Dear Maggie and Mumin,

One year ago today, you came to live with me.

It was fraught. You nearly died. I worried about taking you away from the home you'd known. I worried you'd miss X Partner Unit, that you wouldn't know how to react to your new Stepfather, that you'd hate being here. But I needn't have worried. One year on and you're the most adjusted babies I have ever known.

I love that you don't run or twitch or move when we come near. You know that we'll step over you. You know that we'll never hurt you. And so when you're laying down, you just blink lazily at us, knowing that no harm will come. That kind of trust is priceless, and I will never do anything to destroy it, ever.

You took to Angus cautiously. He was someone new, someone unknown, but someone that you thought you might like. I think in time, you have all gotten used to each other.

I know there was a bit of a protest, Maggie, when he and I decided that you'd been gaining far too much weight and took you off Go Kat (Friskies) and put you on Iams. I know that you were even angrier when he presented you with Science Diet's version of diet cat food. But you're about to be 6, which is 42 in people years, and you will understand like we do that the middle age spread is to be fought with tooth and nail, and you can even resort to vicious girl fighting if you need to.

I know that when you gave in, it was with plans to shred our favorite clothes when we weren't looking. Thankfully, you're a pretty forgetful cat.

I know I sometimes piss you off, Mumin, by taking too many pictures.

But sometimes you girls annoy me at the number of places you get to where you shouldn't be.

Like toilets.

Or the linen closet.

Or Angus' trousers.

Or on bookshelves.

I know that you love the bathtub, Maggie. I know that there's nothing that pleases you more than making us turn on the faucet so that you can drink from the tap. You sometimes sleep in the bathtub, waiting for someone to come in and magically flick the wrist and make your dreams come true.

We never let you down.

I love that you play.

I love that you relax. I love that one or both of you is often in the room.

And even though you're a real cat, Maggie, that unlike Mumin you won't be picked up and you won't sit on a lap most of the time, when you do give in and allow yourself to be loved on, it melts my heart every single time.

The three of you are my family, and I love you so much.

Here's to one year together, and hopefully many more to come.

-H.

PS-the picture posts will stop now.

Posted by: Everydaystranger at 08:01 AM | Comments (15) | Add Comment
Post contains 497 words, total size 5 kb.

1 Aww! They're such gorgeous poosters! You can post as many pics of them as you want I'm all homesick for my two now, dagnabbit! AxXx

Posted by: Lemurgirl at November 29, 2005 11:31 AM (YcruH)

2 They're gorgeous. Post all the photos you want. I know what you mean about them trusting you to step over them. Ours do that too, and it is so sweet to know they trust and love us unconditionally. Mine are 9 year-old sisters, so they are in my decade now (in cat years). Old ladies, they are, and so very loved. I hope you have Maggie and Mumin for many years.

Posted by: kenju at November 29, 2005 12:54 PM (+AT7Y)

3 The picture posts are just grand and you have a lovely family. Happy anniversary, Helen!

Posted by: RP at November 29, 2005 01:46 PM (LlPKh)

4 I'm a firm believer, there's no such thing as too many cat pictures.. just ask my kids! I'm glad your girls took their science diet better than my girl (who chewed the hair off of her legs in protest). Thanks for sharing the pictures

Posted by: Erin at November 29, 2005 02:18 PM (BuifH)

5 We love the picture posts! Wow, it's been a whole year already?

Posted by: justme at November 29, 2005 05:39 PM (GvbUn)

6 The picture posts are OK with me! I miss my cats sometimes.

Posted by: ~Easy at November 29, 2005 05:49 PM (LN5gS)

7 What Erin said; there is no such thing as too many cat pictures. :-) And ditto; it's been a whole YEAR already? I still remember how shocked I felt when I read how they almost died because of the plane trip. Scary. And good move on the Science Diet. They develop kidney problems easily on the other foods as they get older. Very sweet kits! LOVE that you shared these pics! LOL at the toilet. :-)

Posted by: Amber at November 29, 2005 05:49 PM (zQE5D)

8 Very cute cats! They are wonderful aren't they. My cat Sophie does the same thing with laying on her back completely spread out. Very awesome they can trust like that. Ps...very cool blog.

Posted by: Amanda at November 29, 2005 06:19 PM (838ff)

9 they are so cute, Helen. Congratulations, kitties! And mnay more!

Posted by: caltechgirl at November 29, 2005 06:32 PM (/vgMZ)

10 Pictures or words, coming from you, they are all good.

Posted by: Paul at November 29, 2005 07:02 PM (wypb3)

11 *sniff* Happy Anniversary Helen an Angus and Mumin and Maggie.... LOVE pictures, you are a beautiful family. I wish you many, many more happy years together!

Posted by: Elizabeth at November 29, 2005 07:07 PM (Tk+uM)

12 Those are two beautiful cats. And the fourth picture? Fabulous. The perfect picture of feline indignation.

Posted by: Primal at November 29, 2005 08:49 PM (WXjFn)

13 I'm not a cat lover (very allergic) but those are cute pictures. Now I know that your ridiculously high cabinet isn't safe from nosy felines. But oh, horrors! How could you! Carpet in the bathroom? Shame!

Posted by: diamond dave at November 29, 2005 09:36 PM (406FR)

14 Oooh! It's our third wedding anniversary (I believe it's the Cotton Ball Anniversary, right?) this year! Whatta coincidence! And my Purrlie Girlie spends a whole lot of time lying flat on her back in the middle of the hallway. . .so she MUST trust us. Aheh. I know that Maggie is a wee more standoffish than Mumin but she's my favorite because of her beautiful green eyes. Not that I wouldn't be a FOOL over Mumin. . .they both are so adorable I couldn't help myself, I'm sure. I love your pictures -- don't stop! You have a very lovely family, darling. everyone needs to get together for a group hug from me. Heh. Love, love, loooooovvvvveeee, M

Posted by: Margi at November 30, 2005 07:48 AM (nwEQH)

15 I love kitties... I love kitties... I have five kitties and two are black and white - one of them looks a lot like yours, except he's a he. Happy Anniversary! {{{hugs}}}

Posted by: sue at November 30, 2005 06:08 PM (WbfZD)

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