Please give a brief story about your pet – was it a rescue, hard-luck story, special needs, etc
During a visit to the Gifford Shelter in 2010, Humphrey endeared himself to me by flinging himself at my housemate's ankle. I was looking for a cat with spirit, and he was the one. After many years of playing Second Cat to the much smaller but equally feisty Sally (also a Gifford alumna), Humphrey is now growing into the role of One and Only Cat. He's never been much of a lap cat, except on his terms, and he has had a tendency to lash out when he got overstimulated. But as King of the Roost, he is (finally) learning how to ask nicely when he wants to play. During play sessions with the CatDancer, he really lets down his guard, going so far as to roll onto his back (exposing his belly); and sometimes he just does silly things like tussle with the rug. He likes to sleep on top of me at night; he's not a lightweight, so rolling over in bed is sometimes a challenge for me. Still, I treasure times like those when he chooses to be close to me - on his own terms.