It’s been one year to the day that I brought home Cambria, my shelter traumatized, shy, then two-and-a-half-year-old Siamese mix. Owing to his back story, it took much longer for him to warm up to us than it did for Percy or Tristan. But he’s so clearly there now! He’s still not a lap cat, but he’s a follower, a side snuggler, a head-sitter-on, a play biter (I’m working on it; it’s only me right now), and a middle-of-the night hair groomer. Regarding the latter, I should say that Cambria’s preferred styling method is to grab one hunk of hair with his teeth while frantically combing the rest with his paws/claws. And yes, that’s just as traumatic as it sounds.
He is also the house director of operations. Specifically, he supervises goings on in the back yard, morning ablutions, fish-feeding, the refrigerator, and Simon’s bedtime. Our primary bedtime challenge these days is getting Cambria out of Simon’s room before we close the door behind us. Whereas he used to be timid around Simon, he’d now like to overnight on his rug and/or bed. Which is all fine and dandy until he gets frisky or hungry at midnight and wakes up Simon. Because he is also, unlike Tristan or Percival, a very nocturnal kitty, confused as to why we don’t to play when the party is clearly ready to get started.
He also, alas, remains a cat of size. One year of regulated meal times and portion size combined with greatly increased physical activity has built up his muscles but left his low swinging gut intact. More than once we’ve been asked if Cam is pregnant! His disproportionately short legs are doing nothing to make him appear more svelte. The vet tells me to cut back on his food by 25%, but I’m unwilling to have a cat that’s hungry all the time. I prefer to think of him as curvy…
Finally, I have to say that Cambria is a very easy cat, not that I’ve ever placed a premium on ease where pets are concerned. He doesn’t scratch furniture or cry for food for hours. He’s not always jumping on counters or tables (with his short legs and big belly, I wonder if he can jump up on counters and tables). He seems more than content with being an only cat and the amount of time and attention available to him. At the one year mark we’ve reached that delicious point in time when I can’t imagine his not being around. And for the next decade or so, I hope I won’t have to.