Kitty Corner: All about your cat(s)

[dixie]

I wrote an entire huge post about my kitteh and then the pc froze and ate it so I'm gonna try again. *sigh*

I have only one kitty at home now. Her name is Mao. She showed up about 2 years ago as a "stray". (I think she had previously belonged to an elderly neighbor gentleman who passed.) She was very skittish and it took a year to coax her close enough to be petted, eventhough I'd been feeding and talking to her since she first showed up. Then a few months ago I was sitting on the porch and she jumped up on my lap. It surprised me and must have surprised her too, because she jumped right back down. She walked around for a few minutes then jumped back up again. I sat very still waiting to see what she would do, then "flop!" right down into my lap and started purring. Now if she even thinks you're gonna sit down, she's right there waiting to hop.

She's also started to venture into the entryway if I leave the door open, but that's as far as she'll go. Since it took her a year just to be petted, I know she does things in her own baby steps. She does follow every step I take if I'm outside though, just like a puppy. If I walk, she walks. If I jog, she jogs...lol

Oh, and her favorite snack: hot dogs. I've tried cutting up grilled chicken and fish for her, but she'll just turn up her nose at it. If she sees you walk outside with a hot dog though, she'll start dancing and prancing...lol

She's a fat, fluffy, happy kitty and a real sweetheart. I just wish she would tuck in the claws...lol For some reason, when she's happy or being petted, she puts her claws out and scratches you on accident. (She doesn't seem to know that's the wrong reaction to petting...lol) I've owned lots of cats, and have never seen one do that. (Other than the little "love scratches" that some cats do when kneading.) I thought at first maybe her claws wouldn't retract, but after checking her and watching, they do. So, no clue...lol