Going to the monthly Sunday market in Armidale is dangerous. I have two weaknesses - the second-hand book stalls and the RSPCA stall. Dave and I went yesterday and I had absolutely no willpower - I was looking for some retail therapy to boost me after a week of disappointing personal and professional news and to insulate me from my up-coming birthday.

By the time we got to the east end of the market (it is set up along an east-west street) we had remembered that we needed more cat food for Ted, so we decided to pop into the pet shop. Outside the pet shop is the RSPCA stall and manning the stall was Anne, who minds Ted while we're away. Anne is a lovely person and is fond of Ted, so we stopped to exchange greetings. Bad mistake. It wasn't until we stopped that I looked down and noticed a cage with three furry darlings in it. One was a lovely little calico kitten (y'all can see where this is going, can't you?). I asked for a cuddle (*bad* mistake!). I was lost. The little sweetheart butted her head against my chin, set up a purr loud enough to be heard several feet away and settled down for a nap.

Dave looked scared. Justifiably.

I said "pleeeeze"; he said "think of Ted, you know how badly Ted reacted to the Christmas kitten". I said "pleeeze" and asked Anne if we could perhaps take her on a trial. Dave said "no, I don't think it's a good idea".

I capitulated and we wandered off. Then I did something I'm quite ashamed of - I cried and asked again if we could just *try* her. Dave, bless his soft heart and endless patience, agreed and I wandered back to the stall (just as they were packing up) and asked if we could try her. Turns out that Anne is going away for a week, so was very happy for us to have the kitten for this week to try and that her name was "Flicken" - apparently German for "patches".

"Flicken" is now called Columbine on account of her looking a bit like a harlequin with a big black patch over one eye and a ginger patch over the other. She will be Colin for short, since we feel that if we have a female cat called "Ted", we might as well have another female called "Colin".

She has settled in really well and is a complete love-bug. I've never seen such a people-oriented kitten before! Ted is not very happy, but is coping much better than she did with Shake the Christmas kitten. I think it may have something to do wtih Columbine being smaller and (at this stage) less active. Several times I have caught Dave giving Colin a cuddle, looking mushy.

I don't know how things will work out. We have a week to see whether Ted can cope and if she can't then, regrettably, Columbine will go back to the shelter (no doubt she will be adopted quickly as she is so d*mn cute and personable). I hope that Ted mellows so that we can keep both of them. Columbine looks just like a minature version of Ted - it's very cute seeing them together.

Kendra beagle was beside herself with joy at the prospect of having another kitten to play with (she and Shake played really well), but Columbine was not impressed with the dog and demonstrated what a good hisspit she has and a really grown-up growl. Poor Kendra was confused, but eventually decided it would be better to observe from a distance.

Wish us luck!

Copyright © Tish Silberbauer
May 27, 2002