31 December, 2006
Simon Billie Sunday: The Birthday Girl
Birthday Girl
Originally uploaded by Planet Vicster.
Today is the day we celebrate the birthday of Miss Billie Holiday Kitty. We don't know when her "real" birthday is, so we celebrate it on 31 December, the day she came home to live with Simon and me. She got a new bed, though, for now, she prefers having her old manky bed sitting on top of it (don't tell her, but once we get her scent integrated into the new bed, the old manky one is outta here!). She also got a "house mouse" with catnip, though Simon managed to appropriate it for his own pleasure. And, best of all, Simon is expressly forbidden from harrassing her in any way today (and, so far, he seems to be cooperating).
The past five years have been a real roller-coaster in my relationship with Billie. I've lost count of the number of times that I've wondered if keeping her here is the best thing for her and every time that question enters my mind, my heart shatters. Somehow, though, we always get through the difficult times. We still have our bad days (well, weeks) where she'll pee or poot where she's not supposed to (i.e., my bed...oh that was a Very Bad Week), and there are times when she and Simon will fight so bitterly and then she'll turn her anger on me. But she's learned that she can be bad, she can have an absolute shit day and be a total Biting Screeching Banshee Bitch Troll...but I won't turn her out. I suspect that the reason she was picked up as a stray in Oakland might well have been because she threw one tantrum too many and her previous family put her out and never opened the door again.
But that hasn't happened here. As bad as it's gotten sometimes, she is always loved, and she has finally come to believe in that. She knows that, even when her behaviour is unacceptable, she still gets to be loved for who she is and she still has a very important place in our home. And, ultimately, that's turned her into a very loving, sweet kitty who now has so much more confidence than she had five years ago. She is finally comfortable enough to know she can come to me for comfort and she actually enjoys a quick snuggle (up until 5-6 months ago, trying to snuggle her would get you growled at and/or scratched and bitten). And she has a lot more confidence in joining in with interactive play (though she is still figuring that all out).
It has been such a reward over the past year to watch Billie become a cat who gives love freely and not because she's afraid of being put out if she doesn't "make nice". We know the days ahead may not always be easy, but we know we'll get through them and that our relationship will be stronger. And that makes the good days even better.
Happy Birthday, my Angel Girl!
Labels: Billie, cats, furkids, Simon Sunday
~~ victoria on 11:59 AM ~~ 0 comments
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