Cast of Characters: Ellie May

After two years of blogging (wow!) I have decided that sometimes I need some prescribed things to write about. I want to write. Really I do. However (that is the big BUT) sometimes I just get blocked. Know how that is?

Well I decided that I am going to start a "Cast of Characters" on my blog. The people, pets, and places (the 3Ps!) that I write about often or just sometimes...

So here goes. Installment Number One: Ellie May! (I don't know why I started with her...if you know her you may find it appropriate though)
Ellie May where shall I begin?

Ellie May arrived at our house as a rescue cat from the alternative humane society. Archer was in Kindergarten, I had been sick for about a month, we had just moved to a new house that would allow us to have another cat. Archer is an animal lover! He so wanted a cat. So, we went to look. There were cages full of cats and many more pictures - I really wanted an orange kitten (there was one there that was just 8 weeks old - adorable), but Archer had other plans. He laid eyes on this little, calico cat that was in a cage in the middle row on the end. She was quiet. When he walked up to the cage she came forward and let him pet her. That was it. He was smitten. We were told at the time she was probably on six months old or so. We had to wait a day for our clearance to come through and we went back to pick her up. Now she was ours. When we brought her home she ran into Archer's room hiding under his bed for two days. The only way to see her was to get a flashlight and lay on the ground. Archer didn't mind. He would lay there for hours. He loved her.

Ellie May is most definitely Archer's cat. She tolerates Troy and I, but she loves Archer. She is about eight years old now. We think the age we were told was a bit young. She is a little cat. Short legs. Kinda reminds me of a wiener dog (don't tell Archer that makes him mad). She is NOT a lover. She will walk by your legs just out of reach - sometimes that is as close as you can get to petting her. She does like to sleep with people and will hunker down for the long haul - you can toss and turn, but if she wants to be sleeping there she will stay! If she doesn't want to stay there is no cajoling her. She does her own thing on her own time.

Ellie May has never been to the vet. Now don't start sending me nasty emails. If you think she should go you come take her. I have never in the seven years we have had her picked her up. Troy has to hold her to put her collars on and that is close to a death match. Archer can hold her (a little). He can pick her up for about 30 seconds. Quite honestly she scares the crap out of me. It is sometimes not even safe to pet her because maybe she doesn't want you to, but sometimes she wants lots of pets...You try and you will find out. When she does want pets there is no stopping until she is ready and when she is finished I promise you will know.

Ellie May loves cat nip! She is an addict. She also loves treats! She will come running if she hears/smells the nip or the treats being open! Watch out! She will chase the other cats away from her nip - it is quite entertaining.

She does not love the kitten (Jazz) who just wants to play with her and be her friend. Jazz follows Ellie May around like an annoying little sister. You can see it on Ellie's face - pure annoyance! Her relationship with Horton is amicable. They tolerate each other. When Ellie May was younger she would try to play with Horton's tail that never stops moving, but now they don't mind each other. They can walk pass one another without incident. No biggie.

Ellie May is the queen. If she wants out - let her out. If she wants in - let her in. Even if it means getting up and down 5 times in 30 seconds. She wants to make sure her people are doing their part. She likes to walk on everything - the kitchen table, counters, bookshelves where quite honestly there is NO room for a cat!

Ellie May is full of personality. If only she would let us love her more. We love you Ellie May. Really. We are trying to be good people. Honest.