Introducing Zigzag, aka Ziggy

**I am sorry for having been silent these past three months. There has been A LOT going on in my/our lives and though I will get started with this post about our furry feline I will soon be writing more regularly once again. 

Many of you will remember back in early 2015 when I had to say my first Hard Goodbye to Mona--a pet I'd had for over 10 years. Thankfully she went to good people and a comfortable home I knew well (longtime members of my book club). I knew she would be loved and cared for. I've had a few updates here and there and she's doing great. I have fond memories of her and know there will never be another cat like her. As most readers know, a pet becomes part of one's family and each of them, like each of us, has their own quirks and ways of being. Mona Minou was an awesome cat. 

After living here two years, it was time to have a feline back in my life. Here is the story of how Zigzag made her way to us and our home. 

One of my fellow American Wives lives north of UB in a town called Darkhan. It's about a three hour drive by car; a four hour ride by bus or train. I've visited Michelle a few times over my years here. Enji has accompanied a few times. 

Michelle and her family have a dog (Gilbert) and cat (George) and therefore when a kitten came scrambling into their yard, meowing and running towards them and then proceeded right into their house, they weren't quite sure what to do. This was back at the end of September and I'd told Enji that perhaps in October we could begin to hunt for a cat or kitten. I had watched a few stray kittens from our apartment window but wasn't sure about their ability to be domesticated. As I watched Michelle post updates on this curious and confident kitten I began to think that maybe she was the one meant for us and that the kitten stork has simply mis-delivered her. I messaged Michelle about us taking her and received an immediate reply--she and her family were coming to UB the very next weekend and could deliver the kitten which Michelle's daughter had named "Roser."

I opted to keep it a secret from the rest of the household, secretly procuring the necessary items--a carrier, a litter box and litter, dishes, and food. The male species, as you know, is not always so observant of household changes! There is a vet clinic with English speaking vets just a 7 minute walk from the apartment.

On Sunday afternoon, October 1st, our little bundle of fur arrived. Enji was completely clueless and I realized had probably never seen a litter box previously. I asked him in the moments before her arrival to see if there was anything new or unusual in the apartment. I had set up the litter box in the bathroom while he slept in. He went in, looked around, came out and asked if he was in trouble. I said NO....go back and see if there was anything new in there. He came out and said, "the dirt?" I guess litter could look like dirt to someone unfamiliar with cat litter. :)

Ziggy arrived and we were thrilled. She was an out-going and spunky little bundle despite having a minor disability. Either at birth or in her first couple of months she suffered an injury that damaged her left hip. She walked with a bit of a limp but did not seem to suffer from any pain. This is why I named her Zigzag, aka Ziggy for short. She zigzagged into our lives and in the beginning she moved with a hitch in her giddy-up as we say. 

We've now had her for five months. The limp is gone! She sometimes misjudges jumps and when she sits her left leg is often extended. She's been spayed and had her vaccinations. She's weighs in around 4 kilos and is a smallish cat. She runs around our apartment like a little maniac, jumping from the couch to the dining room table and around onto the kitchen counters. Just last night she spazzed out and knocked my favorite Smurf glass off the counter, smashing it into many pieces. She loves to play with little toy mice and she and Enji play a great game of Chase-Hide-n-Go-Seek. 

She has been great for Enji who is having his first real and true pet experience. He and his father had a dog when Enji was little, but it's been many years since that time and since he was old enough to actually contribute and care for the pet. I'm happy to have him play with the beast as she does have her fits of energy. And she DOES demand attention. If I'm typing on my laptop she often climbs up and lies just behind the screen. While she plays with Enji, she tends to sleep with me most nights. She's pretty great in that when it's lights-out in our apartment she goes to bed. When my alarm goes off in the morning, then she is up with me. I know she sleeps A LOT during the day while we are gone. But she's always right there at the door meowing with greetings when we arrive home in the afternoon or evening. 

So yes, please say hello to Zigzag! She brings much joy and fun to our home!