Snug as a Bug in a Rug

Sometimes you just have to tuck your kitty up for a nice long nap as you work beside him on the couch. This cat...

The Malone's House of Felines

Let me tell you a story about some cats.

Here's the short version: Fed a stray cat. Thought it was a boy. Really a girl. A pregnant girl. She kept coming around. Disappeared. Came back not pregnant. Five weeks later discovered three kittens under our house. Really four. Raised them up. Found homes for three. Kept one. And the mama. So we went from 0 cats to 5 to 2 in six months time. Welcome to our madhouse.

And now the long version: A few months ago--way back around March and April--I noticed a tabby cat was often hanging around our house. Unlike most strays, this one didn't spook easily around humans and would let you pet them. My feline anatomical understandings being somewhat rusty, I thought the cat was a male and I dubbed him Robert Louis Stevenson--or Louie for short--in the grand Hayman tradition of naming our pets after authors and literary characters. I started putting some food out for the Louie (leftover from our dear departed Suyom) and he'd come around every so often.

Well, he grew bolder and bolder and started coming by every day, even sometimes just inviting himself into our house where he would curl up and sleep on our rug for an hour or two before heading back outside. I thought he was a sweet cat, but wasn't sure I wanted to adopt him (thinking he might have a home somewhere else) and not sure I wanted the responsibility again. But he was tolerant of the kids and very easy going so I couldn't make up my mind what to do with him and therefore did nothing.

My brother and sister-in-law dropped by for a visit in April, maybe early May, and wondered if I knew our cat was pregnant. When I adamantly insisted it was a boy, they dropped the matter but said she sure looked pregnant to them. When my mother-in-law came by later that week and said the same thing, I knew I was in trouble.

Yup. Totally a girl. Totally pregnant. Being that I was already so accustomed to calling her Louie, I just switched her name to Louisa May Alcott. (And now she gets called Louisa, Lou, or Mama.) She kept hanging around. She kept being pregnant. One night in May she laid on the couch in between David and I while we watched TV and we could see her belly moving with all the kittens inside. The next day she didn't come around. And the next.

She showed back up a few days later looking not pregnant. I followed her around for awhile hoping I could find where her kittens might be hidden, but had no luck. After a week or two, I started to suspect that maybe the kittens had not survived since Louisa seemed to be hanging around on her own most of the time and not spending much time caring for phantom kitties. A few weeks later on the Saturday before Father's Day, David was looking at our AC unit under the crawl space of our house when he discovered a raggedy bunch of kittens. He thought he had seen three or four but wasn't sure.

The kittens were obviously frightened, having never seen humans before, but we caught three of them (we searched the entire crawl space and didn't see more) and brought them inside where we immediately gave them all much needed baths and picked off their fleas. We bathed Louisa as well and set her and her kittens up in our playroom after I ran to the store and bought litter and kitten chow. We figured the cats were 5-6 weeks by this point. 

The next day, we were supposed to head to David's parent's house for Father's Day when I decided randomly to check the crawl space one more time. I opened up the little door and sitting right there was kitten #4. I snatched him right up and brought him inside for his own bath and flea treatment before reuniting him with his mama and siblings. I'm sure he spent a miserable 24 hours on his own, poor thing. I'm so glad I checked again. (I went back several more times over the next few days, but never found another kitten so I'm 99% sure we found them all.)

The kids, of course, were ecstatic to have a whole litter of kittens to play with. They were fluffy and small and just their size. 

Being that we had named the mama Louisa May Alcott, I decided to name the kittens after characters from Little Women. The calico female I named Jo, the lighter grey tabby I dubbed Teddy, the blue-grey cat I called Meg, and the dark tabby--the one I pulled from the crawl space last--I named Bhaer after the German professor Jo eventually marries. 

As it turned out, my feline anatomical knowledge was still abysmal because Meg--who I thought was a girl--turned out to be a boy. I couldn't think of another name for him (Little Women, naturally, being a tad short on male characters) so I just started calling him Not Meg, which the vet thought was hilarious.

