Kipper Lee: The Grey Catsby

I was not interested in taking care of any pets. I had plenty of pets growing up...little dogs, big dogs, a random kitty, and even an African dwarf frog we called Kermie. And then one Thursday night in the spring after I had popped into bed in 2020, I heard a kitten crying. I thought oh no... find your mama. The next morning, I cautiously opened the back door and the kitten immediately started crying. I tried to lure it out with some wet cat food on my lunch with my co-worker, who was experienced with strays and finding home for strays. To no avail. the kitten would not come out of hiding underneath the porch. By the time I got home from work, I was determined to get rid of that kitten. And by get rid, I mean finding another home just not mine.

He was hiding in the garden behind some weeds and small plants. I went to get him and off like a shot, he ran away and climbed up one of the Cypress Trees in the yard and started crying. I thought oh no. I was not impressed. I drove down to the street to enlist the help of my friend and her husband. They suggested I use the water hose. I thought "That's a good idea." And before I could get back in my car, they decided to come down the street and help me. My friend's husband was able to extricate him from the entanglement of small branches of the Cypress. And there he was...Small, scared, long tail, and dark grey. My heart melted. I have always loved grey cats. But my friend's husband seemed keen on keeping him. And I was fine with that. I told them to just let me know by that Sunday. Long story short, by Sunday, Kipper Lee was my new fur baby. I named him Kipper because I thought it was cute how it related to fish. And Lee because practically all pets have had that middle name.

From Kipper Lee running in the house with live lizards, birds, and dead pieces of a rodent some other animal was finished with, there has been high adventure and thrills and plenty of screams chasing him around the house with the broom and closing doors to block him from hiding with his new-found treasure. Opening windows to let birds fly out and giving strong talks to Kipper Lee that this must never happen again and that he was going to have find a new hobby. High energy!

Everything in the Refrigerator

If there's one thing that will get Kipper's attention faster than anything else, it's the sound of the refrigerator opening and the sound of the can opener opening a nice, juicy can of something. Whenever I open a can, he comes running, his little feet pattering against the tile floor, as if he'd been waiting all day for this moment. The moment he gets a whiff, he’s front and center, ready to eat! He starts to meow and stretch his whole body along the kitchen cabinets.

Fun Things

Kipper has a special love for simple things that leave toys long abandoned in the corner. Despite all the fun cat toys I buy—complete with feathers, bells, and all sorts of distractions—Kipper Lee does love his cactus cat scratching post or he likes to sit in a box or play hide-and-seek in a brown paper bag. I was able to harness train him after guidance from some YouTube videos, so I do get to take him on walks outside. The harness vest that has really worked for his body frame is He loves to hide in the plants and sniffs appreciatively at all the flowers he passes by. He also like to jump down from the highest shelf he can get on to.

Sometimes I take funny pictures from snapchat. Every day with Kipper is an adventure filled with quirky antics. It's good to have a little fur friend around. Each pet has a unique personality and that make me happy that I have come to know Kipper Lee's. Each day is a reminder that sometimes, happiness comes in the most unexpected forms.