Carter and Meiling

On Saturday, August 23, 2003 I adopted a kitten from Safe Haven for Cats, a kitten rescue organization which was showing kittens at the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts.  His name is Carter.  He's a gray shorthair and looks a lot like a Korat.  He seemed solid gray when he came home, but he has tabby marking that are becoming more prominent.  He was 14 weeks old when I got him.

When he was four months old I took him to the vet for his first checkup. The vet said he weighed 6 pounds! I figured I would end up with an enormous cat, but a year later, he was only 12 pounds.

The pictures are in reverse chronological order. Click on any picture to see a bigger version.

October (2004)

Meiling mid-jump.

April (2004)

There is a feather duster in the adjacent closet. Carter really wants it.
   

"Give me the feather duster, already!"

I compromised:  I got Carter a feather-toy, which he really likes.
                    

December

Meiling relaxing in a sunbeam
       

And then Carter arrives

 

But most of the time they get along fine
           

   

Carter always has a lot to say

November

Carter has a new hobby:  washing his food
       

Important lesson (relearned): never leave Carter alone with a feather duster.

Or a roll of toilet paper

Carter takes a break from chasing Meiling all over the house.
       

This toy vibrates when you pull a string. Carter has figured out how to pull the string all by himself.

Carter is also getting into yoga

Just hanging out

       

   

October

Carter decided to investigate the blinds
                

And when he was done he told me all about it

Carter found yet another place to nap
       

Meiling and Carter hanging out on the front deck
   

September

Friends at last?

Not quite big enough to reach the rail yet (thankfully)
    

Meiling and Carter hanging out
   

                            

Carter's bedtime

Carter doing some more flying
           

   

 

   

   

They didn't tell me Carter could fly.
            

Meiling has been getting a lot of extra attention.
    

Carter decided to live in the closet for a few days, but he eventually came out. He now spends most of his time under my bed.

He and Meiling get along better every day.
           

One day Carter found the feather duster. I decided this couldn't be good for him (or for the feather duster), so I eventually took the duster away.
       

       

---

August

Here is is in the cage at the P.A. Festival just before I adopted him
   

Here he is arriving home.
           
       

 

Carter is rather timid. He spends most of his time in the closet in my middle bedroom.
           

But sometimes I can coax him out
           

And, being a kitten, he really likes to play.  His favorite toy is a bit of string on the end of a pole (it used to have feathers on it, but they came off; I think Carter prefers it without the feathers).
               

BTW, Meiling is not really happy to have a new cat in the house, but I think she'll be friends with him eventually.