"But if he is truly ![]() I was heartbroken. Losing my Livingstone, the most regal ginger cat in existence and companion of the past 17 years was still rough, three months later. Nothing can truly fill the massive gap created by that kind of loss creates. Livingstone had been with me though some of the toughest moments and losses in my life. It just wasn't the same, waking up without him purring by my side. He had been a furry skeptic keeping me grounded, down to earth, and my personal people reader (I trust what my cat has to say about someone, as they are generally spot on). I always felt loved even when he refused to talk to me, because I knew hey would always forgive me.. eventually. *** I felt eyes on me as soon as I stepped through the door, which wasn't unusual. The veterinarian reception room contained a couple of small dogs and their owners, a large elderly dog and a small girl with a cat basket. The feeling only intensified, as I glanced around. A pair of yellow eyes locked on mine. I broke his gaze and glanced at the scrap of paper taped on the side of the glass: "Hi! My name is Arnold." He sat there with the air of a tiger surveying his kingdom, appearing much larger than he actually was. He wasn't the most handsome cat I had ever met; his hair was short and he was a tad on the chunky side. But what he lacked in looks he made up for in a roguish sort of charm. As if reading my thoughts, he got to his feet and strutted over, demanding attention and showcasing his charm. He let out a trilling mew and butted his head against the glass. One end of the case had slits just big enough to poke a finger into. Delighted, he began butting his head against my finger and purring furiously. The message couldn't be clearer: “Please give me a home?” The charm and charisma coming off him, this little ginger, was quite amusing. However, it wasn’t until one of the lovely nurses asked me if I'd like to give him a cuddle that I was sold. I adopted a new friend, meditation buddy and my very own art supervisor (and occasional muse) that day. He will never replace Livingstone, as they are so completely different! For one Odysseus is only cuddly when he wants, not when I need him to be, and he has a few issues - but doesn't everyone? I love them both for their uniqueness. And no, I didn’t stick with Odysseus’ original name... The name Arnold is derived from German and roughly means 'Eagle Power' (hey, my sister is a writer, I get to pick up lots of random trivia!). There was no way I was going to have a cat called Arnold! Every time he went out the door, all I imagined was that line from the Terminator, "I will be back..." LOL Naming him Odysseus probably wasn’t any less pretentious, and it seems to suit him, so I think he got a pretty good deal. After all, I could have named him Ginger… I love The Odyssey, and Odysseus was probably one of the only heroes who got a decent ending and didn’t get murdered or die in some tragic way. Albeit, it did take him 10 years and many epic adventures to get home to his beloved Penelope and son. (I find it amusing that Odysseus is very much in love with my other studio cat Ms. P. Although the P originally stood for Persnickety, I believe it actually is for Penelope now.) The point is that Odysseus in the story survived many great challenges that were thrown at him (mostly by angry gods) and got to come home to people who loved him. Now, what more could an adopted cat ask for?
1 Comment
Mom
24/1/2019 11:05:32 pm
Ahh, Arnold was an odd name for him, it did surprise me when we first set eyes on him... He looks so content now. Home-sweet-home xx Mom
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Siobhan is a Visual Artist Painting the Animals who leave their prints all over your HEART.
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