Thanks, Ralph. I do believe Czarny and Rudy will give us a lot of stories, too.
Rudy is a remarkably strong cat. Last night, it was very, very cold. Czarny slept with us. At one point, I felt Rudy walk across my feet, but when I shifted a little, he left. When WLToo woke up, he put his feet down on bare tile. Seems Rudy pulled the entire bedside rug under the bed and slept on it. WLToo has trouble shifting that rug, but Rudy pulled it completely under the bed and we never heard a sound. It will be even colder tonight; I hope Rudy joins us in bed and stays. If not, WLToo's feet will be cold in the morning...
We took the boys to the vet for their checkup, and to transfer their medical records to us. Rudy was fairly easy to put into the carrier, after we shooed him out from under the bed. Czarny, having seen Rudy go into the carrier, decided he wasn't having it. The chase was on. He'd hide somewhere, then come out when we called and rub on our legs. We'd pick him up, walk toward his carrier, and he'd go crazy. Finally got him into it by sneaky means, and he howled ugly names at us until the pickup actually began moving. Then he got just as quiet as Rudy.
At the vet, Czarny came out of his carrier and hid behind the computer monitor, the usual hiding spot for critters visiting the vet. Rudy was almost comatose in fear. When the vet pulled him out of the carrier, Rudy clung with all four feet to the blanket, so the vet examined him as he clung to it. Then all of us petted and fussed over him, to the point that he actually purred and didn't want to go back into the carrier. Czarny was expertly put back into his carrier, and home we went.
When we got home, Czarny shot out of the carrier and went into hiding. He stayed mad at us for almost 30 minutes. Meanwhile, I slid Rudy out of his carrier, wrapped him in the blanket, and held him. WLToo and I fussed over him until he nearly relaxed. WLToo fed him some treats, which he happily ate, then he wanted down. He's been visible off and on all evening, even watching a little TV, and not scramming the moment he sees us watching him.
Rudy weighs a full two pounds less than Czarny, leading me to believe he was the runt of that litter. Probably also explains why he's so fearful. But when our nephew dropped by, with a 20 pound turkey for WLToo to smoke next week, Rudy didn't even "spoil his relax" when Nephew looked under the cocktail table to see him. I do believe he's turning a corner and realizing this is his forever home.
I see Czarny wiggling his butt. Rudy must be on the other side of the door. I want to watch this. Later, y'all.
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." -- Mahatma Gandhi
Czarny, black cat
Rainbow Bridge: Spotacus, Alexander the Grrreat, and so very many more