So, since I am new, I figured I would post up on how Holden found his way into my life. I moved to Seattle from Jacksonville, FL about a year ago. I have no friends here and work a LOT so I don't get out much. I wanted a pet and got a nice fish tank. I keep African Cichlids and devoted a lot of time to getting my tank just right and stocked with compatible fish and stabilizing the ecosystem so it is virtually maintenance free. Well, after a few months it became self sufficient and only needed me to feed the fish. It got a bit boring. Next, I was going to adopt a small dog, but figured it would be cruel to get a dog when I live in an apartment and have no yard for the dog to run around in. So, scratch the dog idea. One day about 5 months ago, I was checking out Craigslist here in Seattle and came across an ad for a kitten. the kid who had it was not allowed to have it and had been hiding it in a dresser drawer so his Mom would not find it. I saw the pictures and felt so bad for the little guy. I sent the kid an email and we agreed to meet at the South Center mall in Seattle and I would take the kitten. i gave the kid $30 for Holden. it was a shame too. it was raining like crazy out (go figure, rain in Seattle?) and the kid was maybe 15 years old. Holden was wrapped up in a torn off t-shirt sleeve and he was horribly skinny and looked like crap. he was filthy and had fleas. Previous to picking him up I had made a trip to PetSmart and got the prerequisite items for cat ownership, a litter box, food, feeding bowls, kitty condo, toys, flea comb and flea shampoo. First thing when we got home, I let him eat. He devoured almost a full bowl of dry kitten food. Once he was done eating and drinking, I filled the sink with lukewarm water and bathed him. I dried him with a blow dryer and combed his hair out. He was exhausted and seemed a bit leery of me, but he was too tired to do anything but sleep. The next day he made his first and only accident on the carpet. I had read that you should pick of the mess, put it in the litter box and then put the cat in the litter box. Well, it worked for Holden. he never had another accident to this day. As he got older I began to notice he was a very friendly cat. He liked to be around me and he liked nothing more than to lay on my chest, under my chin and fall asleep while purring away. That was about the time I researched what kind of cat he was. The kid said he was a rag doll cat. So I looked them up. he looks like quite a few of the examples I have seen and he sure does have the disposition. he pretty much goes limp when you pet him and hold him. He has fallen asleep in some pretty funny positions. He has grown so fast and is so much bigger than he was, it is amazing! He likes to steal my socks and stock-pile them under the couch, I think he has made a nest out of them. He loves crunchy sounding toys and those little balls with the bell inside them. he can spend hours playing soccer with them in the kitchen. he is very attentive and loves to explore. he sleeps on the bed every night and has picked his spot on the mattress next to the pillows I sleep on. He talks to me, literally. he will look at me and begin meowing like I can understand him. I have really fallen in love with this little guy. I am glad I took the chance on a scrawny little kitten I saw on Craigslist, The kid who had him said he was just going to let the cat go in the mall parking lot if I had not shown up. Glad I was there early. Anyway, just wanted to share the story of how I got this guy, my first cat.
