so i realize i posted my video without any real explanation of where the little guy came from, what he’s like, etc.

as you know, kitten planning has been in full force for a solid month now.  i got word on friday that hanover county animal shelter was the only place that had kittens, so i went over there on saturday to meet them.

now, i’ve been to the SPCA a few times, but i’d never been to THE POUND.  the difference between these two is like night and day.  the richmond SPCA is a bright cheerful location where the cats can play in a room filled with toys and meet prospective owners.  the pound is… just cages.  and sad.  really sad.  it’s just as sad as the sarah mclachlan commercials you see on TV.  bummer city.

as soon as i saw the conditions, i was pretty hellbent on helping someone with an escape plan.  i just had to decide who!  once i saw little ulysses (he hadn’t been given that moniker yet), i knew he was perfect.  after some difficulty with paperwork and having to go back home and bring in my apartment lease, i finally got my hands on the little guy and took him home.

at first, obviously, he was super skittish and scared, but over the past three days he has totally warmed up to me and the roommates.  he plays with reckless abandon, running around our apartment like a madman.  it’s so great.  each time he does it, i can’t help but think about the cage he was in and how he must be so excited to run around and jump and climb on things.

each day, he becomes more and more sociable.  at first he was scared and hiding from everyone, then he became sorta cautiously friendly, then he became overly friendly but kinda crazy - crawling all over us, and then last night he calmly slept next to me the entire night, only getting rowdy after my alarm went off.

sadly, all is not perfect in kitten land.  ulysses definitely has a cold and i need to get him into the vet to get him looked at.  the shelter neglected to inform me that he’d been sick for a few weeks, and while it would have not kept me from adopting him, i wish they’d let me know so i could have gotten into the vet sooner.  the little dude has been sneezing and sniffling.  i’d feel worse if it wasn’t so adorable.

we have the vet appointment for first thing tomorrow morning, so we’ll get him checked out and he’ll be a happy cold-free camper in no time.

i love this little guy.  i am so unbelievably thrilled to finally have a cat after years of having allergic roommates and a lifestyle that wasn’t really conducive to cat ownership.  we’re going to be best buds.  it’s going to rule.