One year ago tonight, after 3 months of wooing, my neighbor and I shanghaied Sophie the stray, sweeping her into a cat carrier and into my home. If you want to read about the lovely story of her rescue (while my brother was dying of leukemia), just click on Sophie in the topic cloud and start at the beginning.
Last night, on the eve of her rescue anniversary, I dreamt Sophie took my car and drove back to where she lived before she got lost. (In my dream, she got lost. In actuality, I have no idea how she came to find herself on my doorstep. I’ve asked numerous times. She refuses to say.) I followed her in a second vehicle, quite distraught, as she drove across town. As she pulled up to a home, I saw a middle-aged woman leaning against a car in the drive drinking a beer.
“Sophie!” I called.
The woman, upon hearing me call her estranged cat Sophie, corrected me and said dully,
“Her names’s Mandy.”
What kind of stupid name is Mandy for a cat? I continued to call her Sophie and suggested to Sophie she might want to come back home with me. Back where she was an indoor kitty who would never get lost again. Where she had tuna and sisters. (In hindsight, reminding her she had step-sisters might not have been the optimum strategy.) I tried appealing to her tender nature. I reminded her it had been a whole year. Hadn’t she grown quite fond of us? We had of her, and couldn’t imagine our home without her in it.
Sophie looked at her old mom, then looked into my pleading eyes, and agreed to come back with me. Her former owner didn’t seem particularly bothered when Sophie turned around to drive home. Which I assumed was the attitude that turned Sophie into a lost bedraggled little stray to begin with. Sophie clearly had made the right choice.
When I awoke this morning and recalled my dream, I tried calling her Mandy. No discernible reaction. Then I tried Sophie. Her ears perked up. I tried Mandy again. More perky ears. I told her I’d not call her Mandy. It was a stupid name. Sophie gave me a sideways look and went back to eating her one-year treats. Everybody got lots of treats today.
This past Sunday, in anticipation of Sophie’s big day today and her one-year post, we did a photo shoot. In the past, Sophie had been quite camera shy, but not Sunday. I got so many great shots of her, I had a hard time choosing which to post.
As the shoot was taking place, Sadie, not to be left out, joined us. I got the first shots ever with Sadie and Sophie in the same frame. Not only did they agree to be seen together, the next thing I knew, they were playing together. They actually passed the ball back and forth in the chute. And not a single hiss. After play, they lounged together in Sophie’s room: Sadie on the top of Sophie’s cat tree; Sophie under her chest.
unConfirmed Bachelorette 
❤ xo LMA
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Now if only she’d stare at me so I’d write. 🙂
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Oh my God, she’s so beautiful; I am a sucker for all that long hair ;o) I had a dog named Sophie. We had to give her away because she repeatedly bit my daughter, even drawing blood ;o( But we found her a home and last I heard, she was very happy. And now, I have two hairy shih-tzus.
Love the pictures, really.
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I absolutely have a thing for fluffy animals. And now, black cats. I swear that little stray peeked in the window, saw Sadie and Sally, and knew she’d found home. I’m glad to hear Sophie the dog has a home that suits her better. Fluffy shih-tzus. Maybe there is a WP debut in their future.
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Wow – hasn’t time flown! Congrats Sophie for making the right choice 😀
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While it has taken a year, she has come a long way. She literally throws herself at my feet to be petted, instead of hiding when I enter “her” room. And she’s starting to branch out a bit more and spend time outside her room. She and Sadie got close enough to sniff noses the other day, although it did end in a hiss. Maybe by this time next year, they’ll be giving each other head baths.
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Everything is possible!
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Sophie – she chose wisely. Lovely ballet toes and such a plush attire. Cheers for your realm!
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Thank you, Mouse. She is quite the little ballerina. But she wears her tutu around her neck. 🙂
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Gosh has it been a year already.. When I had my writing blog I remember when you were still trying to coax her to eat treats from your hand..Looks as if it was a good match and you both bring each other lots of joy!
lynne
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So good to see you, Lynne! Yes, Sophie very slowly has settled in. I’m grateful every day I stuffed her into that cat carrier (after 3 months of coaxing!) and brought her inside. One year ago. She definitely made us earn her trust. Smart kitty.
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I love animals
🙂
I need to catch up on your blog!
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Nice cat 🙂
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Thank you! She is a funny little cat. I’m so glad she found her way to my doorstep.
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