Nikolai - Cat of the Week

My cyber-friend, Anado, whose blog, Chapel of Jimmy Ray, I've been following for ages, sporadically does a "Pet of the Week" feature. I decided it might be fun to follow suit and show off some of my special family members, too. If I stay with the program, this will be a 21-week project...

First up is Nikolai, who is probably the most beautiful cat ever to share his life with us. He had a rough life before we scooped him up... abused, declawed, allowed outside (a never-never-no-no for a declawed cat), was subsequently hit by a car and spent weeks in rehab, abandoned by his previous family, and finally wound up in the adoption wagon of the local "Friends of Animals" group, who, frankly, despaired of ever adopting him out because he was such a basket case. He cowered in the back of his cage, he hissed, he swatted, he bit, he hated dogs, other cats, kids, and just about everyone. We decided to accept the challenge of loving him, and, after three years, while he's still a pain in the ass, things are working themselves out. He still hisses, swats and bites, but not as much as before, and he's decided being petted, sitting in our laps and sleeping on top of us isn't as bad as he originally thought. He even socializes with a few of the other cats now. We love him to bits because he IS so obxonious, and I think he's finally beginning to realize (and appreciate) it. Here are some of the reasons we love him...