Me and Louise

I made a new friend. Her name is Louise. She lives under my bed for the most part. She is my kitty.
Louise and I have many adventures planned. We are armed and ready with a full tank of gas (well, it will be full sometime this week...), cat carrier, and cat leash and harness. We are set. Now, we are just waiting for the right weather and the ridiculous stream of assignments and projects to slow, or stop.

Louise and I met one fateful day, after a terrible week, at the Humane Society. It was love at first look. I got Louise out of her cage and she immediately climbed to my shoulder. We then had a tender 30 minute bonding session in a dungeon-like room where potential friends go to test the waters. Louise and I got along splendidly. She sniffed around, sniffing me, my face, my purse, and all of the walls. She carefully explored the tiny room and eventually curled up on my lap and began to purr. It was decided that we were soul mates. And so, for a sweet fee of $10, I got myself a little buddy.

It took Louise a little while to warm up to her new home, but, she feels VERY comfortable in my bedroom, and has recently started to explore the rest of the apartment when no one else is home. She is very adventurous. Louise gets WILD when she comes back in my room after one of her exploratory adventures! She runs in with her eyes big and wide, ready to bulge out of her petite head! She hops up on my bed, shoots me a look, and if I move to quickly, she dashes off under the bed or back out through the door and into the hallway. She loves this game.

Louise also had to get adjusted to playing. When I adopted her, I thought that she was just a stray, but it turns out that she came from a home with TONS of cats, and she may not have had any human interaction before. Really? Who treats animals that way? Not I. Anyway, Louise is learning. She has a bunch of toys, but so far her favorites are the canvas mouse with an orange yarn tail with a bell, and yarn. Specifically purple yarn that is not strewn across my bedroom. I decided to attach some to some surfaces so the yarn would be more contained. It seems to be working, though, Louise, I think, has been slowly eating pieces of it. While I was working one of my midterm projects last night, Louise thought it was funny to eat some of my thread that i was using. After all, it wiggles so nicely!

Louise loves to sleep. I got her a bed, but the only place she seems to appreciate it is in her carrier. Her favorite places to sleep are on my lap, under my bed, and in my armpit. My armpit apparently being the most cozy. Unfortunately, that is only available when I am sleeping. Louise migrates throughout the night until my armpit is in the prime sleeping position, then she nestles in, making sure to sniff my face and purr loudly before-hand.

I found the best vet for Louise. And this sweet veterinarian and her nurses love Louise, but really, who wouldn't? Unfortunately, on our first visit we found out that Louise is sick. She was diagnosed with Cat Leukemia. It affects cats like AIDS does in humans. Poor Louise. She can be okay. She just needs to be the only cat, ever, and have a really healthy diet. We are going back to the vet on Thursday to get her another checkup and make sure she is doing alright. I was so scared for Louise, but her vet helped me feel better and hopeful for my little Louise.

All in all, Louise and I are doing great. We love life together. I love the company and she loves the love. Me and Louise are in for an adventure.