Buddy the Neurotic Wildcat

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Buddy will probably get more blog-time than Tubbs.  Tubbs is, for the most part, a "normal" cat.  She is quiet, laid-back, greets company at the door, and lets us clip her claws without too much fuss.  Even though she's overweight and her sides pooch out, she's a graceful finicky cat who is aging well.

Buddy, on the other hand, is the complete opposite.  He is vocal, skittish, runs from the door whenever someone comes over, and there is no clipping of the claws except by professionals.  Neither cat likes to be held, but Buddy, who is about five pounds lighter than Tubbs, is more adept at squiggling free of my grasp.  He hisses at Mike - actually, he won't go near any male.  He has long hair and a long body, but he is clumsy and completely lacking in social graces.  When he eats, his food goes everywhere.  When he uses the litterbox, the litter goes everywhere.  And when he plays with Tubbs ... well, lets just say the fur flies.  He just doesn't get some things that should have been learned as a kitten.

Tubbs spent six years as the only cat, and methinks she misses those days.  When we first brought Buddy home from the Spryfield Animal Hospital (shelters and the classifieds aren't the only places to find kitties up for adoption, vets are inundated with unwanted pets), we left him in his carrier in our office for a few minutes so Tubbs could check him out.  Instant hissing on her part.  In fact, she has yet to grow to like him.  It would help if Buddy knew how to play.  His idea of "play" is to start out playing - they chase each other around the apartment - but he doesn't seem to understand that when Tubbs lies down that she's done playing, and that jumping on her and biting her back won't exactly win her over.  Some mornings Buddy gets "time-outs" in the office (like 4 a.m. mornings) when he will not stop attacking Tubbs. 

I dunno ... maybe he wasn't socialized as a kitten.  All I know is his previous owner dropped him off at the vet to be put down because she couldn't afford to treat his ear abcess.  Of course the vet treated the abcess, cleaned him up, paid for complete bloodwork and put him up for adoption ... at which time the previous owner wanted her cat back.  Tough.  And despite Buddy's social ineptness, and despite his aversion to all things male (go figure), he's still a playful, healthy, happy kitty.