Darling Dolly

I decided it's time for another kitty post.  I've introduced you to five of my seven cats, so now meet Dolly.  Dolly also came from Georgia and when a small kitten she developed a respiratory infection.  I had seen her with her mom and one sibling, but one day I noticed that she was spending a lot of time alone on my patio.  She didn't look well at all and I was afraid that if I didn't intercede she wasn't going to live.  I took her to the vet, got some meds, and, like Yoda, thought I would keep her long enough to treat her and then put her back outside.  And, once again, she never left.  She and Pugsley became fast friends and once she was feeling better they spent a lot of time snuggling together.  I think this picture is so funny - Dolly is totally zonked out, her tail almost in Pugsley's face and one paw up in the air.

I don't remember now why I decided on the name Dolly except that she was so small when I found her and she had a rather 'doll-like' appearance, if that's possible for a cat.  Dolly's nickname is Scooby-Doo.  She's not real bright, but is sweet and funny.  I think her personality is just right for Pugsley because he's not exactly the brightest bulb in the box either.  And Dolly finds some strange places to sleep - like on top of my purse which I wouldn't think would be that comfortable with all the junk in it.  I took this picture - notice the CAT BED on the left!  (See, Lynne, Dolly likes it too.)

When I moved from Georgia to Rhode Island, I brought all seven cats in the car with me.  We had a whole routine when we stopped at night.  I would take the litter box, food, and suitcases into the motel before I took the cats in because I didn't want any accidents in the motel room or anybody escaping.  After the first or second stop in the morning I couldn't find Dolly.  I knew she couldn't have gotten outside because I hadn't opened the door since I had let them out of their carriers.  However, the night before I noticed that there was a small space between the bed and the wall and decided to block it off because I knew if one of the cats got in it I wouldn't be able to get them out.  Well, finally I took away the pillow and there was Dolly.  Too late - I had blocked it off when Dolly was already in it and she had spent the entire night there.  And she hadn't made a peep or let me know she couldn't get out.  I have a feeling it may have felt safe to her and she really didn't mind all that much.  At least that's what I told myself so I didn't feel so guilty about her 'incarceration'.

One of the more annoying things about Dolly is that she likes to chew on paper.  If you accidentally leave a kleenex or paper towel lying around, sooner or later you'll find it shredded.  That's the reason my toilet paper is kept in a canister in my bathroom instead of in a holder on the wall!  Dolly normally doesn't meow all that much, and if she does it's a more of a little peep.  But she has the most beautiful little trill that none of my other cats do.  I'm not sure what prompts it or what meaning it has in her normal cat life, but when she does it, it's music to my ears and always makes me smile.