A New Family Member

6:00am. Something really heavy comes up on my belly and passes over, and comes back up again. I try to go back to sleep, but it wouldn't let me; my chin touches something textured and this "textured" thing starts to go around all over my face.

"Meow (Wake up!)"

OK, get up me, time to feed him.

Our "little" guy was arrived on October 10, which was also our 4 years marriage anniversary. He is 4 years and a half old male cat (same old as me if he were human), and has been called by this name "Romeo," since the original owner had him. Plus, he is a chubby heavy little boy. Well, "little boy"? No, no, no, he is CHUBBY boy as 8 kg = 17.5 lb weight ..very chubby as a cat; therefore, he has been on diet by having diet cat food.

A week ago, we went Markham (suburb) for this blind date to Yasuko's house, who is his temporary foster mother and volunteering for Animal Service at the town of Markham. She owns 5 cats including the 18 years old one who came from Japan with her and her husband. (The house they live now is the 9th house for this cat. Her husband's business made them move often.) I don't know how other 4 cats got her place; however, what surprised me was that 2 of them (brothers) understand Russian language, and Yasuko sometimes talks to them in Russian.

There were 7 cats including Romeo in her house. 6th one was a little, "actually little" male kitten "Red," who is looking for foster family. Many people prefer baby one than adult animal; however, it would be good for me as a newbie to own a cat, since we don't have to teach where they have to have their businesses or sleep. I've heard those disciplines are sometimes hard to teach, even if the owner had some experience. Romeo is well trained and mature so we did not have to do anything to teach him. In addition, his front claws were removed by the original owner (he got a surgery for it) which one thing we would never do though, so we didn't have to worry about him clime up everywhere and drop anything off or make scratch on some furniture, for good or bad.

But, those "easy to care" parts are not the only the reasons we adopted Romeo. He is, as you see, very chubby. He needs being on diet and exercise, but he is also super lazy and does not want to move his bum even an inch. When Yasuko threw his favorite toy ball to him which makes some crinkle noise, he tried to catch it with the posture lying on tummy at the stairs, and failed. I made more crinkle noise by crashing and touching the ball to encourage him to get it, but he did not move his bum from that step. The only one thing he did was to extend his left forefoot to one step down, moreover, he stopped trying as soon as he understood that his left forefoot can not reach the ball from the position he was. I see that he cares about this ball, really does. But he looks at me and expect me to bring it just in front of his face, so he can chew. What a lazy cat!!!

His chubbiness is also very obvious from his figure which Yasuko calls "seal." Not only when he sleeps, he stomps; walks with heavy steps (or pound) to get food (only for food). Moreover, his figure especially when he eats, reminds me "Tsuchinoko," legendary snake-like cryptid animal (Wikipedia, "Tsuchinoko").
Compare Romeo with Tsuchinoko!!


Tsuchinoko


Romeo / Egg Plant

Also, when he sits, his fatty part hides his hind legs. It probably makes his legs tired and numb, he usually can not keep this posture long. Few minutes after he sits, his body would be dropped on his belly. Then the heaviest part of him lands on the floor peacefully.

Anyway, once we saw Romeo, we just instantly fell in love with his those unique atmosphere. Fortunately, our decision of adoption made Yasuko very happy too. (She also thinks that Romeo and Luke are very alike, not only the attitudes, their looks and faces are similar. I strongly agree!) Finally he moved us with many "trousseau" : his bed, his mat for a nap, his litter box with sand and a scoop, his toys, his food bowl, and diet food which other cats hate and wouldn't even go near.. he loves them.

Adopting him made our anniversary and Thanksgiving holiday really happier. We hope that he finds comfort in his new home here and recognizes us as his family.