About a month ago, Will excitedly called us and told us he had received a letter from his apartment complex stating that they would now allow their residents to have up to two cats. When he moved in almost a year ago, only birds and fish were allowed in the apartment complex. Having a dog or a cat in your apartment was immediate cause for eviction, plus fines for clean-up. Will has been thinking ever since he moved in that he would be finding another place to live so that he could get a cat.

So Will began planning to get his cat(s). He is a planner by nature. He researched the animal shelters and Humane Societies in the towns near him. He went out and bought a litter box, litter, cat food, and a scratching post. We, of course, had to try to influence that cat(s) that he would choose. I said he should avoid a light colored cat because he would be continually using a lint brush. We suggested  he get a fully grown cat because everyone wants kittens, but adult cats have a harder time getting adopted. Ralph said that black cats are adopted less often. Will told us that he would choose the cat(s). Back off Mom and Dad. Still, we persisted. Make sure that you get cats that are affectionate and want to sit in your lap.

Will went to a Humane Society (which was 11.3 miles from his apartment). He called me while I was at Kohl’s shopping with Mary for clothes. He needed the phone numbers of people who could be references for him.

After he brought Ninja and Grant home, he called us. He said that when he sat down in the “Cat room,” Grant and Ninja almost immediately leaped into his lap at the same time, so he figured that they would get along. He paid 85 dollars for Ninja (a female) and 1 dollar for Grant (a male). Of course, they are fixed.

Ninja escaped the cat carrier on the way home and hid under the seat of his car. Will had to coax her out with some food. Then he took them into their new home with him. Grant was sick on the car ride home.

He called us on Saturday night very worried about Grant, who wasn’t eating. He would only drink milk. We discussed various solutions. Now Will has dependents.