(Side note:  Joe Kitty came into my life at age 3 months, and 7+ pounds.  He
is now 2 years old and about 19 lbs of orange fluff, all Maine Coon kitten
through and through.)

I was young, I was naive, I didn't know what I was looking for.  I wasted my
youth lolling around in the center of the street, sunning my belly.

I was a kitten, what did I know of life?

And then,  I got hungry.  So when I saw the door open - I dashed in.  The
cry went up, "No!  NO no no !  NO!"  and then "Jill, grab that cat and take
it to TBird's house!"

Well, okay.  Free ride, same house but backwards, and a bowl full of food
already set up.  Cool.  What more could I want?  I claimed several stuffed
animals.  I ignored that other she cat thing.  I didn't have to turn the
charm on much, I was adorable.  The house was mine...but, it lacked
something.

Then one evening, HE walked in.  I had to have this human.  This was the
one!  This one had to be mine.  Meowmie was on the phone, so he sat down and
I immediately pounced and settled myself into his crossed arms across his
belly and chest.  PURRfect!  Yes, this was the one.

He kept going away.  Then one really hot hot hot day, Meowmie locked me up
in her room, and then put me in a carrier, and then when she let me out we
were in this house, and everything smelled like HIM!  MINE MINE MINE!

My human is wonderful.  He comes home and sits down just so I can go pounce
him for my ear scritchies.  He says things like "S'notma cat!", and
"Whymie?", and "wasrongwith thatcat?".  But he's mine.  He gives me
scritches, and rubs my ears and holds on to me when he has to lean over for
coffee.  (That coffee is strange stuff, it makes him go, "oooomph" and sound
like he's in pain as he reaches for it a lot).  I like to lick his eyebrows
in the dark time.  It's fun to help him cook breakfast.  He can never close
that drawer with the long silver sharp thingies in it by himself, so I have
to do it for him.  He also needs me to help get dressed in the morning.

How did Daddy ever live without me?

Joe Kitty.