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Punkin is another one of those wonderful little friends that came to us from the Animal Rescue League of Belmont County. This time, she was actively sought. When Mom found evidence that a mouse had taken up residency in the house, it was time to get a cat -- and quick! On September 17, 2002, we made our way to the Belmont County Animal Shelter to find a kitten. I had already talked it over with Holly and told her we were going to bring her home a "baby" to snuggle with and take care of. She didn't seem to mind. Upon arriving at the shelter, we learned that there was only a limited number of kittens available. Mom had said she wanted a black and white cat, while I, on the other hand, was looking for a kitten that looked like my godcat Eddie. We approached the cat room and viewed everyone that was available for adoption. There were very few kittens, with most of the prospects being a bit older. It was heartbreaking to see how many sweet little faces just wanted you to pick them to be your pet. I looked and was having a very hard time. Suddenly, Dad called my attention to this little blur in the corner who was climbing and jumping to get our attention. The little ball of black and white fur had a curious "lightning stripe" up its face that was very outstanding, not to mention quite unique. This bundle of energy turned itself inside out trying to catch my eye. When I saw that little face, I knew I had found my cat. The folks at the shelter had called her "Sis" and said that she was definitely a live wire.
Punkin seemed like a sweet name for such a sweet little cat. She licked your hands and purred when you picked her up and didn't mind being held. We took her home and immediately, she and Holly became friends. Holly followed the kitten all day, to the point of making all of us tired watching her! The kitten behaved like an angel. Little did we know what was in store!
Today, we lovingly call Punkin "The Terror" and with good reason. From the time she gets up in the morning, she is nonstop play! Her favorite toys are fur mice, but she particularly loves jumping on Holly's head. Holly jumps and the cat and they take off on a race through the house. Punkin rarely slows down, but when she's tired, she falls asleep at the drop of a hat. She is into anything and everything and certainly keeps all of us on our toes. No countertop, closet, or bathtub is safe. She gets into them all and has as much fun as she can. One of her favorite things to do is follow you into the bathroom and then jumps in the bathtub to chase her tail!
As time goes by, Punkin may slow down on her play and start sleeping more, like most normal cats do. Until then, I'm sure she'll be burning up the carpet with her running and jumping and playing. She may even someday learn how to sleep like a cat. Most cats I've known curl up in a ball with feet tucked in and tail wrapped around them. Not Punkin. She stretches herself out as long as she can and bows herself in the middle. We call this her "Banana" pose. That has also become one of her nicknames. She certainly is living up to the description of "live wire." No mouse would stand a chance as long as she's around!!
Here are some pictures of Punkin from right after we got her up until the present. I'm sure this gallery will grow as time goes by. With Christmas coming soon, there should be plenty of photo ops for this crazy little creature!
