Special Day - Sao Sao Mao

I’ve just signed in when my first customers approach, a young, heavyset couple who are looking for a pair of cats. They laughingly explain that he likes boisterous active cats and she prefers quieter ones – and I can see that their own personalities match their preferences. But they are easy and comfortable together, and both relate will to cats.

After a couple visits, they opt for a pair of half grown kittens who are already housed together. Both are mellow, but they are still kittens, and I’d guess the guy will get his fix of feline activity.

I check the back of hallway 4 and find both Powder and Buster gone, and an adorable pair of orange tabby brothers, Gordie and Franco, in their place. Gordie’s got one of those wide flexible protective collars on, and he’s doing his best to scrape it off as he explores the condo. A guy in a motorized wheelchair making the rounds startles them both. Gordie, arching up with a low growl while still in his big blue collar is more comic than threatening.

Another cute couple approach, these two kind of young post hippie California. They have an adorable and precocious little girl, maybe three, who is keenly interested in the whole world around her. They’re looking for a somewhat independent older kitten who’s good with kids.

We go in and check out a number of the older kitten condos. The girl is gentle with the kittens. Along with stroking and waving a toy for them, she peppers me and the parents with questions and funny observations. And she comes up with alternative names for several of the kittens (my favorite is "Over").

Although the girl seems to have the most fun with the younger kittens, I can see the mom leaning toward a lovely and mellow seven month old. I stick a "somebody’s interested in adopting me" tag on her door while they head off for one more look around.

Although there are several people wandering the hallways, I manage a quiet interlude with Sao Sao Mao, a ten year old talkative all black sweetie. She’s a bit shy, one of those gals who warms up slowly but then gets very affectionate and even a little bit demanding. She doesn’t want to play but just lolls around on the floor next to me, rubbing and purring and issuing occasional squawky meows.

As I’m getting ready to leave, I spot the little family, who have decided on the seven month old and are just waiting for her to be boxed up. The girl looks serious in the weight of the occasion. "This is a special day," I tell her, "the day your new cat comes home!"

I’m surprisingly moved by that thought, but it’s true, what an amazing day for the little child and the little cat. I take a quick look back at Sao Sao, hoping her day will come soon.