crazy cat chapter one

New animals always provide for experiences that are unforgettable. As a child, I never lived in a home without at least one animal. In most cases, there were more than one! I didn't live without an animal from the minute I came home from the hospital until the day I left for college. Michael and I have been a little more leary about animals. We've tried a few dogs in our five years, but they never seem to work out. We just aren't too into dog poop.... and it seems that we aren't really too into potty training puppies either. And those who don't like poop and aren't very good potty trainers usually don't have a chance when it comes to dogs. So this time we're trying a cat. She came to us already litter box trained, a true blessing! I don't think I've ever trained anything in my whole life: husband, kids, students... it's a problem I'm working on fixing. Anyway, her name is Mocha, the cat that is. She looks just like a mocha: dark espresso, with milky swirls and the perfect amount of chocolate! We're at the point right now where we're just trying to figure out if she's just being a kitten or if she's psychotic! The cat can jump straight up in the air at least 3 feet! Is that normal? She arches her back like the black cats you see in Halloween cartoons, but I didn't think real cats could ever really arch that high! And when she pounces, she literally grabs ahold of your body like she's hugging you. And let me tell you my leg has been hugged one too many times by that silly cat! Kenzi... now she just treats her like her newest baby doll! She carries Mocha around by whatever body part is easiest to grab: neck, hind legs, you name it! I'm surprised Mocha hasn't puked all over Kenzi! But she doesn't just sit there and take it yet. That's the difference between Mocha and my prize cat from childhood. Gizmo would take just about anything! Mocha fights back though! Kenzi's knees, ankles, calves, elbows, forearms, and hands are so scratched up she looks like she got in a fight with a weed-eater! Poor girl! At night Mocha sleeps with us, which actually means shares a bed with us at night. I think she spends about two hours sleeping and about 5 hours pouncing! It's like she sees our legs through the blankets and automatically thinks it's feeding time! Unfortunately, that's where I'm headed now, but I'm going to get an extra blanket for protection tonight! Wish me luck!