Dreamer's World January 28 2015 - Stevie Nicks
No, not the singer, but she is a real Diva.
Stevie Nicks came to live with us after one of our cats, U.K., passed away in 2011. We have 2 other cats, Maxwell and Spartacus that were having a terrible time adjusting to life without their big brother around. We realized that they both needed another cat to interact with, since that is what they had dealt with their entire lives.
We looked far and wide for a cat that was going to be good with other cats, and was not so old that he/she couldn't learn to cope with Maxwell and Spartacus. Eventually, Hal and I went to the Arlington County Animal Shelter in Virginia and looked at some of the cats that were up for adoption there. Of course, the kittens were the most adorable, and might have been the easiest choice, but we kept searching through the cages until one of the volunteers suggested a 1.5 year-old female that had been named Stevie Nicks when she was brought in.
I still remember the time waiting in the visiting room as they went to get Stevie Nicks and brought her to me. She looked as beautiful as in the picture. She was put on the floor, and she walked right over to me and began to talk. I think that she was probably saying something about the scents of Maxwell and Spartacus that were all over me. She sniffed a few times and then climbed into my lap and let me rub her head and scratch her behind the ears. Within 2 minutes she was almost asleep on my lap and I knew that I had found the perfect cat to bring home.
Little did I realize that Stevie Nicks would be the adventurous cat that she has turned out to be. We kept her in a separate room for the first 24 hours after bringing her home in order for Maxwell and Spartacus to adjust to having her around. This plan ended when Spartacus barged through the door as we were bringing food to Stevie Nicks. Spartacus arched his back and began hissing at Stevie Nicks. Stevie Nicks stopped washing herself and looked at Spartacus as if he had lost his mind! When Spartacus hissed again, Stevie Nicks flew after him like a rocket, tackled him and they began to fight! Spartacus ran away as quickly as he could, and Stevie Nicks went back to the food we had brought her. Hal and I both agreed that her "introductory" phase was over.
Within a few minutes, Stevie Nicks also met Maxwell face to face. The results were the same as they had been with Spartacus. As time went on, Maxwell and Spartacus adjusted to having Stevie Nicks around, the fights became playful and continue that way to this very day. We were happy that Stevie Nicks had proven that she could stay with us after all.
Hal then had to make a trip out of town. I was at home with the cats one evening and I heard a huge crash from the other room. Stevie Nicks had climbed a spiral staircase type of plant stand and brought the entire thing down around her! Dirt was everywhere on the carpet, and Stevie Nicks looked as if she was about to die. I started laughing, and I called Hal to tell him what had happened. He found it funny as well. Stevie Nicks has never climbed where things are that precarious again without being scolded.
As the 3+ years have passed, Stevie Nicks is still my baby. Whenever I get home, she wants to curl up on my lap and have her head rubbed. Most of the time she goes to sleep in my lap, other times she gets her attention and then wanders off to see what she can get into. I adore her regardless which choice she makes.
Pets are special. If you don't feel that way, please don't get a pet. I look forward to going home from work each day to see Stevie Nicks, as well as Maxwell and Spartacus. Hal enjoys them all as well. I don't know what life would be like without Stevie Nicks, Maxwell, or Spartacus. It won't be easy, but we have learned that there is always room for one more. Love is plentiful and that makes everything OK.
We looked far and wide for a cat that was going to be good with other cats, and was not so old that he/she couldn't learn to cope with Maxwell and Spartacus. Eventually, Hal and I went to the Arlington County Animal Shelter in Virginia and looked at some of the cats that were up for adoption there. Of course, the kittens were the most adorable, and might have been the easiest choice, but we kept searching through the cages until one of the volunteers suggested a 1.5 year-old female that had been named Stevie Nicks when she was brought in.
I still remember the time waiting in the visiting room as they went to get Stevie Nicks and brought her to me. She looked as beautiful as in the picture. She was put on the floor, and she walked right over to me and began to talk. I think that she was probably saying something about the scents of Maxwell and Spartacus that were all over me. She sniffed a few times and then climbed into my lap and let me rub her head and scratch her behind the ears. Within 2 minutes she was almost asleep on my lap and I knew that I had found the perfect cat to bring home.
Little did I realize that Stevie Nicks would be the adventurous cat that she has turned out to be. We kept her in a separate room for the first 24 hours after bringing her home in order for Maxwell and Spartacus to adjust to having her around. This plan ended when Spartacus barged through the door as we were bringing food to Stevie Nicks. Spartacus arched his back and began hissing at Stevie Nicks. Stevie Nicks stopped washing herself and looked at Spartacus as if he had lost his mind! When Spartacus hissed again, Stevie Nicks flew after him like a rocket, tackled him and they began to fight! Spartacus ran away as quickly as he could, and Stevie Nicks went back to the food we had brought her. Hal and I both agreed that her "introductory" phase was over.
Within a few minutes, Stevie Nicks also met Maxwell face to face. The results were the same as they had been with Spartacus. As time went on, Maxwell and Spartacus adjusted to having Stevie Nicks around, the fights became playful and continue that way to this very day. We were happy that Stevie Nicks had proven that she could stay with us after all.
Hal then had to make a trip out of town. I was at home with the cats one evening and I heard a huge crash from the other room. Stevie Nicks had climbed a spiral staircase type of plant stand and brought the entire thing down around her! Dirt was everywhere on the carpet, and Stevie Nicks looked as if she was about to die. I started laughing, and I called Hal to tell him what had happened. He found it funny as well. Stevie Nicks has never climbed where things are that precarious again without being scolded.
As the 3+ years have passed, Stevie Nicks is still my baby. Whenever I get home, she wants to curl up on my lap and have her head rubbed. Most of the time she goes to sleep in my lap, other times she gets her attention and then wanders off to see what she can get into. I adore her regardless which choice she makes.
Pets are special. If you don't feel that way, please don't get a pet. I look forward to going home from work each day to see Stevie Nicks, as well as Maxwell and Spartacus. Hal enjoys them all as well. I don't know what life would be like without Stevie Nicks, Maxwell, or Spartacus. It won't be easy, but we have learned that there is always room for one more. Love is plentiful and that makes everything OK.
Spartacus, Stevie Nicks, and Maxwell
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