As of last night, there is a new member of the 1720 Mayflower Drive household. His name is Boxer, and he’s a furry little gray-and-white puffball who weighs less than a fistful of cotton. More specifically, Boxer is a 6-week old kitten. JoAnna and Eddie picked him up last night at Julie and Ron’s house on the east side of Madison and drove him back to Middleton in a box. Hence the name. I suggested we name him Birdy, since his “meows” sound more like “chirps”. And as small as he is, Boxer has a call-of-the-wild cry that will curdle your blood. He is still experiencing some separation anxiety, although I will admit he did have a very restless night. Even though we set up a bed for him in the utility room, where we also decided to keep his letter box, he spent the night in Mom and Dad’s bedroom, either between us on the bed or on the floor on JoAnna’s side of the bed.
Eddie is so excited. He finally has a pet, something that he can take care of. I carried Boxer into the boys’ bedroom this morning, and Eddie immediately came to life, unlike most other schooldays when it takes at least a half hour of prodding to get the boys in gear. Eddie cradled the kitten against his chest; both of them looked so content.
I was the last to leave the house this morning, and Boxer didn’t want to see me go. After giving him a final series of strokes, rubbing the area around his ears and neck, I bent down to place him on the floor, but he dug his claws into my shirtsleeve and wouldn’t let go. I practically had to shake him off. He seemed happy to see me when I returned home for lunch. I think he’s already beginning to feel comfortable in his new surroundings. He likes to explore. We’ve given him the full range of the house. He’s quickly becoming a playful little critter. This morning he crawled into one of my tennis shoes. Maybe this will make a better bed, he might have thought. Before going back to the library after lunch, I noticed that he had used his letter box for the first time – at least the first time that it was obvious to my eye. (Two little strands of almost ebony poop.)
Boxer looks so funny as he moves around the house. He seems to be floating, I a bouncy sort of way, just above the floor. He weight next to nothing so a strong exhale would set him off course. He has a cute little face and beautiful close-set eyes. Any reservations I previously held about an animal in the house have quickly vanished—poof! Overnight I became a cat-lover.
Meaghan’s dad is a veterinarian. Andy called him last night to ask about getting Boxer declawed and neutered. The claws can go anytime after the cat is 6 weeks old. I can’t remember the answer to the second part.
“What are we going to do with the cat during Memorial Day weekend?” I asked my wife.
“We can take him to Two Rivers,” she responded.
“Will he and Rusty get along?” I wondered aloud.
The main question, though, is will Larry and Alice welcome 5 from Middleton instead of the usual 4.
This letter will probably be old news by the time you receive it as I’m sure JoAnna is eager to call your about Boxer.
Happy Mother’s Day, Alice! Make Larry wait on you hand and foot. (I can hear Larry muttering from here. How’s that different from any other day!)
We send our love.
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