The kitties grew and grew. They slept everywhere and wanted to eat constantly. Louisa proved herself to be a capable and caring mom. She was also apparently an extended breastfeeder because those kittens never wanted to quit. (I took her in to be spayed when the kittens were 12 weeks old and she was already pregnant again! Poor thing. I felt terrible about that, but we certainly didn't need more kittens.)

I found it interested that they almost always lined up in the same order to eat--Bhaer, Jo, Not Meg, and then Teddy. 

They were a lot of work. I was constantly cleaning the playroom and changing/cleaning out the litter box multiple times a day. For the first few weeks, they mostly stayed in the playroom and rarely ventured out. But they eventually discovered there was more to the house and they wanted to explore as much as possible.

 The back of the couches were their favorite places to sleep as well as on top of my towels in the rolling cart in the kitchen.

By 12 weeks, I was ready to find them homes. A woman in my ward wanted to adopt two of them, but after a lot of back and forth, they ended up not being able to take them. But she did tell her friend about our kittens and her friend did adopt Teddy.

He was our first to go, several weeks before the others. Teddy was a beautiful light grey tabby who was something of a mama's boy. He loved his milk.

He was also the most socialable of the kittens, always wanting to play and sleep with the others so I was very happy that his adoptive family already had a cat, two dogs, and kids. He was definitely not meant to be alone. 

It took me a little while longer to find homes for the other kittens but Not Meg was the next to be adopted. I'll admit that he was not my favorite of the kittens at first but he really grew on me as he got bigger even though he had a penchant for attacking my toes.

He was a stikingly handsome cat with blue-grey fur and white paws. He was also the biggest of the kittens and I imagine he'll be a big tomcat someday. He was adopted by an older woman with grown children whose last cat had passed away a few months before.

Despite being the beauty of the bunch, Jo was the last to be adopted. I think, in part, it's because female cats can be more trouble and really need to be spayed if they're going to be a good house pet.

And like most females, Jo could be very persnickety and demanding so I was glad that she went to a home where she will receive lots of attention and be spoiled. She was adopted by a very nice college student from KSU who grew up with pets and wanted a cat to keep her company. She sent me some photos last week and Jo is indeed being spoiled rotten and she looks terribly pleased with herself.

And Bhaer, my little friend I plucked from the crawl space after all the rest? He's staying with us as is Louisa.

Bhaer proved himself to be the most tolerant of the kids. Adelaide constantly picks him up and carts him around, bundles him up in blankets and lays all over him and he just takes it. Not happily, of course, but he doesn't tend to scratch or bite unless severely provoked. He's super cuddly and purrs almost as soon as you touch him. He's totally rambunctious and is on a mission to destroy our blinds, but I think he'll settle down once he's through kittenhood. And he's got an appointment to be neutered this week so that may help, poor thing.

 He still tries to nurse but Louisa just kicks him away.

So that's the story of our house of felines. I'm glad we were able to find homes for them and that I no longer have to care for five cats. I was starting to go a little crazy there. But Bhaer and Louisa are sweet additions to our home and I'm happy to have them here.

Sitting on Cats

A few months back, a woman in our ward posted a plea on our Facebook page looking for someone who could catsit her two cats for an extended period of time. A student at the local chiropractic college here, she was taking a semester off to spend time with family and tavel and needed someone who could watch her cats for nearly 3 months. 

Always a sucker for cats, I volunteered the Malones. So just before Christmas, Jack and Annie came to stay with us. They've been with us for about two months now and I think they've finally gotten used to us, although they are still rather gunshy around the girls. Annie was the first to grow accustomed to us and she'll roam around the house freely and mostly tolerates the girls. Jack spent the first two weeks hiding under the bed and only came out when the girls were asleep. Now, he doesn't hide as much but he still tends to stay away from the girls as much as possible. But as soon as they've gone to sleep, Jack is immediately in your face, seeking love and affection. 

Annie, small and gentle

Jack, neurotic and affectionate

It's been nearly a year since our Suyom disappeared. Her absence is still felt and her loss is still mourned, but it's less frequent and intense as it once was. I have debated back and forth in my head whether or not we should get a new cat. It feels weird to not have one and the girls adore animals. I thought catsitting would be a good way to determine if I wanted a new cat or not.

