Adopted; Reese, the Camano Kitty

Adopting My Camano Kitty

We have a new member of the family. We adopted a seven-year-old orange tabby cat from the great folks at the Camano Island Shelter, in mid - December 2012. We're glad to share Reese's story with everyone. He's an interesting, thoughtful cat. Very respectful, and he doesn't take anything for granted. He gets along with our other cats well, even eating right beside them. It was as if they knew Reese was coming!

Reese was brought into the Camano Island Shelter in late summer, and since he was a stray, he has no known history or habits to share. He was tentative at first; loud noises or play would startle him. He watched us a lot. We gave him some space; meaning, we'd "moosh" our faces into his soft belly, at least five or six times a day, although we wanted to kiss him much more.

We would pet him when he was comfortable, in a spot of his own choosing. Soon, we found him sitting on the couch right by my husband, Phil, every evening. When our adult daughters sat down, he'd sit beside them, and was glad to be petted, but when their Dad came home, he'd end up on his chest, face to face. Dad was grinning broadly at having his "own kitty".

As Reese expressed his preference for Dad more, we noticed he was now walking down the hall ahead of us at bedtime, as soon as "his person" had turned off the computer, or TV. He was watching and learning. Smart cat.

One day, he was on the end of our bed, "his spot", early Sunday morning. Phil returned from the kitchen with a bowl of milk and cereal. Quickly, Reese walked up to Phil's chest, begging for the milk within seconds. Well, there's a reaction! We'd tried to feed him treats before, but he'd even ignored salmon skins. The milk in the cereal bowl! That was just what he wanted.

He's responding to words now, like "milk", and calling, "Reese, big kitty", earns a quick flick of the ear. "Mooshing" his plush, apricot/white tummy, and telling him how beautiful he is, inspires great purring.

We're delighted to discover his devotion to my husband, Phil. Reese was ready to choose his forever person, and watching the trust grow between them is wonderful.

He accepts our cuddling and "kissing" by pointing his nose high in the air, so we may scratch his chin, first. He is generously loved by all of us and gives it back easily.

Thank you, Camano Shelter, for helping us find our wonderful Reese. See the CASA website to find your forever friend, or call, 360.387.1902.