Decisions - Checkers

It’s very quiet my first couple hours at Maddie’s today, just a couple volunteers and the cats. Which is nice, we can spend extra time socializing them and make sure everyone gets a visit.

There are four friendly and playful kitties housed together in the big condo at the end of hallway 5. Holly, a feisty little tabby, is just 11 months old and all about playing with whatever she can get her paws around. The other three are 4 year old males, all anxious for attention. Gabriel, another tabby, and Checkers *, a soft medium hair black and white sweetie, get along with the others fine, bumping heads and purring as they vie for a spot on my lap. [* no relationship to Nixon's dog]

But Marco, a thin short hair black and white fellow, is having more trouble with the roommates. He slides onto my extended legs, but then turns and hisses at the others when they get too close to his head.

Poor guy. I’m trying to pet them all, but two hands and four heads is a challenge, and Marco retreats. C’mon buddy, I tell him. If Barack and Hillary can spend time together in a room, then so can you.

I keep petting and playing with the others. Ruminating on the aforementioned meeting. Really, for all the wacky people quoted in the news about being angry at one or the other, I think I’m with the vast majority of Democrats who are very pleased with the presumptive nominee, but would have also been fine if it had gone her way instead. The decision isn’t so tough with good candidates.

A bunch of customers come in all at once toward the end of my shift. I assist an older woman and her daughter. She’s looking for a companion for her playful cat who’s recently lost his companion. The daughter also has three cats, and is along to help.

I’m happy to point them toward the group condo from earlier. All four kitties show well, rubbing around for pets and batting at toys. The daughter does much of the talking, but I try to aim my questions toward the mom, the one who will be actually getting the cat. (I’ve been the daughter in this sort of situation before, I understand the dynamic, that you want your parent who has some limitations to be ok. But it’s the mom’s choice.)

She needs to think about. She thinks either Checkers or Holly make a fine companion. Either one would be a great addition, I agree with her. Another tough decision, but as with the esteemed senators from Illinois and New York, one with a good outcome either way.