The Strickland Clan: Meet Pickle

June 6th, 2016

We added a family member to the Strickland Clan. Meet Pickle. Pickle is the most adorable, affectionate, and playful kitten you will ever meet. His fur is silky and smooth and a regal silver color. His paws are white and he has some white on his chest. In the middle of the white on his chest/neck is a small patch of silver and Andi says that it is his bow tie.

Let me back up a little and tell you how we came to adopt Pickle. When Andi turned 6, she informed us that she was most excited about being six, because that meant that she could finally get a kitten, a kitten that she has been patiently wishing for since she was three. Now her wish did not come true instantly. She had to continue to be patient as we searched to the perfect addition to our family. I checked websites and readers for purebred kittens and was floored to see the price tag on some of the kittens that I thought I was interested in. I asked a mom of one of Andi's friends about her cats and where she got them. She said that she always does a cat rescue or shelter. I came across the website of what we have come to call the Cat House. It is a veterinary clinic but also has what they have title a pet orphanage. The location for the cats and kittens that need to be adopted is in this victorian house that has been converted to a cat hospital and adoption center. So, I guess that is why we call it the cat house. This place was about 30-45 minutes form our home. I saw a picture of a Siamese kitten that I fell in love with and submitted an online application for adoption. When I called, they said that they would process my application, but that kitten already had a hold on it by two or three other people. This began our long journey of finding the right kitty for us. We made lots and lots of visits to the Cat House. I wanted to do what I could to ensure that we found a sweet kitten that would let Andi and Eastman hold it but also hopeful to find one that did not make my allergies go crazy. One of the first visits we made we fell in love with a cat that was about 6 months old. I had always envisioned us getting a tiny kitten, but this cat had a great temperament. It even let Eastman pick it up (by the tail), tuck the cat under his arm like a football, and lug it around the room. I asked about adopting him and the lady told me that a man came in yesterday and requests him. I was a little bummed because he was so good with the kids. But on the way home, I was itchy and sneezing and thought maybe it is ok that we did not get to bring him home. We made several more trips and never quite found the kitten of our dreams. The ladies there were nice and told us that soon there would be lots of kittens and pregnant momma cats. She was right. There were lots of kittens born in the next three months. There were lots that we liked, but none that we just loved until one. She was sweet and tiny and the kids loved her. We had to patiently wait util she got bigger and old enough to get spayed and her shots before we could bring it home. We visited her. Then one day I called because I just knew that she was about big enough to adopt and they told us that she got sick and that they were going to do some treatments and they were not sure we could adopt or advised against it since she had been sick. Oh we were so sad. We had patiently waited for this kitten. Well our search continued and more and more visits were made to the Cat House. On June weekend, we walked in to look at these kittens that we had put our name down for and that's when we saw him. there was this tiny, little, stinky, silver kitten meowing at us through the bars of his cage. I almost passed him over and then asked about him. They told us that he had just come in that day and that they really did not have much information on him. She told us the story of how he was found in a trashcan outside of a gas station in a Whataburger sack so they named him Pickle. We took Pickle to a quiet room to hold him and play with him. He loved to be help. When I put him in my lap, he rolled on to his back and wanted me to scratch his tummy. He almost acted like a little puppy dog. I could tell that his coat would be a little longer than most and seemed pretty soft. We decided as a family that he was the kitten of us and I told them that he is the one we wanted. We were super eager to bring him home. They could not give me a timeline of when we could adopt him since he just came in so I waited to call the next day to get more info. I urged them to let us come get him sooner rather than later. That we had been patiently waiting and visiting for more than three months and they told me that he could have his surgery tomorrow and we could get him later that day or the next day. Well we could not wait any longer so we got him as soon as they let us. I had been teaching a class the day that they told us we could come get him and take him home, so when I got done, I raced home to pick up Dave and the kids. We arrived to the cat house just before closing, got all the paperwork completed, and then Andi held him in her arms the whole way home (the long 45 minute drive). She was in love! We took him over to show to Papa and Nana (and to make sure Papa approved and thought he was healthy) and then we took him home for a bath. I said earlier that he was a stinky kitty. Yes, he really needed a bath. Ever since that bath, he has actually been a clean cat. He likes to keep himself clean and even lets me give him a shower every now and then and clip his nails. Pickle is an affectionate, lovable, silky smooth cat that has fit right into our family. He snuggles on Dave's chest, let's Andi tote him around the house, and even lets Eastman give him a rub or two. Oh and he kind of likes Momma too, sometimes sleeping on her pillow (or her head) at night. Pickle gets along pretty well with Pearl to for the most part. I think that Pearl likes having a companion at home with her when we are away. I am pretty sure they both just lounge around on the couch and nap all day long.

Pictures of Andi holding Pickle at the Cat House. He's the one!