A heartfelt letter to a RCF breeder from a RagaMuffin lover
author Barb Knowdell Boomer bred by GW Muffins
Boomer wakes me up every morning by sitting on my chest or lying beside my face purring and asking for me to scratch his neck and under his chin. He purrs so quietly that mostly I can only tell that he is purring because of the vibrations I feel. Is there any better way to wake up? I don’t think so!
This gives me a chance to give him a hug and some kisses. I’m not sure if he really likes hugs and kisses. However, he doesn’t try to get away and doesn’t stop purring. I’m interpreting that to mean he is saying “If you really need to give hugs and kisses, I guess it’s OK with me.”
One morning last week (at 6 am–before I was awake) he decided to play with his favorite toy. It is a narrow strip of multi-colored fabric attached to a plastic wand. He tried to go up the spiral staircase with it. He pulled it by the fabric and the plastic wand handle banged against the wrought iron railings and got stuck. What a way to wake up. Wish I could have gotten a picture of him. He seemed confused as to why this wasn’t working. He had to come back down the stairs. I got up and untangled it for him.
After I give him hugs and kisses, I get up and Boomer goes to sit by his toy. This is the only toy he will play with. I tried lots of different cat toys and he ignores them and won’t play by himself. He says I must play with him. First, he sits by it, then he taps it with his paw, then he looks up at me as if to say “Hurry up, you must be stupid if you can’t figure out what I want!”
He is quick and leaps in the air, plops down and rolls over and generally has a good time.
After play time, it is food time. He eats on the low kitchen counter at “his spot”. He doesn’t seem to mind that there is lots of other stuff on the counter. I feed him half canned Merrick Chicken Pate and half homemade cat food. I was convinced by a vet on line (Dr. Pierson) that, when possible, wet food is best for cats since they have a low thirst drive. I use her recipe and grind “mostly cooked” chicken thighs (some with bones) and chicken liver. Then add appropriate supplements. I ran this all by my vet and she agrees that it is a good diet for Boomer. He seems to like it.
Next comes “nap time”. NOTE: nap time comes frequently throughout the day and evening.
Midday, I usually go out to feed the horse and run errands. When I get home a few hours later, Boomer is often still “napping” in the same place I left him.
I work on the computer most afternoons. Boomer often wakes up from his nap on the bed and comes over near my computer where he has a grey “Purr Pad” to sit on while he watches out the window for critters (birds, quail, lizards, rabbits, deer, neighbor cats, etc). This usually turns into another nap time.
Sometimes he plays in a bag or a box. The box provided another opportunity for nap time.
Boomer has gotten lots more vocal. He used to talk very quietly now he is much louder. He carries on conversations with me all the time. He also talks to my husband, Dick.
About 5 pm it is play time again and then dinner. After dinner, he washes up. He generally washes up near his toy—just in case I might play again. Then another nap time. But in a different place. This time of day he naps in “his” purple recliner which is about 5 feet from my new recliner. It is my old recliner. I was going to get rid of it. But, Boomer said he liked it and I must keep it so he has a cozy place near me to nap in the evenings.
In the evenings I am usually in my new recliner reading and watching TV. Boomer rotates frequently between watching for critters out the window just behind my shoulder, curling up on my lap to nap, and napping in his recliner. Boomer also sits on Dick’s lap. That’s really nice. Most of our other cats have strongly attached to me and ignored Dick.
Some time around 11pm, I go to bed. Boomer makes sure to remind me that, first, I must play with him. Which, because he has me trained so well, I do.
Then we go to bed. He sleeps beside me every night. During the night, he sometimes runs around the house, up and down the stairs. But, he always comes back to sleep with me.
Then I start the next day with a wonderful purring kitty in my face. Boomer is the most friendly, cuddly cat I have ever had. He is perfect for me and my current lifestyle. I think he is happy and content too. I am sure that no one could appreciate him more than I do.
Have you seen this quote from Roger Caras?
“Pets are not our whole lives…
But they make our lives whole”
That’s exactly how I feel about Boomer. I hope you know that he has a very loving and caring home with me.
As always, thank you for letting me have him.
Fondly
Barb and Boomer