The New Cat

Long time no talk! I have been preoccupied lately getting read for Queering Sound 09, for which I have been "practicing" for an improvisational set with The Window Shoppers and putting together a montage of NASA footage and girl on girl action for a video to use as my backdrop during some ALP DJ sets. And, I finally got a friend for George.

To get another cat was a huge decision I did not take lightly given that I am commitment-phobic, and cats can live to be as old as 20 these days. But although George seemed to like being the only cat when I was around, it did not make up for his loneliness when I was at work.

I first met Kimba when I was going to visit a kitten at the Greenbelt Shelter that my gf thought I would like, but decided since I prefer cats to kittens anyway, I should get someone past their adoption prime (the kitten has since found a home of her own). Kimba was actually born at the shelter, and is almost 2 years old now. The only time she had lived in a home was a 3 week stint spent behind a dresser hiding from an obnoxious child. The family who had adopted her brought her back to the shelter, and according to the shelter staff, she became less skittish after this experience. Kimba reminds me of Leo, the first cat I grew up with, and the fact she purred when I petted her in the cage she calmly occupied underneath a temperamental tomcat sealed the deal.

Kimba initially went under my futon when we arrived home, but emerged later in the evening for some attention. Despite my attempts to separate the cats for a few days George ended up entering the bedroom and was not as surprised as I thought he would be to find himself face to face with another cat. He hissed a few times but there has been surprisingly little drama. Even though he just tolerates Kimba, having another cat in the apartment has helped ease his separation anxiety. He no longer follows me around the apartment howling when I get home. He appears to enjoy wielding his authority. She likes to be near him and doesn't take it personally when he swats her.

You can see photos and petcam surveilance photos of Kimba and George here.