Haha, so... I've been doing what I could to keep this under wraps until this drawing was completed (which has taken absolutely forever)....
I have a second kitty. His name is Gemini.
I should start by pointing out that for the last year and a half it's just been me and Copernicus, just the two of us. I live in a one-bedroom apartment, and I did NOT want another cat. I mean, I love animals, there was part of me that *wanted* another cat, but realistically in terms of space and living arrangements I felt very strongly one cat and one human was plenty.
My feelings on this matter changed after Copernicus had to have all his teeth (minus his fangs) removed. He had a disease called stomatitis, which is incurable and sometimes fatal if you don't remove the teeth... so I removed the teeth. Prior to the surgery, Copernicus had been fairly high-energy; he's young, and always has to be in the middle of EVERYTHING, which reinforced my belief one human, one cat was plenty. But after the surgery his energy level tripled. He was feeling so much better, no amount of play was enough for him. He would howl and cry when I left for work in the mornings, and when I returned would cling to me as if he'd thought I would never return. As happy as he seemed to have me home, I knew he was truly unhappy while I was out. This shift in behavior prompted me to seek advice from the vet, the rescue organisation I got him from, my friends and family and everyone said the same thing: He needs a buddy. You need to get a second cat.
So, this past February I went on PetFinder.com and found Gemini. Gemini is almost 3 years old (just like Copernicus), affectionate, and per his foster mom's instructions he absolutely needed a buddy in whatever home he went to. Where Copernicus is soft, sleek, and panther-like, Gemini is built like a tank. Most cats slink about when they move; Gemini stalks. He has thick, heavy footfalls and you can see his muscles ripple under his short fur when he moves. His fur is much more stiff than Copernicus, but it's gotten softer as I keep brushing him. Gemini's fur sticks out in odd angles, most notably around his face. Copernicus is sleek and shiny but Gemini is goofy and scruffy. The tip of his ear was cut off after he was caught and neutered in a feral colony in Georgia, but they found him to be so sweet and loving they handed him to a rescue organisation instead of re-releasing him with the other feral cats.
It took about 3 days for them to be the best of friends, rendering my concerns about bringing a second male cat into the home needless. After Copernicus made it clear that HE was King Cat, they've been inseparable. They eat together, sleep together, play together... they will even groom each other. I've seen them share toys, play tug-of-war... and they are always wrestling, there is no end to the shenanigans here. When I yell at one of them to get off the counters, the other one will stand protectively by, just in case (I don't hit my cats, but they feel compelled to stand guard anyhow). Copernicus has never been so happy, and after a few months Gemini seems to have decided this is his home, too, and is much more at ease.
And there you have it: My weird little family. After not wanting a second cat... now I can't imagine going back to just the one. Getting Gemini was a good call.
And the best part? They're super cute when I draw them.
Three's Company
Haha, so... I've been doing what I could to keep this under wraps until this drawing was completed (which has taken absolutely forever)....
I have a second kitty. His name is Gemini.
I should start by pointing out that for the last year and a half it's just been me and Copernicus, just the two of us. I live in a one-bedroom apartment, and I did NOT want another cat. I mean, I love animals, there was part of me that *wanted* another cat, but realistically in terms of space and living arrangements I felt very strongly one cat and one human was plenty.
My feelings on this matter changed after Copernicus had to have all his teeth (minus his fangs) removed. He had a disease called stomatitis, which is incurable and sometimes fatal if you don't remove the teeth... so I removed the teeth. Prior to the surgery, Copernicus had been fairly high-energy; he's young, and always has to be in the middle of EVERYTHING, which reinforced my belief one human, one cat was plenty. But after the surgery his energy level tripled. He was feeling so much better, no amount of play was enough for him. He would howl and cry when I left for work in the mornings, and when I returned would cling to me as if he'd thought I would never return. As happy as he seemed to have me home, I knew he was truly unhappy while I was out. This shift in behavior prompted me to seek advice from the vet, the rescue organisation I got him from, my friends and family and everyone said the same thing: He needs a buddy. You need to get a second cat.
So, this past February I went on PetFinder.com and found Gemini. Gemini is almost 3 years old (just like Copernicus), affectionate, and per his foster mom's instructions he absolutely needed a buddy in whatever home he went to. Where Copernicus is soft, sleek, and panther-like, Gemini is built like a tank. Most cats slink about when they move; Gemini stalks. He has thick, heavy footfalls and you can see his muscles ripple under his short fur when he moves. His fur is much more stiff than Copernicus, but it's gotten softer as I keep brushing him. Gemini's fur sticks out in odd angles, most notably around his face. Copernicus is sleek and shiny but Gemini is goofy and scruffy. The tip of his ear was cut off after he was caught and neutered in a feral colony in Georgia, but they found him to be so sweet and loving they handed him to a rescue organisation instead of re-releasing him with the other feral cats.
It took about 3 days for them to be the best of friends, rendering my concerns about bringing a second male cat into the home needless. After Copernicus made it clear that HE was King Cat, they've been inseparable. They eat together, sleep together, play together... they will even groom each other. I've seen them share toys, play tug-of-war... and they are always wrestling, there is no end to the shenanigans here. When I yell at one of them to get off the counters, the other one will stand protectively by, just in case (I don't hit my cats, but they feel compelled to stand guard anyhow). Copernicus has never been so happy, and after a few months Gemini seems to have decided this is his home, too, and is much more at ease.
And there you have it: My weird little family. After not wanting a second cat... now I can't imagine going back to just the one. Getting Gemini was a good call.
And the best part? They're super cute when I draw them.