He runs my home!

story and photo by Becky Hendrickson-Monska

I was volunteering in the APL cat loft several years ago. It was cold, so I’d put my coat in the kitten room downstairs. Each time I would go in there, there was one little kitty that wanted nothing to do with me. I couldn’t resist trying to win him over.

His APL name was Hooter. He was born with a big cut over his nose and a cleft lip. The cut healed and left a scar, but the cleft lip left his nose crooked. He was the cutest thing I had ever seen. I tried to play nice, but no luck the first few visits. Then one day I decided to see if he’d sit on my lap. He gave in reluctantly and sat there as long as I didn’t pet him. He was a grumpy little kitty.

Then one day I was leaving and went to get my coat, only to find it strangely on the floor where I hadn’t left it. Seems as if the kitties decided it was there for their amusement. I lifted it up and felt a big, heavy lump in my sleeve. It was Hooter, hanging out in the fleece lining! That was it ... I had to adopt him.

He is five years old now, and he runs my three-story home. I changed his name to Oliver Leggins (he has black legs with white feet, so it looks like he’s wearing pants). We frequently hear him running and playing and sliding across the floors upstairs. He tolerates his sister, Meatball, our Bulldog. He’s as ornery as he was back then, but now he’s our lap cat (when he wants to be). He loves pets and rubs, and hanging out with me when I’m in the bathtub. He couldn’t have it better. Thank you, APL.