Buddy - our cat

Since we've posted several pictures lately of the cat, I decided to write a little biography on him. Buddy has been in our life since Columbus day weekend of 2004. We went to visit Connie's son, Brian and his wife Toddi. The day before we arrived a stray kitten came into their yard. Toddi gave him a bath and some food. But since they already had a dog and a cat, they suggested that we adopt him. After giving it some thought we decided to take him home with us.

He settled right into our home. Bob had foot surgery and he would curl up on the recliner and keep him company. As he got older he started escaping outside and it was apparent that he really wanted to be outside. So, for the first 8 or 9 months that we had him he went outside on his own.

In May of 2005 we took him on a weeklong trip in our fifth wheel. He didn't do real great. In June we took him with us for a week. During that time he managed to escape once and spent most of his time hiding in our bedroom closet.

In July we left on our trip to Alaska and began our full-timing lifestyle. He now had to wear a harness and be on a leash or rope when outside the fifth wheel. Quite a change for him. He has done really great. When we're driving he rides on the console atop a blanket betweeen us. When we pull into a campground he somehow senses that he is somewhere new and stands on Bob's shoulder looking out the window and wanting to get outside and see this new place.

He keeps us entertained with his antics. We have a wine box and a large bag from a department store that he loves to hide in. We have a mouse on a string that he chases around the box. In the mornings he comes into the bedroom and curls up next to Bob who gives him a complete petting. He likes to steal my watch from my nightstand and carry it around in his mouth.

While we were in New York he figured out how to open the screen door. After watching him open the door twice in a row, Bob rigged a spring so that the panel that hides the screen door latch will automatically retract.

Buddy is a beautiful orange and white cat with eyes that exactly match the orange fur. He has grown to an amazing 12 pounds. When stretched out on our queen sized bed can almost cover the whole width of it. We're glad to have him in our life and thank Brian and Toddi for giving him to us.