Let's go back to the year 2000 (or so). We already had 1 dog, an amazing Boston Terrier, but we decided that we would like a new dog. We bought a puppy from a woman who had a litter. She brought the puppy over to see if he would be a good match with Max, and he was. But after several months, a huge hole in the carpet, frayed carpet at every place that met tile, wood furniture chewed up and destroyed, and finally a growl and snip at a 6 or 7 month old Naomi, we decided this dog was not going to work out. We called the "breeder" and gave him back. But this dog was supposed to be "Nate's dog". He was beside himself, so we agreed to getting him a cat.
I was in the pet supply store that had a several cats up for adoption. I had run in to take a look (leaving the kids in the car with Tracy). There was a cat, he was grey striped and came up to my fingers in the cage and wanted to be petted. He meowed at me. He picked me. All of the other cats couldn't care less. But this one wanted to come home with us. We brought Nate in, and he acted the same way. Yes, this was going to be our cat. We adopted him right away, and Nate named him Stripes.
This beautiful cat was only a year and a half. Someone had owned him once. They had declawed him and then took him to the Arizona desert and left him for dead. Someone found him and took him to the shelter... and that is how we found him.
He was already trained. He was beautiful. He was sweet. He loved to play. He learned to use the doggy door to go in and out of the house. He loved to hunt.
When we decided to move from Arizona to Idaho, he made the trip in the truck with me, the kids and Max. He hated being lead on a leash to go to the bathroom. But he survived that very long drive, and he learned to love Idaho.
When we moved to the house off Victory (that backed into the wetlands), Striped always brought us presents. He brought us mice, birds and even a snake. He would bring in live animals. Let me tell you, getting a scared live bird out of a house is a tricky thing!
One time we had a mouse in our kitchen, and the only reason I knew is because Stripes would sit and stare at one spot for HOURS just waiting for a mouse. I couldn't see it. I couldn't hear it. But Stripes knew it was there. Eventually, I started finding evidence of the mouse, but still had not seen it or heard it. I cleaned everything I could possible clean, and still the mouse hung out. Finally, one day, while Stripes was carefully watching, the mouse made a mistake and striped went in for the kill. Sure enough, the mouse was caught!
Stripes was an amazing hunter!
When we moved to this house 2 years ago, Stripes was furious. He threw huge temper tantrums and pee'd on the old couch which was moved upstairs to the loft. As a matter of fact, this trained cat who NEVER had accidents decided he would pee on anything that was left on the floor (including throw rugs). I won't lie; over the last 2 years, I have cussed out that cat more times than I can count. However, I never stopped loving him. IT only took him about year to stop being mad at me and started cuddling with me again, but in reality, he decided he was Tracy's cat.
He LOVED Tracy. Every night, he would crawl on Tracy's lap and cuddle with him. Tracy would play with him and rough house with him, and Stripes (even as recent as last week) just put up with it. He didn't just put up with it, but he came back for more. He LOVED Tracy.. no matter what Tracy did to him.
And let me not forget to say this... this might hunter, never once bothered Naomi's guinea pig, even when Annabelle was out in the open and easy to attack. Stripes knew better.
Stripes knew if we weren't feeling well, he would come up and lay on top of us to love us until we felt better. He loved the fire place and loved to lay in front of it.
He was the best kitty and he will be sorely missed.
Stripes, find Max and hang out like old times!!!!! We love you!
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