Slice of Life: March 29 -- Sophie

After meeting each of Miss Collins' dogs through her Slice of Life posts, I thought it was time to introduce you to my cat, Sophie.

I got Sophie seven years ago when she was four months old. I hadn't been looking for a kitten long when I walked into Pet Smart on a Saturday morning.  I saw Sophie sitting in a cage and noticed her cute face.  Her coloring reminded me of the cat we had when I was growing up, so I was instantly interested.  The worker from the Humane Society told me I could take her out of the cage and hold her.  I picked her up and she immediately began purring.  Sophie captured my heart and I adopted her that day.

Sophie, like most cats, has her own unique personality.  First, she loves to eat.  If she runs out of food, she will meow and follow you around until you feed her.  Each day when my husband comes home from work, Sophie greets him at the door and expects him to give her treats.  My husband claims Sophie's happiness is directly related to her stomach and whether it's full or not.

Second, Sophie loves to catch insects.  She has been known to catch a fly in mid-flight and can pounce on a bug with lightning fast quickness.  Sometimes she will stare up at the wall and meow, alerting us to a spider that she can't reach.

Third, Sophie loves to spend the evenings laying in my husband's lap.  As soon as he sits down and puts up the footrest on the recliner, she hops up and lays on his legs or sometimes his chest.  She can lay like this for hours, purring and sleeping.  With me, she likes to curl up next to me when I lay down on the couch.  She has to get as close to me as she can, and tucks herself right up next to me, often laying her head on my arm.

Fourth, Sophie loves to purr.  She is always purring.  Sometimes she purrs so loudly she squeaks or snorts.  She's generally happy, and loves to be scratched behind the ears or under the chin.

Finally, Sophie hates going to the vet.  She is a really loving, happy cat, but going to the vet brings out the very worst in her.  She seems to be able to sense when it's time for a trip to the vet's office.  She will run and hide to avoid getting in her cat carrier and will literally growl and hiss once she's inside.  When being examined by the vet, Sophie makes noises that I never knew could come from a cat.  It actually sounds like she is screaming.

Sophie is good company.  It's nice to know she'll be there to greet me when I come home, excited to see me -- even if it is because she's run out of food.