Meet Smokey - The Bionic Kitty

When my buddy Barry is out of town, I usually go over and check on his cat Smokey every day.  He also has a single fish (which is weird - I think he should have either more fish or less fish, but not 1 fish) and a stray cat that comes around that he feeds named Tiger, but the main reason I go every day is to keep Smokey company.  Animals are family members to me.  When we go out of town I have a hard time enjoying myself because I know George is lonely at home without us.  Fortunately my brother comes by every day and hangs out with him so he's OK.  Smokey would certainly be fine with food and water for days, but I don't mind one bit making her a little happier by hanging out for an hour or so each day.  She's a sweetheart.

Smokey - Claiming more shoes as her own!

I would do the same for any cat that Barry had, but my involvement with Smokey goes back a ways.  At this point I can't remember how many years ago it was, but I can still remember the night very well.  I was driving home from being out one cold winter evening sometime after 2 am.  As I turned into my neighborhood I saw a small critter in the middle of the road.  I stopped in front of it but it didn't move.  I could tell it was an older kitten, so I got out and cautiously approached it.  She seemed really scared but she wasn't running away, she was just laying there in the street looking up at me.  I was a little nervous about picking her up, so I took off my jacket and was thinking about using that to grab her.  While I was planning my pick-up, I laid my jacket on the street next to her and she stood up and hopped into it and curled up.  I scooped her up and put her in the car and took her to my house. 

 

I had two large Greyhounds at the time.  The little kitten seemed very scared and I didn't want to traumatize her any more so I put them in my room and then carried her to a guest room for the night.  My dogs LOVED cats, but she didn’t know that and to her they would have been giants!  She was obviously injured.  She wouldn't really move on her own, but I couldn't tell exactly what the problem was.  The next morning I took her to my vet where we discovered that she had a broken back leg.  The vet said she would require surgery to repair the leg.  Three days, two steel pins, and about $3000 later, the little kitten was back at my house recovering.

 

I was happy to help the little girl out, but I didn't want to keep her.  I had a very happy "pack" at my home with my two beloved hounds, and I wasn't keen on adding another member at that time.  I started looking for a home for the little gal and the first person I asked was my good buddy and co-worker Barry.  Barry had two older cats already so it seemed like it might be a good fit.  I tried to convince him he was getting a "Bionic Cat" - sort of like the 6-million dollar man.  He agreed (reluctantly I think) and "Smokey" moved in.

Branelle threatens to "borrow" Smokey all the time.

  

I've been amused over the years at hearing Barry tell me stories about how his cats "tolerate" each other.  The two older cats have since passed away, and I think Barry is glad to have Smokey around as a buddy.  She's a real sweet and personable cat with a shoe fetish who loves to curl up next to you and purr away for hours. 

Just give her shoes and she's happy - like most women.

 

I occasionally hear people talk about how they don't like cats because they're too independent or aloof.  I think that if you get a kitten or a young cat, it will be as personable and sociable as you make it.  We treat our cat George like part of the family - because he is!  I tell Nel that she's my favorite person in the world…on two legs.  George loves us because we love him.  He's always waiting for us when we get home and we don't just walk by him, we usually pick him up and snuggle with him or play with him for a while.  He comes to bed with me every night and curls up next to me and purrs.  He's a third of our family.  Barry might not admit the same thing about Smokey, but I think she's part of his family too.  She is so sweet and sociable that I know he treats her as such.