The Count

As I mentioned in a previous blog post, Will attended Zoo Kids preschool zoo camp last month. On the last day of zoo camp, the kids attended the show Surfin' Safari, which featured many many rescue animals doing tricks plus several exotic zoo animals like kangaroos and emus.  During the show, animals like cats, dogs, and birds would go from one point on stage to another, like having cats climb a ladder to enter a door at the top of the stage. After the show, the animal visitor for zoo camp was The Count, a retired show cat.  He was very friendly and allowed 15 preschoolers to pet him all at once.  As part of the announcements after camp, the instructor let us know that Count was actually up for adoption since he was "retired." David and I have talked a long time about getting a pet (Eliana has wanted one so bad), but we had agreed to wait for another year or two.  However, after hearing about The Count, I was just drawn to him.  He sounded so friendly, was already well trained, and the zoo was giving him away for free to a good home.  So I broke my own promise and we got a cat on June 5th, a year and a half before our agreed on timeline!  It also happened to be mine and David's 8th anniversary, and we decided that was our present to each other. 

It's not often that you go to the zoo and leave with a pet!  This reminds me of the story "Dear Zoo" by Rod Campbell.  In the children's book, a boy writes to the zoo and asks for a pet.  The zoo then sends him many pets like an elephant or a camel or a lion, which don't work for obvious reasons, and all have to be sent back.  The last pet the zoo sends is a dog, which was the perfect pet.  So now when I read the book, I end it by saying, the zoo sent us a cat named The Count, and we kept him because he was perfect. (Also check out "How do Dinosaurs Choose Their Pets" by Jane Yolan - funny in light of our zoo pet).

Count has adjusted well to our family. He has not been shy at all, and only hid for about a day before he seemed to make himself right at home.  Eliana does great with him and has been a big help in feeding and caring for him.  Will pets him nicely for a while, but then seems to get a little mischievous and will push him or pull his tail.  Getting a little too excited, Laney doesn't know what to do with Count.  She is completely in love with him and squeals with joy, but she is pretty rough.  She mostly pets by hitting, so we are trying to go slow with Laney and give poor Count lots of breaks.  Hopefully she will grow used to him and learn from her big sister better ways to interact with your pet.  My favorite time with Count is in the evenings after the kids go to bed.  Count will come upstairs and sleep on the couch next to me as I fold laundry and watch TV.  I find it so comforting to have him there beside me, sweetly sleeping. I'm glad I broke my own rule and got a pet early. He's just what our family needed.

Pretty Kitty