On Monday, my boyfriend took our trash to the dump. There, someone had dumped a deer carcass. He saw a small gray and black cat eating it, but when he got out of his truck, she ran up to him and meowed.

Now, she thinks he is just the most amazing thing in the world, since he took her away from the dump, gave her a warm, safe home, good regular cat food, a litter box of her own, plenty of mice to chase (we have a bit of an infestation), and a warm, cuddly, affectionate human who loves animals.

She apparently loves everyone and everything. She's smallish, very affectionate, and quite cuddly. She even cuddles with our dog, who seems to be fine with her, albeit a little possessive of <i>his</i> human. He hasn't been aggressive toward her at all, but apparently gets quite more cuddly than usual when he finds himself with my boyfriend somewhere where the cat is not. My boyfriend guesses she is about 3 or 4 months old, but we don't really know. We're pretty sure she's lived with people before, since she's so comfortable and friendly with people and understood the concept of dish = food the first time.

I spend weekends with my boyfriend in the woods in the house we are building together (it still has only one room, and now with four of us!) but live in town with my mother during the week while I attend college. I met her briefly when he brought her into town for a checkup and shots from the vet, but I haven't really had a chance to get to know her yet. I'm looking forward to it though. I admit I'm a little aprehensive, since there's a new being living in my home with my boyfriend and I don't even know her yet, other than what my boyfriend has described, but I'm not particularly worried. I love cats, almost as much as I love dogs.

I do intend to spend at least as much time as usual this weekend, if not more so, playing with my dog. Though I'm sure my boyfriend has not neglected him at all, he probably is also feeling some aprehension and a bit of jealousy. I want to make sure he knows that he is not being replaced. I love my dog! He's the best dog in the world, the most perfect expression of the dog I always wanted when I was a kid. But, I guess, this cat might just turn out to be the perfect expression of the cat I always wanted as a kid. I think all will be well.

Pictures to come, hopefully, if I can lay hands on a few, both of my dog and also of the new cat.

I'm in favor of naming her "Poke."

We'll see if it sticks.