Simon and Garfunkel

Everyone was correct -- the newest member of our family is an adopted brother for Paul Simon.  What else could we name him but Art Garfunkel?  After losing Snoopy, Paul Simon was lonely during the day.  When we got back from work, he was like a little supercharged sprite, tearing around the house and stopping only to nip us in the legs or pounce on our other extremities.  As soon as I was able to bear it, I began to look for another kitten to adopt.

Here they are in their very first moments of meeting.  Art Garfunkel is a 6 month old kitten that a local woman was giving away, and she was very particular about where he went.  She suggested she bring him over after work one night to meet us, and I agreed but thought it was a mission doomed to failure.  What cat wants to take a car ride and then go into a strange house?  I was wrong, though.  She came to the door, handed me Art and he immediately started purring, then after a few moments he wanted to get down.  I set him down and he quickly explored the whole house.  When Paul Simon's curiosity got the best of him, he met Art.  Art was friendly and inquisitive, Paul wasn't.  But they didn't hate each other, and that was good enough for all of us.  She went home and Art Garfunkel stayed.  It took about 6 hours for the two cats to begin playing, and about 5 days for them to work everything out.  Now they are best buddies.  When we come home from work now, they are both content and happy to hang out and play with us.  Paul Simon doesn't nip and scratch us anymore, and Garfunkel is showing us why his former family had nicknamed him Goofball.

Here, I almost caught him mid-leap.  He has some spectacular moves!  I think he's getting a lot more exercise with us than he is used to.  Paul Simon just watches in wonder.  I know he can't wait until he grows more so he is closer in size to his big brother.  I think they will be similarly sized because Paul's paws are as big as Art's.

Art really is the perfect kitten -- he's friendly, obedient, only scratches on the posts, never bites, and LOVES to cuddle.  He's giving Paul Simon something to aspire to!

Life gives us changes, so often unwelcome.  It takes time to live through the pain but eventually you come out on the other side with a little bit of joy.  My heart is still tender and aching and sore, but there are purple wildflowers growing on Snoopy's grave today.