It’s the Seventh Annual Finding Jaina Day

It is the time of year that we celebrate the Finding of the Cat That Lived, our glorious little Birman mix, Jaina.

For those that missed out on the first six installments, we found baby Jaina wondering around in the parking lot and scooped her up. Later, when we took her to the vet, we were told she had FIP, which is fatal, and that she had weeks to live.  Well, here we are seven years later, and she’s entering middle age without showing any sign of keeling over.   And so today we celebrate.

She has continued to be Mommy’s girl when it comes to laps. She’ll play with me, and adores the kid, but when it comes time for laps, Mommy is her go-to.

We also have some new-ish denizens of the local scene, namely Ghost, a stray cat that we’re watching after, Goblin (same), and their child, Sparta, seen here with Butterscotch.  We’re trying to lure at least the mom and Sparty here inside so we can get them fixed.  The jury’s out as to whether they become permanent fixtures.  Jaina, of course, does not approve.

There’s another stray, who the kid named Plisskin, that is a black Maine Coon and very, very hungry and very, very friendly.  We’re trying to get her used to coming inside too, but she’s so afraid of other cats.

Jaina and her string in 2012 (Year One)

Jaina’s antics with her favorite toy in the whole world continue to be adorable as hell. As you may know, her favorite toy is a shoestring that she’s had all her life.  When she wants attention, she will pick it up, drag it around, and sing while she does so.

I have finally captured this and I share it here with you. You can also see clearly why we call her a bearcat, or Little Bear – the bear shape is pretty clear in this vid.

She’s also developed a knack for taking it with her when she climbs on top of things. This is the best pic I have, but there you have it.  She is wicked smart, and I have found her with it on top of even the high top table in the dining room. “Clever Girl.”

The string, by the way, is reaching End of Life – it’s really starting to fray after several years of being dragged around and washed.  We’re working on smuggling in a new one, but you parents know how it is when replacing a cherished teddy bear, so we’ll see.

Her favorite spot to sleep at night continues to be on the corner of the bed closest to the door, which in this pic happens to be at the end of my pillow (me and Mrs Grimm have swapped since then, and the Bear continues to favor the corner, not the person).

Overall, it’s been another great year with the little bearcat.  She continues to flourish, continues to be the boss of everything, and we intend to continue to keep our promise of chin skritches and laps whenever she wants them.

So, if fortune is kind, we’ll see you this time next year for her Eighth.

Mrs Grimm can’t put anything in this cubby on her desk, for floofy reasons.