Suki's Story.

Meet Suki. He adopted us a few years ago. We had just moved to our new condo and he appeared one day huddled against the wall of our building wanting nothing to do with me. Something about his blue eyes and exotic coat drew me to him - but it was more than his good looks - dare I say we're soul mates? Clearly, he belonged to someone, so I admired him from afar mostly. Then, after a while, he became persistent about visiting us despite that Zeus, our orange tabby, despised him. Suki came to our patio, in through our kitty door and let us know he was staking his territory. He had balls, and I liked that quality about him.

We noticed he wasn't wearing a collar, hadn't been fixed and had fleas. So, we posted a sign asking if he belonged to anyone in the neighborhood and if so, to please call. We connected with his owner, a young bartender. Mystery solved and now my husband and Zeus had permission to forbid Suki into our home. But Suki didn't care. He kept coming around anyway. Cat lovers just know when one needs you, and I knew. He needed us. But out of respect for the men in my home, I didn't encourage Suki's visits.

Until one day, like most all days, he persistently attacked our screen door begging to come in. It ate at me, and I decided to override "the rules" of respecting his owner, Alessandro and Zeus and to see for myself why he was insistent on coming inside our home. He was covered - I mean absolutely covered in soars, missing patches of fur and desperately hungry. I locked us in the bathroom and combed at least thirty fleas from his coat and then gave him some food. The boys lost the battle. I was keeping Suki and taking him to the vet the next day despite knowing he had an owner.

From that time forward, we became Suki's adopted parents. He was allowed to come and go as he pleased. Remember, we had a cat door - he had indoor/outdoor access during daylight hours. He never once went back to his previous owner until I received an email on Christmas Eve that year that he appeared on the owner's couch as if seven months hadn't passed at all. He wondered if I had seen him since the springtime, because it was the first time since then that he had been "home" again. I explained the story above, and rightfully so, the guy sent me a few choice words.

Well, I've been raised never to come between two people, but a cat - well - I can't control what a cat does . And although I do feel badly that things unfolded the way they did, Suki seems to understand full well where he wants to be, where he is cared for, and who he wants to live with. So. After many months of earning Alessandro's and Zeus's friendship, we're now one big happy, furry family and we feel blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving.