Our cats

In keeping with the tradition of maintaining a web presence for the cats, I figured I would make them a page on the new website. After all, they are an integral part of our lives. Though Loki and Raika were my cats before I met Atkins, we acquired Anubis together. Well, sort-of together… Atkins didn’t want a third cat, and he kinda turned our lives upside-down for a bit. But he’s a great cat, and he adds an element of silliness and fun that we have come to love.

For those of you unfamiliar with our fuzzy kids, here’s a little rundown.

Loki is the oldest. He was acquired by me as a kitten back in 2002, as a graduation present of sorts. He came from a pet store in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and I fell in love with him when I saw that little white stripe on his nose. He is a very sweet, delicate boy–a real “scaredy cat.”

Raika is the princess of the household. She doesn’t like when the people in “her” house get too loud, and watch out if you don’t have her food or treats on time! I adopted her as a kitten from the Cheyenne animal shelter in 2003, because I had just gotten into vet school and I knew that Loki would need someone to keep him company while I was in school all day. She’s currently on Prozac, which seems to have taken a bit of an edge off her craziness. We often joke about trading her in, but of course we never would.

Anubis is the latest addition to our family. He came into our lives in 2006, when he was hit by a car and surrendered by his owners. Animal Control of Fort Collins brought him to the ER at CSU’s Veterinary Medical Center and I happened to be the one to receive the case. I knew, right when I grabbed the carrier from the officer, that this cat was going to be trouble. My friend Dawn and I fell in love with his long face, blue haircoat and polydactyl feet and we fronted the bill for his broken right hind leg to be amputated. Four years later, he’s put on some weight, but still going strong. He is a sweet, loving boy who likes to “make biscuits” on various parts of our anatomy, especially on Atkins’s tummy.

Though the cats don’t always get along, there are times that they live and coexist in relative harmony, especially when there’s a large patch of sun to share:

Or if there is a pigeon or other bird on the balcony. That is an amazing unifier of cats!

And sometimes, often in the winter, or back when I would hang out on the couch alone (i.e. pre-baby), all three would come up and visit me.