I have two cats, and they are endlessly entertaining. Since I live alone, they provide me with companionship, conversation and entertainment on a regular basis. I have two cats, because the one cat I originally had was getting bored and looking kind of depressed, so I got the other one as a playmate for him. It’s worked out very well — they’re complete opposites in appearance, temperament and behavior, but somehow it works.
Moose and Nugget
Nugget is the one I had first. He’s smart as a whip and very athletic. He can get into almost any drawer or cabinet in the house, and if he sees me put something inside one of the places he can get into, sooner or later he will attempt to get inside to see what it was. Nothing gets by him!
Moose is the newcomer (as of last Christmas). He’s HUGE — almost 20 pounds. He’s a laid-back lover, who follows me around the house constantly. He has a fascination with the lights reflected on the walls by passing cars, and will sit for many minutes at a time, waiting for the next car to pass so he can pounce at the lights.
The oddest thing about Moose is that he sucks his thumb (or he would, if he had one!). When he’s really content, he will flop down, begin purring loudly, and start nursing the toes of his left front foot, making loud smacking sounds. It’s always the toes on the LEFT foot, never the right. He’ll do this for a minute or so, and then he’s done. I’ve never seen that behavior in any cat I’ve ever owned, so that makes Moose unique!
They get along well most of the time — they usually lie near one another, but rarely curl up together. Sometimes they can go from leisurely washing each other’s faces to a full-blown wrestling match or slap-fight in a matter of seconds. But then after it’s all over, they go right back to being buddies again. Boys will be boys, I suppose, and they must have their rough-and-tumble time!
My plan for Moose to occupy Nugget’s time has worked to the advantage of both cats, I think. When Moose arrived, he didn’t have much muscle tone, and after about six months of running and playing with Nugget, I’ve noticed a vast improvement. His thighs have big, hard muscles, and under all that skin and fur, he has some tight abs! Nugget is lean and solid muscle, too — I call him Moose’s personal trainer, since he made such a radical change in Moose’s physique.
Caring for two cats isn’t much different that taking care of one, except that I now buy cat food and kitty litter in big bags. I also had to buy a bigger litter pan (it looks like a bathtub, and holds 30 pounds of cat litter!). I check out websites about caring for cats occasionally, to keep on top of issues pertaining to their health.
Both of these lovely animals came from local animal shelters. If you’re thinking about getting a pet, please rescue one from a shelter!
Tags: relationships
