Leo's Belated Gotcha Day!

On March 26, 2011 we made an eight hour journey to meet Chrystal and pick up my darling little baby Leo! I say "little" because that's what I expected. But I've learned that there is nothing 'as expected' about my heart kitty!

It was my gotcha day, I got my fav snackie and good mommy snuggles! 'Cause I'm that awesome, right! Mommy said so!

At nine months old, I expected to see a long and lanky but still not full grown kitten! What I got was a long and lanky HUGE kitty, bigger than my senior kitty Star! I thought maybe since he was a kitten and smaller than her that she might accept him, you know, 'aw look at the baby!' Um, nope!

Chrystal said he'd take a long time to adjust and become friendly since he was scared of everyone but her. So I expected him to be frightened of me and to try to get away when I was trying to move him from Chrystal's carrier to my carrier. I pulled him out and he melted into my arms. Half of the eight hour trip back home was spent with him clinging to my shoulder, leaning into my head (the other half huddled in a kennel looking miserable but never making a peep.

I expected him to want to explore after I let him out of the laundry room that was set up as a home base for him. And he did, a little. But he would cry for me when he couldn't find me. I would go and find him, calling his name and he would run to me like "where did you go! Don't do that again!"

I expected there to be tension between him and Star but that they would eventually learn to live together, maybe even be friends. Nope, never. She despised him and he occasionally antagonized her on purpose, just for the fun of it. Funnily enough, she kind of liked his sisters when they joined us three years later, but that's a story for their gotcha day.

I expected to remember his Gotcha day because I kept thinking about it all month. But then it fell on a weekend home and I spend the day snuggling with him and not writing... whoops. I'm thinking, though, that if you asked him, he'd say he would rather have the snuggles!

Snuggles are the best, especially when I get kisses on the top of my head! I even let mommy get in a short tummy rub.. My little gift to her for adopting me.

I expect you all are expecting an obligatory kitty picture? This one, you get the expected!


This is how Leo spent half the ride home, snuggled over my shoulder. Couldn't move him from that spot with a stick of dynamite!

 

One of the first pictures of baby Leo and some of his sisters. Leo is top left. Under him is Spritz I think, front and center is Glitter and behind her ear is Cashmere!

This is after he shed some of his fear and was out playing still at Winnie's Wish!

Happy 6th Gotcha Day Leo the Chinese Lion! I'm so glad you got gotted by ME!!!!!