I really love having cats in the home again, but I do not love the cat litter everywhere. I love the cuddles, but I do not love the sharp claws digging into my skin. I love the purrs, but I do not love the way Jack feels the need to interrupt me every single time I'm using the computer. So yes, I want another cat, but I think I'm okay with waiting a little while before we adopt a new one. I know the girls will be sad when Jack and Annie leave next month, but I'm sure we'll find them something new to distract them with soon enough. But I'm going to enjoy them while they are here. 

Suyom, International Cat of Mystery

This is a post about Suyom, international cat of mystery and mayhem, with ninja skills and built-in cloaking devices. This is a post about how a pet can weave their lives so indelibly into your own that when you think about life's grand moments--both big and small--there's a cat perched in the corner, sharing it all with you. This is a post about my love for my unlovable cat and how she is no longer here.

Suyom when we first adopted her, Hawaii, 2009

Three weeks ago, Suyom escaped the house. I don't know how or when, probably at some point during the day when the kids were outside playing and running in and out, leaving the screen door gaping open in their wake. I didn't see her get out--or if I did, I didn't think much of it because Suyom is afraid of her shadow and never stayed out of doors for long before being spooked and racing back inside.

Testing out the Bumbo, Korea, 2010.

Apparently not that day. And as it would happen, it was an unusual day in that it was a day when there were guests and visitors and early arrivals, and I was not downstairs much to notice Suyom's absence. I ran errands with the girls, went to the park, and then my sister-in-law had the missionaries over for dinner. David arrived home early enough from work to join us for the meal and help put the girls to bed before he headed off to a game night with his brother-in-law. His sisters, meanwhile, came over here for a girls night. It was a good day and Suyom, who so often kept to herself, was not missed until very late.

Suyom under the Christmas tree, Provo, 2012

So it was past midnight, before I went downstairs to finally rest my weary head and I realized that Suyom was no where to be found. I searched the whole house for her, and went outside and called around as much as I could, but no cat appeared. She'd never spent this much time out of doors and I would have assumed that she'd be close at hand. I thought that maybe the constant flow of visitors must have frightened her from approaching the door. In the morning, I hoped, she'd come home.

When morning came, Adelaide woke me up early and I wrapped in her some blankets and went looking for Suyom in the neighborhood. No sign of her. Georgia is a hilly place with dense forests and trees, and the backyard, such as it is, and much of the surrounding neighborhood, is really just an overgrown forest, dense with fallen trees and crawling ivy. Suyom could have been anywhere in the brush and bracken.

This was so unlike Suyom, an indoor cat with little natural hunter instincts left in her. My fear for Suyom's fate wasn't helped when my sister-in-law said that she had heard a rather loud and prolonged cat fight the night before, right around the time when I was downstairs putting the girls to bed. She'd had no reason to think Suyom was involved and so hadn't gone to investigate.

Suyom has always  had an unnatural dislike of other cats and I was not surprised to hear that she had had a rumble with some other felines. What I fear, though, is that she was injured during this fight and ran off far from home and hid herself where she couldn't be found and laid down to die. My only other hope is that she ran so far that she couldn't find her way home again. My even slighter hope is that someone found her and took her in.

But it's been three weeks now since she disappeared. I put up signs around the neighborhood and visited the County's Animal Control shelter multiple times in the hopes that she would have been brought it, but no such luck. I did receive a few calls about the cat, but each time, it was for sightings of the other resident black cat in the neighborhood. My Suyom is gone.

Suyom thinks she'd make a tasty dish, Korea, 2010

My grief for Suyom's disappearance has surprised even myself. She was often a troublesome cat who mostly disliked other people and especially other cats. She was jumpy and scared, and constantly getting underfoot. Her black hairs found their way into everything (our food mostly) because she always wanted to sit on the table while we ate. But all her faults aside, I loved that cat and miss her terribly. She was our first baby--David and me--and she saw me through many long days and nights, gave comfort and companionship, and was a silent, but capable confidante. When sad, or depressed, or lonely, I needed only to find Suyom and her reassuring purr almost always made me feel better.

