Coco Chanel
was already 10 years old when she came to live with me. My heart nearly broke when I first met her at the animal shelter. She'd been trapped in a live trap and left there for a full day and a half. She was soaked in urine, her claws were scratched down to the nubs, and her nose was skinned. The first thing I did after taking her out of the trap was give her a bath! The second thing was to adopt her and bring her home.
What an elegant creature she is! How could I leave her at the shelter to suffer the further indignity of another cage after the trauma she'd survived? I couldn't, and since there were only four cats at home, there was still room for the Grande Dame.
Coco's first two months were spent hiding in my bedroom closet, recovering and growing back her claws. Every night she would creep out and climb into bed with me to cuddle and snuggle until morning. (Oddly enough, the Official Bed Cats allowed this to go on for about a year.)
Slowly, over time, she began to venture out into the house. She loves to sit on a warm lap, and designated herself #1 Computer Lap Cat.
Coco does not care for any of the other cats in the house. Her musical growls can be heard whenever another cat invades her purrrsonal space. She's not interested in fighting it out, though, and just vants to be left alone. When she can't find an empty lap to occupy, she can usually be found on a high shelf in the living room. |
