Meet Dana and Scully

After introducing myself, I have to do the same for the other members of my household: Dana and Scully, the Best Cats Ever!

This is Scully. Two years old in May 2012, he is the one that makes life at my place exciting with his creative ideas. I use "creative ideas" as code for opening cabinet doors, cleaning off magnets and papers from the fridge, and eating long pieces of string. Yes, he will go through a lot of trouble to do that, as I have found out in the past, the hard way. He actually watched me "hide" the string in a drawer, waited for me to leave the apartment, jumped up, grabbed the drawer with his front paws, pushed with he back paws to get it open, climbed in, and ate 2 ft of string!!! I freaked out when I got home, and called the vet, who tried to calm me down. He was ok, and I have been paranoid about hiding all types of string or yarn ever since. He's obsessed with yarn, which makes it impossible for me to knit or crochet at home. 

But he's also one of the sweetest cats I've ever met. He was found by the side of the road by good friends of mine when he was only about 4 weeks old, and he's generally suspicious of people who aren't ... well, me. But once he gets to you, he is so full of love and affection. He came to live with me on Thanksgiving 2010, when I took a road trip to Kansas to pick him up (he had been staying with very good friends of mine until then). He was such a trooper for the entire 11 you drive, and the day after we got back to Wisconsin, Dana moved in with us.

I adopted Dana from Dane County Friends of Ferals. I specifically wanted them to move in around the same time, so there wouldn't be any territorial issues, and it worked well. They really seem to like each other, and play together a lot. I think it's good for them to have each other, to keep one another company during the times when I can't be home with them. And just to have someone of the same species around. Dana's arrival even got Scully, who, since "strangers" (aka: other people) were in the apartment, had chosen to hide under the bed, to come out and follow her around, curiosity trumping fear!

Dana does the cutest thing when playing by herself. She'll pick up a little spongy ball, one of her favorite toys, and throw it to the ground. She'll then jump straight up in the air, kicking out all four feet, and race after the ball. She and Scully chase each other around the apartment, and will take time to groom each other regularly. Dana is 2 months older than Scully, and will be 2 years old in March. All her life, she's been battling with her weight (or rather: she has been enjoying her favorite hobby, eating, and I have been battling with her weight!), and she has been on a diet since October 2011, which has resulted in her not gaining any additional weight - a huge victory, in my humble opinion, and one we are very proud of!

Dana and Scully (yes, they are named after Dana Scully, of the X-Files) will play a big role in my posts, as they, naturally, play a big role in my life. Every day, they teach me the value of patience, of enjoying life at its own pace, of not taking myself to seriously. They remind of the importance of play and relaxation, and, last but not least, of cuddling up on the sofa on a quiet afternoon.