have a friend because she spent from 5am to 7am running up and down the hall and being silly. They have been very good together and Mallaig keeps trying to get Ceilidh to play. Little hissing, even less growling and a lot of staring.

The dogs are interested but not pushy; it was all wrinkles, big eyes and ears and head twisting. They will learn in a hurry that this cat is sharp. Zero got a smack on the nose from Mallaig when he got too close. I’m hoping that because the cats are the same color they will back off Ceilidh because they won’t remember which one is sharp. Ceilidh has had a few incidents requiring rescue because she teases them into a frenzy and then gets trapped. Her life has never been in danger but Raimi could accidentally hurt her in play.

Mallaig is interested in the dogs and not fearful, just cautious. She is still a kitten at heart and recovers quickly from a dog inspection. She just gets out of the way and when the dog loses interest she pops out to look at them again. I think she’ll settle in fine as there are lots of places to hide and places the dogs can’t get to. Once she realizes the dogs are not actually that interested in her she’ll come out more.

I find it hard to believe that this cat was not part of someone’s life at least for a short time. She is incredibly personable, comes when you call and is extremely cheerful. She either wandered too far from home and got lost or was just left by the side of the road. Despite her hard start she has now found a forever home in a house full of redheads and a Petal.