Frank Turns One!

Today is Frank's birthday! 

We told him to live it up today- we promised not to spray him with water when he is naughty. He has decided he wants to play with his best friend Millie, nap, eat some food, and nap some more. I think that sounds like a winner of a day.

We have had him for nine months now, and he is such a different cat than the kitten we brought home! Remember how he hid in the wall immediately upon getting home? Or stayed behind the couch in the extra room for days? This cat loooooves us. He follows me around the house everywhere I go, even if I just run upstairs to grab something- he goes up and down the stairs with me. He sits in the bathroom sink while I get ready in the morning. When I sit on the couch watching tv, he flops down next to me. At night he sleeps on my feet. He isn't overly affectionate- doesn't generally sit ON me, but right next to me.

He talks a TON. Sometimes I imagine he is a human that was turned into a cat by a witch...he always seems to answer when we talk to him- particularly when I ask him about being a human turned into a cat. He greets us at the door when we get home. He doesn't really have 'off-limits' petting spots (like cats are known
for)...he lets us play with his paws (no problem with his nails being clipped), rub his belly, check his teeth. He spends much of his awake time grooming himself, or grooming Millie, or sprawled in front of the heater. I was really nervous about how he would do when we were gone in Italy, because he had such anxiety issues. Christie and Aaron stayed at our house and Frank hadn't had much experience with kids...but he ended up befriending baby Scarlett and played with her. He likes to help with chores around the house. And he is a big Seattle sports fan (his middle name is Marshawn).

He isn't a perfect cat by any means...he is a bit of a bully with Millie. He doesn't like when she gets attention,

and he plays too rough with her (he weighs more than twice as much as her). He scratches on our bedroom door at about 7am every morning- the door isn't closed, and he can come and go as he pleases- he just wants one of us to go downstairs with him. He has discovered that he gets a lot of attention when he scratches the tall speaker next to the tv...he will look right at us, and slowly reeeeach his paw up. He also likes to jump up on the tv stand, and sit right in front of the tv while we watch something. He sheds. He had plenty of medical issues early on (we haven't been to the vet in several months, knock on wood).

I bought him a cat leash so we could take him outside...he hated it. As soon as we got outside, he freaked out, managed to squeeze out of the harness, and tried to jump through the window back inside.Since then, we have let him explore the front porch...he really doesn't try to go further out, but he loves being outside.

 We love him and are so glad he is part of our little family!