Wednesday, August 8, 2012

MEADOW & ME

Meadow and I having a chat.

Meadow was only about 6 months old when I entered her and Rob's life, and I knew from the moment I saw Rob and her together that there was a very special bond between them. She was his "princess" and he was her "whole world" as he once told me in an email when we first met.

Meadow didn't think to much of me when I first entered her life, if I remember correctly, she wouldn't even let me pat her. If Rob and I were sitting on the couch she'd promptly jump on his lap and glare at me, as if to say "mine".

I was determined to make friends with her. I knew I would never have the same bond with her as Rob, I had had a bond like that with my own cat, Buster, for 15 years before I lost her to stomach cancer, that kind of relationship is sacred, I knew that, that special relationship was theirs and theirs alone. Still, Meadow was young, and I planned on being around for a long time, like forever, I needed to establish some sort of relationship with her too. How to do that?

Two words, "Fancy Feast".  Yes, I bribed the kitty with food, I'll admit it. When Rob and I were dating and I use to spend the weekends, I use to give her Fancy Feast, and she loved it. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship, and I remember how excited she use to get when she saw me on the weekend, because she knew it meant getting Fancy Feast. Rob never gave it to her those first five years before we lived together, that was a special thing for her and I alone. 

Unlike Rob and Meadow, whose relationship has been the same since he first brought her to the house, Meadow and mines relationship has changed over the 9 years I've been in her life. We have our own special games, feeding rituals and bond. I think it was about 2 months after I moved in when she really accepted me, I was laying on the couch watching TV while Rob was at work, and she walked over and jumped up on my tummy, purred and stared at me. It took over 5 years, but she finally claimed me as her own!

I think sometimes she gets confused about her loyalty when we're both home. She rarely shows me any real affection if Rob's around, but I get lots of kitty love when he's at work. I'm happy to play second fiddle to Rob for her affections.

I've been to every vet appointment she's ever had, I introduced her to Fancy Feast and cat nip, and I once came all the way over to the house when I was really sick with a cold to remove a pain bandage from her belly after she was spayed, because Rob couldn't do it.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, she's special to me too, and when we recently went through a health scare with her, I really realized just how much.

Nine years isn't long enough with ole Fuzzy Butt, and I hope we have many, many more years of silliness together.

I love this shot of her.
Rob and Meadow one Halloween.

I use this shot of her as my Gmail background picture.
An X-mas gift I had made for Rob early on.
She is a special little girl to both of us.
   Rob did a blog about her 9th birthday health scare, which you can read about by clicking here.


3 comments:

Rob said...

You two have come a long way since the early days of that glaring "who are you and why are you here?" stare. Now you are her protector of thunderstorms among other things.

Happy you guys got it worked out. ;

Lynda said...

Amazing how they wiggle their way into your heart. She is one loved kitty and I am so glad everything worked out okay. You have more of a special place in her heart than you realize. :)

Teena in Toronto said...

So glad she's okay :)