Curiosity Didn't Kill the Cat, But it Got Him Really, Really Wet.

As I have never owned a cat before, I was unaware of their fascination with sinks and running water.  Phoenix jumps in the sink at any chance he gets- whether I'm brushing my teeth or doing the dishes.  Last night, his interest was piqued by the bathtub.

It is actually kind of funny to watch him watch the tub.  I'm not sure if it's the bubbles, the running water from the faucet, or the sound of water going down the drain that he loves, but he will literally sit there and stare at the water through my entire bath, the draining of the tub, and while bubbles are still clinging to the tub surface after the water is gone.  Maybe I should drain a tub full of sudsy water before bedtime to avoid his nightly kitty crazies (see future post). 

The other day I was running a bath after my workout, and Phoenix was, as usual, hanging out on the tub ledge.  I was messing around on the computer when all of a sudden I heard a thunk/splash/meow.  Phoenix came hauling ass out of the bathroom, only to jump his wet butt onto my lap.  It's funny- now that he's getting used to his new home he's been a lot more independent and not as apt to crawl on my lap for a nap, until he is soaking wet and scared from his near-death experience with the bathtub.  Thanks, dude.

Surprisingly, this impromptu swimming lesson hasn't deterred him from camping out on the ledge when the bath water is going, so he probably didn't learn his lesson.  It's only a matter of time before it happens again, but next time I'll be prepared with a towel or something.  I at least learned MY lesson that wet cat + post workout = really smelly situation.

This was taken earlier that night.  He's my new personal trainer.

Home for the Holidays: The Story of Phoenix the Cat

Phoenix and I got a nice little write up in the Animal Humane Society's "Pet Dish" newsletter!  Read below! 

Home for the holidays: The story of Phoenix the cat

December 6 was just another Monday morning at Capella University in downtown Minneapolis when academic advisor Nicole Neist took a break from advising master’s degree students and checked her Facebook page. Although she is a self-professed dog lover, what she saw on Facebook that morning touched her, and she sprang into action, aided by the help of her boss and colleagues.

On November 27, Phoenix had been rescued by a passerby who heard soft cries coming from a dumpster in Minneapolis. Inside was a kitten suffering from burns and wheezing from smoke inhalation, but also shivering from the cold. This Good Samaritan rescued the kitty and brought him to us. Veterinarian Dr. Shelli Stulken and a team of veterinary technicians sprang into action when the kitten was admitted.

While half his fur and all his whiskers were singed, fortunately, it turned out he did not have severe burns. Named Phoenix by our staff, the kitten bounced back quickly after receiving medical treatments. Friendly and purring, he rubbed up against his cage and sought attention from his caregivers, and in just one week Phoenix was in one of our adoption centers.

When Nicole read Phoenix’s story on the AHS Facebook page, she re-posted his photo, asking her friends, “Can someone give this cat a home?” Minutes later, she was struck by the thought that this cat was meant for her. She asked her boss and colleagues if she could leave work to be at AHS when the doors opened. Since she rides the bus to work, a coworker loaned her a car.

“When I arrived at AHS I was the first person there,” she said. “The staff there was really excited for me, and many reached out and took our picture and talked to me. The idea of Phoenix rising from the ashes is really what drew me to him and we bonded immediately.”

Nicole’s boss gave her the afternoon off, and she spent it playing with Phoenix and posting videos and photos of his homecoming. “One of my friends posted on my Facebook page, ‘You’ve gone from cat skeptic to crazy cat lady faster than anyone I have ever seen.’”

Nicole says Phoenix is really a calm presence. “He doesn’t seem to be damaged by what’s been done to him, which speaks volumes to his character. Phoenix is going to live a long and happy life. With me.”

At this time of year, please consider helping other animals in need with a gift to Animal Humane Society.

Phoenix Harry Singywhiskers, The Cat Who Lived

I got a new cat this week. I was working hard in my cubicle (i.e. browsing Facebook) when I noticed a posting from the Animal Humane Society about this 6-month-old kitten named Phoenix. He had been brought in to the shelter after having been burned and found in a dumpster. His story was so heartbreaking, I knew I had to do something to help him. I immediately ran to my supervisor's desk to tell him that I had to leave to adopt a cat. He stared at me blankly for a few seconds (As he should- it's not a request a supervisor hears every day.  Though coming from me he should be prepared for utter craziness to come out of my mouth at any time.  At first he thought I was telling him that HE needed to go to the Humane Society to get a pet [which is something I would probably do]) before saying "Okay, go ahead." I had taken the bus in to work that day and had no way to get to the shelter when my friend offered me her car (how awesome is that?!). I drove as fast as I could because I knew that he wouldn't stay at the shelter long. Police and speed limits be damned- they would just have to follow me to the shelter and deal with me later- Phoenix was MINE.  Luckily, he was still there when I got to the humane society and I was able to lay eyes on my new love. I saw that his whiskers were burned off, and as if there was any doubt, I knew that I had to adopt him.

When I got home from work yesterday all I wanted to do was cuddle with Phoenix. I felt so badly that I had left him alone on his first day home. Even though I had just started The Biggest Loser at my work again (and this time I didn't start it with a drunken freak out) I didn't want to work out at all, I just wanted to lounge with my new pet.  Then, as I was petting him, my hands ran across the fur on his back that was singed from the fire, and I got really, really angry. I couldn't believe that someone would do something so heinous to a defenseless animal. I wanted to punch the person who did it in the face. It's odd how rage is such a great motivator for exercise. I figured that if I ever run into that person, I had better be in shape so I can kick his ass. No one messes with something I love and doesn't hear from me. 

I punched, kicked, and jumped my way in to exhaustion. The bad feelings are gone, and now all I have is love. The person who hurt Phoenix doesn't get to win by making me hateful. No way. Phoenix won by surviving, and I am going to win by making sure that he is never hurt again. The monster who set fire to my cat will burn for what he did, and I don't have to spend one more second thinking about him.  

Another benefit of having Phoenix around is that I would rather play with him than make dinner.  Eating cereal every night instead of burying my face in a huge bowl of pasta has really been beneficial to my diet!    

In conclusion, there are two morals to this story: 1) The Animal Humane Society does great work.  If you are looking for a pet, I encourage you to consider adopting. 2) Cats are good for weight loss.

Stay tuned for tales from a first-time cat owner!  The next installment: It hurts when a cat walks on your face while you are sleeping.