Happy Birthday Smokey

Happy Birthday to my sweet snuggle boy...you have been a blessing in my life! Here's to many more years together.

Smokey as a baby in 1996. He came to live with me on a Tuesday, after I graduated from college. I called an ad in the newspaper to find him (because the kitten I was supposed to get for graduation, died the day we picked her up!). The lady said there were two kittens left, but she had three people coming over that night to look at them, and for me to call back the next day. When I called, I was afraid all the kittens would be gone, but they were both still there. I was very excited!!

Auntie drove me down to a very small town to look at these kittens. The cats were living on a screened porch, and there were lots of adults all growling at the kittens. Smokey was the tiniest of the two, and he had stripes....so that's how I chose him. I wanted a kitten with stripes, since the one that died had stripes too (she was a brown tabby). Little did I know, Smokey would lose those stripes within a month or so, and be solid black. Solid black is now my favorite :)

Smokey was very quiet on the ride home, he just sat in my hands and finally fell asleep. He slept in the bed with me and didn't move all night. Because of all the adults on the porch with him, Smokey growled when he ate. We worked on this, and it took a couple of days for him to realize food was always going to be there and no one would take it away.

He was a nervous kitten/cat and most people never saw him. He laid on me, if I was in my bedroom, and didn't move a muscle. So I made a point to lay in the bed and 'read' everyday with him. It took us several years, but he finally would 'read' with me on the couch. As he's grown older he is more and more confident...he's turned into a social butterfly. Other people can pet him, although he still prefers my lap. He loves to be held and kissed. He enjoys reading as much as always.
Smokey is my first cat and I couldn't have made a better choice. He's taught me a lot and I am so glad he's a part of my life.

Happy Birthday Goose...we'll celebrate tonight with a bit of tuna, since that's his favorite. Thanks for stopping by to visit :)