We had many (MANY) cats as a child and so I am familiar with the process of losing a beloved pet. In a life largely devoid of many tragic or unexpected losses, the death of our numerous pets taught me the realities of grief and loss. Three weeks have passed and I can finally think of Suyom without crying or a sense of immense guilt. 

We adopted Suyom 5 years ago from our friends in Hawaii. Although Suyom was only about a year and a half at the time, she had gone through many homes already, being passed from one person to the next. I assumed that her jumpiness and fear was a product of a traumatized kittenhood. I had hoped--and tried--to provide Suyom with a sense of safety and security and though it took time, she finally came to love us in return. 

So it eats me up that Suyom should have met her demise in so traumatizing a fashion, that her absence was not sensed or felt for so long, and that she probably died alone and scared, not knowing that we cared and that we desperately wanted to find her. That we haven't yet found her allows me, however, to hold on the tinniest little shred of hope that she's alive and well and romping through the forested hills of Georgia, feasting on the copious birds, mice, and squirrels the populate the area and embracing her survival feline instincts. 

Suyom in our Provo house, 2013

I still live in hope that one day I will return home and Suyom will be there. I often think I see her out of the corner of my eye, but most often it's just my black sweater or David's black computer bag. Everytime I hear a cat's meow from the TV or computer, I think it's Suyom. When I open the door to the basement, I think I'll find Suyom perched on the first step as she so often did. 

As I went through our photos of the last 5 years, I was surprised and amused to see all the ways and places that Suyom was there, watching us and joining in as our family grew. She was there during our first year of marriage, when we were learning how to be us and shape our new identities as husband and wife. We packed her along--much to her annoyance, I'm sure--on the long plane rides from Hawaii to California, California to Georgia, and then finally from Georgia to Korea. 

Suyom sleeping in our bed in Seoul, 2009

Part of the reason we were so eager to adopt Suyom in Hawaii is that her presence meant that we wouldn't be allowed to live in on-base housing at Yongsan. And since we most definitely wanted to actually live in Seoul, she was our ticket to our beautiful apartment in Huam-dong, which we absolutely loved. And I loved telling our Korean friends and neighbors that our cat's name was Suyom, which is Korean for whiskers. 

About 20 weeks pregnant with Zara, 2010

She was also there when we decided to have our first child. In fact, I swear that she knew when Zara was conceived, because that night, Suyom came and slept on my stomach, which she had never done before. In fact, she mostly stayed at the foot of our bed, if she slept with us at all. But after that night, she slept in the space right next to my pillow and head. Even when there were babies there, she'd find a tiny spot for herself and sleep with me.  

She was there when we brought Zara home from the hospital and they were roughly the same size. (That didn't last long.)

She was there as our baby grew bigger and we grew closer together. She allowed herself to be dragged back onto an airplane (which she hated, we had to drug her) and move her from Korea to Utah. And then again from Utah to Virginia (4 days in the car) and from Virginia to Georgia. We put that cat through a lot. I doubt you'd meet a more well-traveled cat.

I worried how Suyom would treat the girls, but she was surprisingly tolerant and patient with them. She didn't let the girls maul her (which they would have loved to do), but she did let them pet her and touch her. But all bets were off if they pulled her tail. She kept a close eye on them, especially when they learned to crawl and walk.

Her presence was the reason that for a long time, Zara thought she WAS a cat and that her first word, aside from mama and dada, was cat. (Dat!)

Christmas and cats, December 2012

She was there for holidays, and birthdays, anniversaries, and moves, cold winter nights, and summery afternoons. She used to always be there and now I look for her, and she isn't there.

I had thought we'd have many more years with Suyom. I feel like I failed her somehow. But I at least can console myself with the fact that while she was ours, she was loved and I'm pretty sure she knew it.

So I don't forget, David and I composed several verses of a song about our cat. Here are some of the ones I can remember:

Suyom, the kitty cat.
Spends all night a-chasing rats.

Suyom, the kitty cat.
Sleeps all day then takes a nap.

Suyom, the kitty cat.
All dressed in black just like a bat.

"Dat! Dat! Dat!!!"

