Boo – Page 27

Scout & Boo

While Boo’s black-and-white coat resembles Scout’s in some ways, it was his early attempts to get up into the ceiling and ducts that reminded me most of her. Up above you can see a board above the circuit breakers, placed there when we moved in over a decade ago to keep Scout out. It was a constant battle in those early days, we’d block off access to one spot and she’d find another. She was crafty so it usually took multiple attempts to block her out for good.

Scout was already full grown when we moved in so skinny little Boo was able to find one spot into the ducts that we hadn’t blocked off but that was soon rectified. He got dirty during his foray but we had learned from past experience to let him clean himself. I didn’t use to believe in superheroes, ordinary people one moment who in a flash could transform into something greater. But one day after sneaking into the ducts Scout came out looking like a furry little coal miner, so I gave her a bath in the same utility sink Boo is standing in above. The moment the water hit her fur, my sweet little girl grew ten legs, each ending in a paw with a hundred claws. Some sought for purchase as she tried to wiggle from my grasp, leaving the others free to flail wildly and attack whatever they could. She dug into my hands, my arms, my chest, and rather painfully into my nose.

That’s me below holding Scout after her bath, drying her off with a towel. Fortunately Scout couldn’t hold a grudge, not even for a moment, so she quickly forgave me and we never spoke of it again.

I hold our cat Scout as she grooms herself after getting a bath

Shy

After living in isolation in my wife’s office during his first two weeks with us, we slowly let Boo expand both his contact with the other pets and his exposure to the rest of the house. He was more than ready to start exploring but still rather nervous about it and sought out safety zones where he could retreat when he got overwhelmed. He soon discovered the gap behind the washer and dryer could fit a Boo but not a Boolie.

The Healing Game

This year has been a painful lesson in how long it can take a broken heart to heal. And yet how quickly, when the time is right, it can fall in love again. I didn’t want to fall for Boo in his first few weeks with us, he was shy and stressed from his time in the shelter and we didn’t know well he’d integrate with the dog and two cats, one of whom wasn’t at all happy with his arrival.

We always introduce new pets slowly but took extra time with Boo and while not always easy, it paid off in the long run. Boo grabbed hold of his second chance at life and has grown so much, both physically and emotionally, in his three months with us.

Which is fortunate, as I fell for him immediately.

This picture is from his fourth day with us.

Drifting Off

I spent the day at home, partly because I wasn’t feeling well and partly to ease Boo’s transition to my wife and I both being gone during the day. I’ve been spending a lot of the past few days with the other pets (who are sleeping around me in a circle now) while my wife stays with Boo, so it was a good chance for some one-on-one time.

Boo curled up on my chest as we slept through the morning, then in the afternoon as I set him on the couch to take a picture, he instead curled up beside me with his head against mine, purring loudly. The purring suddenly stopped and I surmised he had fallen asleep, so I eased back to take his picture. He flopped halfway over the edge, opened his eyes for a moment, and promptly fell back asleep.

We had a nice day, Boo and I, even if we slept through much of it.

Don’t Mind if I Do

I was sitting on the floor this afternoon when Boo came over unprompted and crawled into my lap and fell asleep. I wasn’t prepared for it and not sitting in a comfortable place, but I let him stay as long as he wanted. He’s still pretty skittish but the transformation he’s undergone in a few days is incredible. There’s a downside to this. I’ve been sleeping in the bedroom so Sam can keep his routine of sleeping on me, while my wife is sleeping in the basement with Boo, who kept her up most of the night showering her with affection.

Two Days Today

Two days ago Boo trembled in fear at our introduction. Today he curled up beside me and slept with his head on my chest.

Remarkable.

Say Hello to Boo

Meet the newest member of our family, a seven-month-old kitten named Boo.

I thought it most likely we would adopt one of the many impossibly cute two-month-old kittens at the Oregon Humane Society as it seemed like it would have the best odds of integrating with our other pets. But my wife found an older kitten named Bronco who had been at the shelter for a couple of weeks but was struggling with life there. His previous owners said he got along with cats and dogs so she went down Wednesday evening before OHS closed to meet him. He was extremely shy and shook like a leaf when she met him, but eventually he warmed up to her and she wanted me to meet him.

OHS was closed on Thursday for the 4th of July but we went down first thing on Friday morning. He shook at first too when I met him but then warmed up much quicker than I expected and soon was walking in and out of my lap and purring loudly.

It was settled. He was coming home with us, and getting a new name.

I didn’t try for pictures yesterday since it was such a stressful day for the poor little fellow but in the meantime his confidence has grown by leaps and bounds. Plus a new camera arrived this morning that is much less obtrusive and he was happy enough to be my first test subject, pausing for a brief moment while playing in a paper bag.

As with Scout, Boo takes his name from Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”. At the end of the book, Boo and Scout share a moment that is one of my favorites in all of literature. Our Boo and Scout never met as Boo joins us five months after her death. Their coloring is similar but that wasn’t a deliberate choice (that’s Boo above, Scout at a similar age below). The timing worked out nicely as a few weeks ago the similarity would have been too much for me to bear.

So welcome, Boo. You’re home now.

Adopted!

But by whom?