The Life Quixotic with Cat Zissou

Presenting Zissou in repose,


flipped,


all stretched out,


approaching wakefulness,


at play,


bird watching (stalking),


and unaware of the size disparity.


If you made it this far, then you deserve a bit of a narrative to accompany the onslaught of pictures.

Last Sunday we visited a private, non-profit shelter called CATALES -- pronounced cat tales -- in search of a cat to call our own. In truth we visited a woman who has turned the basement of her home into a cat sanctuary. She currently has around 84 cats on the premises and the organization has at least two other foster homes. Not to mention the 10 or so cats that she claims as her own. If you're wondering, yes she does have a husband but he's a bit hard to make out because he doesn't move around as much as the cats.

We had originally been interested in a young female named Calliope but upon entering the room our attention and affections were drawn to the curious and energetic Austin who had set about meowing, pacing, and generally making it known that he wanted to be out of the cage and where the action was. Never to make a decision quickly, I insisted that we tour the entire facility of cats just to make sure. I think Jay was ready to take him home after about five minutes but it took almost 90 minutes for the process to be complete.

Then we had to wait until Thursday for him to come home with us. He had been booked at a fundraising/education fair for that Wednesday so Jay made the responsible call that it would be a lot of stress to take him home Sunday only to bring him back Tuesday and then get him again on Thursday. Besides we didn't have anything bought yet.

I had expected to get a female cat and was planning on naming her Yoshimi from the Flaming Lips' song "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots." After an hour or so we decided to name him after this man in this movie that way he still gets a theme song.

After we brought him home on Thursday it took him about fifteen minutes to decide that he liked the place. Since then he has been settling in a little more each day. So far he is leaving our plants alone, using his litterbox, and fulfilling his cuteness requirement.

The only thing that threatens his happy existence is his inability to recognize Saturday and Sunday as days of sleeping in past 6:30.