Big Sam Celebrates the Season

Kitten Big Sam was four months old when we brought him home from the shelter. He weighed an outsized five pounds, and we should have noticed that he was twice as big as the four-month-old kitten in the next cage.

At about six months, he was up to 7.2 pounds, and the vet promounced that Big Sam was growing "at a remarkable rate." He also said that we'd certainly given him the right name. Now, at seven months old, Big Sam weighs 10 pounds -- twice what he did three months ago. And he has five months of growing ahead of him. Despite being the size of any adult cat I've ever had, Mike and I have to remember that there's a kitten brain inside that wiggly 10-pound body. But he's learning.

Big Sam learned quickly that the inside of the refrigerator is not a good place to explore. He's also learned some of the furniture that he's not allowed on. He taught himself to play fetch. I have to tell you that he's pretty cute trotting across the floor with a ball hanging out of his mouth. He drops it next to one of us and waits until we throw it. He then bounds after it, sometimes clumsily landing on his head, grabs the ball and proudly returns it to one of us. We call him our kitty-pup.

Big Sam almost knows his name and, most importantly, he knows how to tell us to pick him up for lovin'. He likes to be carried around, cuddled in arms like a baby. Hold him like a cat and he'll flop over on his back to play baby.

In our two days of shelter search, Mike and I saw a lot of kittens, but we really made the best choice. Big Sam is a lively, lovable addition to our household.

And now -- off to think about my Christmas Day menu for our guests. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!