....though they are most commonly known as a cat. Apparently we need to work on our Cs.



Also, Zara has taken to meowing in response to Suyom.

Yup. I love my kid.

She's awesome. And 100% insane. That's how we know she's ours.

Year of the Tiger

Holy cow....the new year is upon us. Of course, here in Korea, the lunar new year is celebrated more than the calendar new year. When we were in China, a woman reminded us that Zara (as yet unborn at that point) would be born in the year of the tiger. She even gave us a little stuffed tiger when we purchased a fan from her. I was very excited about that since anyone who knows me knows that I love cats of all shapes and sizes and it seemed appropriate that one of my children should be a tiger. (One should also be a monkey too which means I'll have to have a baby in 2016. Huh. It's weird to think that far ahead.) Anyway, when we were in Insadong last, I picked up this scroll of a tiger to cemmemorate Zara's zodiac sign.

It's now hanging in her nursery.

Being curious, I looked up the common character traits of tigers. These are the parts that most interested me (taken from a variety of sources) :

"Travel is very therapeutic for Year of the Tiger people. They appreciate time spent at home and always try to create an open, bright and somewhat colorful atmosphere, but travel reinvigorates them. They are more likely to choose an action-packed destination for vacation rather than spending a day reading on the beach.

One of the most dynamic signs in the Chinese zodiac, Tigers are by turns fascinating, commanding, and exasperating. They are patient but short-tempered, calm but rebellious, petty but noble, fearsome but affectionate, free spirits but fiercely territorial. What makes them magnetic and commanding figures is the absolute loyalty and affection they show for those they love. With a natural air of authority, Tigers easily earn the respect and admiration of those who love them in return. While domesticated Tigers are quite happy among familiar surroundings, they are just as apt to fly off on an adventure at a moment's notice. Unpredictable and emotional, they can become quite fearless when standing up for themselves or others, and often hold definitive views on how to right the wrongs of society.

The female tiger is a friendly, outgoing sort but with a streak of ambition that is hard to miss. She is a born leader, brave and strong. She enjoys expensive, fashionable clothing and takes pride in her appearance.

People born in the year of the tiger are tolerant, staunch, valiant, and respected. In their middle age, their fate may be uneven, but afterwards will enjoy a bright prospect. Their shortcoming is to project themselves before others. But most women under the tiger sign are intelligent, faithful and virtuous."

I love that last line, especially because at Zara's blessing, David specifically blessed Zara with a keen mind and intellect, integrity, honesty and that she would be a woman of virture and a good example to those around her.

I've said it many times, but I just can't wait to see Zara's personality take form and to watch her grow and learn. I'm so anxious to get to know her. I already know some things about her but there's so much that's still a mystery. But it sure sounds that with a tiger daughter, I'll never be bored.

Seoul Zoo

In high school, when I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my response was always that I either wanted to major in American history and work in a museum or that I'd major in zoology and work in a zoo. Obviously, I went with option #1. History, writing papers, reading, etc. has always come easily and naturally to me. And I enjoy it immensely. While I really like the sciences (no really, I do) it simply does not come easily to me. I have to work very hard to understand even basic scientific principles though zoology/anatomy are much easier for me. Still, I chose the path that I loved and knew I could excel at, rather than the path that I loved and knew I would struggle at. But there are brief moments when I wish I'd picked the harder path. Generally, that feeling most frequently rears its head when I visit a zoo, go to the vet's office, or see a sick or stray animal wandering around. I love animals (okay, so insects and spiders aren't high on my list) but I have a great amount of love and compassion for most of God's creatures. Growing up, we always had memberships to the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park and I've always loved going to zoos. (And no zoo I've been to has ever come close to matching San Diego's.)

Wednesday, I went to the Seoul Zoo with some friends. A women in our ward issued an open invitation to visit the Seoul Zoo on Wednesday, so I made plans to go with my friend and her two children. I thought a few other women with their kids might show up but it actually turned out to be a huge group of women, all with multiple children and their strollers. We were quite a sight. Korean people tend to freak out over foreign children, especially if they have blonde hair and we got quite a few stares.

