Meet Takara

Welcome to the first in a series about our furkids.  You know, before we have a baby and everyone forgets about them. :( 

First we'll start with the oldest:

Takara

Back in the day Cody said no cats and being an animal lover I was bummed but then suddenly one day he was like "let's get a cat" and he didn't have to say it twice.  Okay, actually he did because after he had been Mr. No Cats for so long I thought I had started hallucinating.

So we went on the search.  We checked out places like Petsmart which are all good and well but dear god adoptions in those kinds of place cost a pretty penny but then again you're also getting a furry ball of joy that already has its shots and is fixed.

Well we went back home, where we know many people that have barn that happen to accumulate some kittens but no-one seemed to have any kittens and it was all big mean cats who had been on their own so long you were lucky to catch them and even luckier to pet them without losing an arm.  So I was bummed and we talked to my friend Missy to see if her mom had any out at her barn and she said yes, but they weren't really kittens and then a new kitty had shown up just a week or so before that seemed pretty small.  So off we went, not expecting much, knowing the other cats had been out there for quite a long time and were pretty wild.

Among the big mean kitties was this little girl.  Tiny and scared.  We fell in love with her.  Funny how she showed up at the barn about a week before we came down looking for a cat, huh?

So we take little un-named kitten to my Mom's and we were talking about her and possible ways she appeared out at my friends' mom's place (the main which was abandonment simply because she was fairly friendly) while my Grams petted her and she happened to say something which struck me.

"I bet somebody threw you away"

That's when the saying "One man's trash is another man's treasure" hit me and it fit so well.  She was so precious and she had been left to fend for herself.  If you go to shelters you can hear some real horror stories about why people left their cats there.  I'm talking completely moronic statements like that the cat didn't match their new couch.  Who are these people?!?

(Also, I'd like to take this moment to encourage you to ADOPT, or save I guess is more our case.  There are so many precious little ones like her that deserve a loving family and it's heartbreaking to know that so many need homes.)

So anyway... that's how Takara go her name.  Takara is Japanese for treasure and she's our little treasure.

It's funny because she never seemed to have gotten any bigger but when I look back I realize she really has grown.  She's still tiny (though I dunno how any cat could be that tiny with as much as she eats, damn good metabolism that I don't have) but much bigger.

Takara and Daphne (the guinea pig we used to have).

She would dangle her tail in the cage and when Daphne went to investigate Takara would paw at her. XD

This is the "Mom are seriously in my face with a camera again" look.  A look I see A LOT.

Some things to know about Takara:

She isn't mean but she isn't exactly friendly either.

She doesn't normally come up to strangers but if you're around for a bit or come over often she may get brave.

She has an unknown pet limit at any point and time.  This means you may be petting her and get bit.  Not hard, unless you keep petting past the warning bite and if you're still petting her then it's you're own fault for taking your life into your own hands.  We warn guests btw so don't be all how can you have a mean animal, blah blah blah.  Plus she was here before you so :P

(Also on the note of petting- Only Okaasan has belly privileges.  Anyone else who tries to pet her tummy does so at their own risk and gets to see her mean streak- guaranteed.)

Overall she's a nice kitty with a bitch streak.  Just like me, hahaha.

She was also pissed at Cody and I for MONTHS after we brought Sakura home, but then who could blame her?  This was her home and we were merely her servants and then we bring this hyper little dog that likes to chew on her into her home.  I know I'd have been miffed to say the least.

More photos:

('cause I'm a proud momma)

She ended up falling in love with the dog though and they take turns chasing each other around the house.  They chase, tackle and chew on each other all day long.

(and it's a wonder Takara's not bald as often as I have to vacuum up tufts of cat hair)

This one's a new development.  She's never cared about human food but months ago she decided she liked french fries.  (Maybe it was that the dog was always getting them, who knows)  She'll bat em around a bit then eat it.  Then she developed a taste for bbq and cheese flavorings on chips and popcorn.  I love the look on Cody's face in this one and she's like "come on just gimme some cheesy popcorn, dangit"

If you're lucky you can even get Takara snuggles, which are uber rare and make anyone feel better.

So there's our oldest furkiddle.  She's a sweetie with a mean streak and I wouldn't have her any other way.