I have to tell you that initially I was shocked!  The Mama I grew up with would never allow animals in the house.  And I've heard her remark many times about other people's animals in their homes....the inevitable smell, the hair, and just the general uncleanliness of it all.  I know there are many people who don't agree with me, but that is how we were brought up (and how I still feel!).  While we always had pets, they were always outdoor animals and we knew they were ANIMALS, not on anywhere close to the same level as people.

So when I found out Mama was getting a house pet I was stunned. 

But she's a big girl now, 80 years old, and if she wants a pet she can have her pet.

 

My sister Barb (who encouraged her to get the cat) took Mama to the animal shelter back in January and Mama fell in love with "Avery," a 4-month-old female (so she was told) kitten.

She couldn't take her home right away since Avery had yet to be spayed, but made arrangements to adopt her after that procedure was done.  Meanwhile, not really liking the name "Avery," Mama decided she would rename her new kitten "Kitsy."

A couple of weeks later, the vet who had "fixed" Mama's cat called her to tell her she could pick it up.  The vet nurse asked, "Are you going to keep the name Avery for your cat?"

Mama told her "no," that she really didn't think Avery sounded very girlish for her new kitten.  The nurse shocked Mama when she said, "Your cat is not a girl, Mrs. House.  It's definitely a MALE cat."

REALLY???  Let's not even speculate how the animal shelter, who should at least know the basics about animals, could not even tell that the cat was a male not a female. REALLY??? Even I, a non-cat-lover, could tell the difference.

Anyway, Mama was a bit disappointed at first since she'd had her heart set on a girl kitty.  But after thinking about it, she decided to adopt HIM anyway and renamed him "Dude."

Although she often refers to Dude as "her."

 

Dude is a beautiful cat, but he is very skittish.  The first couple of times I went to Mama's house after Dude moved in, I never saw him.  We searched everywhere for that darn cat, but he is a very good hider.  His curiosity gets the best of him, however, and he's getting a little braver to come around when I'm there.

 

He's certainly made himself quite at home there.

Mama says when she's there alone, he often hops up in her chair and lays down beside her, wanting to be petted.

 

Since he's just around 6 months old now, he's still very playful and entertains Mama with his antics.

 

While I was there, Dude was having a serious wrestling match with a rug.

 

I do love the little tufts at the top of his ears...

(I can't believe I just wrote a whole post on a cat.....)

But this not just any old cat.  He's Mama's spoiled (she leaves the radio on for him when she leaves because "he likes it"...), beloved companion,....

...Dude.