The Definition of Handsome

I've had my cat for 11+ years. Of all the animals in my house, he's been here the longest....by far.

I bought him for $39.99 at Pets of Wilshire in June 2000--he was 3 months-old. Never in my life had I BOUGHT a pet (I'm 100% strictly rescue), but I was tagging along with Dad while he got some necessities for my sister's rabbit and I spotted this sweet little boy in a cage with 2 other kittens.

I walked up to him and stuck my finger in the cage; he brushed right up against it, purring loud enough for me to hear. I opened the cage and held him in my arms. He purred the whole time and we kept rubbing our heads together affectionately. I just couldn't stop kissing his tiny little head.

A woman was there with her grandchildren and she was watching me with this little kitten. Dad had bought what he wanted and it was time to leave so I stuck the kitten back in the cage. The woman then approached me and said that cat looked exactly like her cat, Velvet, that she had just lost after 16 years together. I told her I was about to lose my cat, Amanda, to pancreatic cancer and that I sympathized with her. As I started to walk out with my dad, the woman ran up to us and said, "If you take that kitten, I promise I'll pay for everything--the vet bills, the expenses, anything you can think of! He reminds me so much of my Velvet and you two are clearly meant to be together."

We got her phone number and promised we'd think about it. A whopping 4 hours later, we were back and buying my sweet kitty. I decided to name him Velvet in honor of the woman that encouraged my to adopt him. And no, we didn't immediately call her and demand that she start writing checks.

Six months went by....my Amanda had long since passed away in an experience that still haunts me today. Velvet and I had become inseparable. I asked my dad to call the woman and tell her that I DID end up getting that kitten and that I decided to name him Velvet in honor of her cat. I insisted that I didn't want anything from her financially, but I just wanted to thank her for bringing the two of us together. She was SO happy that I'd taken him and I was SO happy that I had him AND that she was so happy. I figured we were more than even.

So yes, my manly, handsome cat is named Velvet. He's gorgeous, he's tough, and even my 95 lb lab-pit bull mix is terrified of him. Velvet was here first and he is truly the king of the castle.

BUT... as tough as he is with the other animals, when he's with me, he's still that sweet purring kitten that I fell in love with 11 years ago.