≡ Menu

Meet Лёша

We accidentally got a cat the other day.

The kids are barley excited about him, he has barely become the best part of their day…

photo_6

Ok, just kidding.

I will casually call him the best cat ever.

photo_5

 

Which is both a blessing and a curse.  You see, as all cats do, this one darted out the door the other day, running off to hide–craze in his eyes at the freedom.  We love this cat so darn much, that we made signs, strapped kids in carseats, windows down, voices calling out his name, making circles and looking for him.  We prayed (I mean really, who prays for a cat…) which led us to walk through an abandoned house, and FIND HIM!  Our love her this cat makes us do strange things.

Our love for this cat–double edged sword.

He lets the boys scoop him up in their clumsy arms, and carry him around the house while speaking loud baby-talk to him, “Ooooooo, be-be kitteeee…. Esss ok, eees, ok.”

They will carry him into a room filled with people, back toes dragging on the floor, and much to everyone’s surprise, he doesn’t have a look of fear set to spring away, but of relaxation, content with the touch and love.  It’s so weird.  And we love it.

Notice below, the hold Finley has on him.  You can’t hear it, but he is loudly playing with a car in the other hand, while little brother says, “I won hold him….” on repeat.  All to which, he fell asleep in Finley’s arms.

photo

 

When he is frisky, he will bat at their tiny, metal cars, which causes them so much delight, they almost die.

The other day, while Elijah’s infant Ed teacher was here, Лёша came in the room, and sat watching them.  I left and returned 20 minutes later, and he was still there, watching Elijah with his teacher, facing them, on alert.   His name means defender.

photo_2

He is not spooked by loud noises or abrupt movements, meaning the boys are getting a lot of quality cat time, which in turn teaches them how to handle animals well.  He has short, velvety fur, that the kids love to hug and pet.

photo_3

 

photo_1

 

Maria can cozy him up, place him in her flat stroller, where he will sleep.  For a long time.  Where he will allow each child to push him around the house.

But his favorite thing, is to find someone resting, so he can curl up with them, purr at a loud level, and sleep alongside.

(Is this normal?)

photo_4

 

If you can’t pronounce his name, you can call him Leo for short, although the kids will correct you with his full name.

Well….

Perfect cat except one tiny thing.  He farts.  Like, for real.

Ah man, our love for him runs too deep to care.photo

“Did you need something?”

Have you ever had a cat like this?  Either one who is so good with kids, or one so stinky?

 

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Jennie March 3, 2014, 3:25 pm

    Amy: Best post ever ‘cos it has a cat in it! Leo is gorgeous! I have 3 adoptees and they are the best 4-legged companions ever – each with their own quirks. My cats love to play fetch as well- just like the dog.

  • Jen March 3, 2014, 3:31 pm

    yes, we have two very loving cats 🙂 As for the stinky farting part – one of ours did that and it turns out he had coccidia parasites – sometimes hard to spot. one vet missed it entirely. some medication cleared the stinkiness right up.

    • tinyteam March 3, 2014, 3:36 pm

      Hmmm…did these parasites have any other symptoms, bathroom wise?

  • Kim March 3, 2014, 3:35 pm

    My family had a cat like this for years… a grey tabby named Parker! Who like your cat also didn’t mind my brother shooting his super-fighter robot at him and could put up with my need to carry him like a teddy-bear.

    He sort of freaked other cats out in the sense… he was so unlike them and much more like a dog that loves unconditionally and speaks approval.

    Our cat didn’t fart… but anytime one of our neighbors would leave their windows to their cars open during the summer- he’d hop in for a ride. Some of our neighbors even gave him ‘free-rides’ around the street because, they knew Parker loved them so much.

    Parker definitely gave me some great memories as a kid! 🙂

    • tinyteam March 3, 2014, 3:36 pm

      Oh my gosh…that’s so cute!

  • Annette March 3, 2014, 4:14 pm

    We have a cat we call Angel, but it’s become Angel de Muerte. He is loving and sleeps on the kids’ beds and when he comes inside he just saunters through the 4 barking dogs. We call it “running the bulls”. Anyway, he kills everything. Mice, rats, birds, snakes and especially squirrels. He once came into the house with something sticking out of his mouth when I yelled at him, he opened his mouth and then a bird flew out. We finally found the bird in a window and were able to let him out. We have peacocks in the neighborhood whom we feed and I know that if he thought he could put the drop on the peacock he would. Congrats on a fab cat. Annette

  • CathyC March 3, 2014, 5:50 pm

    Our cat Teddy was the same way! She loved people, and the kids practically squeezed her to death every day! no farting though- never heard of that from a cat.

  • Steph March 3, 2014, 8:57 pm

    Try a change in food. He may be sensitive to an ingredient in your current brand. Had a cat like that once and changed to organic food (Newman’s Own) and everything was better!

  • Heather March 4, 2014, 6:07 am

    I was also going to say change his food….my cat’s pooh was stinking out the house and I changed his food and now no stinky! He sounds absolutely delightful!

  • Kay March 4, 2014, 6:17 am

    Awww, this is just like my cat Noodleface! My nieces love to come over and have a sleepover with Noodleface, because the cat apparently LOVES to sit in a tiny chair and be served tea, have dress-up time, have her picture taken, and sit on laps all day long. She loves kids and will follow them around the house and put up with all their antics. Noodleface is 7 now and it might seem nuts but I really hope she is still around when our own children make their appearances someday!

  • Kerry March 4, 2014, 10:17 am

    I adore that picture of Elijah with standing Leo. So darling!

  • Missy March 4, 2014, 8:00 pm

    Hmmm is he fixed? Has the vet taken a “sample” to test for parasites? What’s he eating? Like does he catch things and eat them? Ewwwwww. 🙂 I’d say he is an amazing cat and a keeper for sure!

  • Jenniffer March 4, 2014, 9:05 pm

    We have a very easy going cat over here. His name if Floppy and until recently he wasn’t a snuggler, but now he craves it. If he doesn’t fall asleep by my face (then he is at my feet) he will wake me up a bit earlier than I normally get up, so that I will scoot over and snuggle him. It is truly the best feeling ever.

  • Sweb March 5, 2014, 3:30 am

    I’ve been reading your blog for a while. I love it. You write so well and I love how you love your kids. We r an adoptive family and we have bunches of foster kids in our home now. We also have cats! Over the years we have had three such cats who are like your “Leo”. They are truly the best. I love that they teach the kids in all sorts of ways. Some we can’t even see. We have one of them now. His name is Yooper. Long story…. He’s now called Yooper Pooper……:)
    Thanks for sharing your life. It’s enjoyable to watch!

  • kimberly March 5, 2014, 5:56 am

    Our cat Baily. He survived all 6 of my kids, plus 18 neighborhood kids, dressing him up in dresses and pushing him around in a baby stroller. Or jumping with him on the trampoline, or “allowing him to swim” in our baby pool. Baily always took in it stride. I laughed at the toes dragging part, because that is how my kids always carried him around. Always purring. And yes, we have prayed for our cat. He lived 23 years. I think he enjoyed every. single. one. Very very loved.

  • Julia March 24, 2014, 3:04 pm

    This was handy link http://www.forvo.com in learning how to pronounce Leo’s true name- I like his Russian name!! While I don’t like cats (I’ve been attacked by two and have a nasty scar on the back of my leg that still hurts sometimes!), but he seems much like my puppy, so I like him! 🙂