This tiger greeted us at the entrance of the zoo. The zoo is part of what is called Seoul Grand Park which includes several other attractions including a museum, rose garden, and an amusement park. Admission into the zoo was ridiculously cheap (only 3,000 won or less than $3) and we paid an extra 2,000 won to see the dolphin and sea lion show. I wasn't expecting much from the zoo but it was actually a rather decent-sized zoo though some of their enclosures could use a little expanding and updating. Luckily, the zoo was pretty empty so we didn't have to compete with a lot of other people to see the animals.

Ostriches are such socially awkward, funny looking birds. I think that may be why I feel a certain bit of kinship to them. Sometimes you just have to love the ugly animals as much as you love the cute ones.

Like baboons. Sure they look all cute and furry but then they turn around. Seriously, what is up with their butts?

The younger baboons were just as fascinated by the children as the children were with them. It was really fun to watch the baboons jump at and stare at all the kids as if they were the attractions.

I can't remember what kind of monkey this is, but look at the little baby monkey! So cute. There was also a nursery where some zookeepers were feeding baby gorillas bananas with a spoon. I'd love that job. (Though if I had become a zookeeper, I'd definitely be working with the big cats...shocking, I know.)

Seriously, how can you not love cats of all sizes? I love just watching them sleep....they seem to get just enjoyment out of it. Look at the smile on the male's face. Pure bliss.

I interrupt the cat photos to bring you a common sight in Korea: the artistic use of kimchi pots. They do make a great fountain. I'd rather they were used this way rather than storing vile, frementing cabbage. But that's just me.....


So back to the cats. How about this snow leopard? So beautiful. I just think that cats are such graceful creatures. Unfortunately, too many zoos (and Seoul Zoo was no exception) stick their cats (and many other animals) in enclosures that are just way too small. The lions and tigers often get better accomodations, but still no where large enough for such active, powerful beasts. It always makes me sad. Even Suyom has more space to run around and play in than some of these beasts who are 20 times her size. (That's why I love the San Diego Wild Animal Park....most of the animals are given wide open spaces to roam around in which more closely mirror their natural habitats.)

This beautiful white tiger was quite entertaining. He kept straddling this tree branch and rubbing his face all over the bark. When you've got an itch....

Most of the cats were sleeping (since it is what they do best and it was insanely hot out....I don't blame them for wanting to just sleep through that). A friend asked which animal we'd prefer to come upon in the wild: a bear, a lion, or a tiger. She meant which animal we'd feel would be easier to escape from and most people were very logical in their responses and chose the bear because they believed bears were easier to scare away and run away from. But my rationality escapes me when comfronted with either lions or tigers. I'd totally forget to run. I'd probably just want to call them a pretty kitty and pet them, completely forgetting the fact that they could rip my face off.

After two or so hours of walking around the zoo, we went to the dolphin and sea lion show. It seemed a little weird for there to be such entertainment at a zoo in a city 30 miles away from the ocean (since I associate dolphin shows with places like Sea World and aquariums) but it was an amusing diversion, though nothing terribly spectacular. Plus it was all in Korean so I didn't really get anything educational out of the program. It only re-confirmed to me that Koreans have very different entertainment standards than Americans.

We decided to head home after the dolphin show because it was just too hot and humid to continue to spend much more time in the sun. On our way out, we passed the Stork Village and of course, I couldn't resist getting a picture taken. Where did we ever get the notion that storks deliver babies? From a fairy tale? I wonder if Asians have the same myths.

We also passed some meerkats on our way out. There's just no helping it....these creatures are just adorable and hilarious to watch.

And we passed the majestic giraffes. I loved how their necks were all intertwined as they reach around each other for food.

The Seoul Zoo was definitely worth a visit but I'm glad we left when we did. Not only did it start to rain just as we reached the car, but I was exhausted and had to sit on the couch for the rest of the day. I always seem to forget that my body has very different limitations now and just doesn't want to move as much as it used to. Baby, however, enjoys kicking and twirling and bumping into me every chance it gets. I am quite afraid that with our combined genetics and history of being very active children, David and I will have a little monkey on our hands in no time.

Well, I did always want to work in a zoo. I guess this is my chance. :-)