Okay, we don't really know his name, but that's what we call him instead of "whatzizname", or "that stray cat living on our back deck".  No collar, no tags, no PetNet microchip, so after a month of trying to find his real owners, that's the name we gave him.   We have put up posters in the 'hood, and have taken out an ad in the classifieds of the Mississauga News, but to no avail.  Therefore, we regret that we have no choice but to adopt him out to a good home.

 

We found a home for him all right.... our home.

 

Despite the health concerns about Phoebe being contagious, (and despite the fact that Phoebe is less than impressed with the fact that there is an interloper on her turf) we have decided to make him a part of our family, for as long as we can make it work.

 

He first adopted us on Saturday, May 13th, 2006.  He appeared to be very scrawny and malnourished, so Lara fed him and put some water down for him.  He has been living on our back deck ever since.

 

Smokey Bob is a gray long-haired domestic, neutered male, about a year old at that time, and ten pounds.  We took him to the Royal York Animal Hospital, where he was pronounced healthy, and they determined that he had been fixed sometime in the last three months.

 

He is a friendly and gregarious cat, who loves people, loves attention, and is housebroken.  We wanted to keep him right from the get-go, but because of Phoebe's illness (she is contagious) we figured that we couldn't provide him with an indoor home.  While we were looking for his owners and while we were looking for a home for him, he lived in the (relative) shelter of our awning-covered back deck, and he was as happy as a clam out there.  However, the weather isn't always good, so we bring him in to the kitchen, which can be closed off from the rest of the house by a passage door to the dining room.  We bring him in whenever the weather is too hot for him, or when there is thunderstorm activity in the area (the big chicken!).  Thus, the kitchen is his new home.

 

So what changed?  Well, he just sort of worked his way into our hearts, and we found that we wanted to keep him.  He is a very loving and affectionate cat, and he loves both of us, and wants to stay.  We will just have to work around the logistical challenges.  So far, everything seems to be working out.

 

Then, in March, when Phoebe passed away, we were glad he chose our home, as he was a great source of comfort for us.