The Return of My Porch Buddy

Our dog Ellie sleeps beside the patio in the backyard of our rental house in Scottsdale, Arizona

One difference between Oregon and Arizona is I spend a lot more time outside on the back porch. Our rental house has a covered patio and a large backyard where I see a variety of birds (23 species so far this month). My porch buddy has returned with the cooler weather, Ellie likes to sleep on the cool ground though we do keep a dog bed there for her.

It Rains in the Desert

Our cat Sam sleeps curled up in a cat bed as it rains outside our home in Scottsdale, Arizona

After a hot summer (even for Phoenix) October set records for rainfall halfway into the month. I didn’t do any hiking when it was raining, these were not the gentle rains of Oregon, these were Noah-build-the-ark deluges. These storms lacked the thunder and lightning of the summer monsoons so Sam was rather nonplussed.

Getting Comfortable

Our cat Boo sleeps in a cat bed as a kitten, the top of his head and one of his paws sticking out of the top

We adopted Boo about five months after the death of Scout, another black-and-white cat. Their patterns were different enough that most of the time it wasn’t hard on me but in the early days at some angles I’d draw my breath in as he reminded me so much of her. The hardest time for me was when he was getting comfortable in his new home, even though in general it was a great relief as we were concerned the other two cats and the dog would be too much for the terrified little fellow. He started curling up in the cat bed beside me and for a couple of weeks I’d see him out of the corner of my eye and think it was Scout and feel a pinprick of grief before having it washed away with joy that Boo was home, and knew it.

I Wonder How I Should Introduce Myself to Sam?

Our cat Sam sleeps on the bed as our kitten Boo looks at him from behind

Probably a sneak attack is best.

From 2013 after we adopted Boo, we kept him in isolation for a couple of weeks to let him build up his confidence and give the other pets time to adjust. The night before letting him into the house for the first time we let the other pets come into his room. Boo was eager to impress his older brother. Fortunately he did not follow through on his instinct to jump on Sam from behind.

Our kitten Boo looks like he is about to spring on our cat Sam from behind

Where Is Boo Sleeping?

Our cat Boo is hidden as he sleeps underneath the quilt on the guest bed

Scout loved sleeping under blankets as a kitten but outgrew it and only did it in her later years if she was upset, for example if there had been sustained loud construction nearby. Boo frequently does it because, well, he’s Boo.