Smokey – Ragdoll of the Week

Smokey – A Blue Mitted Ragdoll in Aruba

Smokey’s story……

Smokey my beautiful blue mitted male Ragdoll whom I call Mokey, Mocha, Schmooka, Puki Puki, Muki Muki..! Yep, I am one of those crazy people too that talk to their pets and as you may have guessed he’s my baby. If you read Sassy’s story you may recall that I mentioned that she did not bond with me as I had hoped. I am a real cat person and I like to hold, snuggle, play, cuddle and sleep with them. After months of not having my pet mate I mentally decided that I would look for another one. I looked at breeders around Florida in case we visited there which was closer and easier for us. But guess what ? In February 2013 our daughter (yes, her again) announced to us that she wanted to do an exchange program with the University of South Carolina. And here is where Smokey’s story begins….

I thought to myself, “this is the opportunity for me to look for my furry friend”. I started research in the SC, NC and Atlanta area asking questions from breeders and looking at litters etc. In May our daughter confirmed that she was accepted for the exchange program for a semester and then I started to research more aggressively. At the end I was torn between a breeder in NC and one in Greenville, SC. Mrs. Lori Brackens Roach from Sonrose Ragdolls had a litter at that time and I kept going back and forth with her for weeks but did not decide on a kitten. She did confide to me before I told her that I would adopt Smokey that she was concerned at the beginning as it was the first time someone from abroad approached her to adopt a kitten. She even told me that she had contacted a fellow breeder in NC to ask for advice, this breeder being the same one I contacted in Charlotte, NC. I had no problem with this as this showed that she really was serious about her breeding kittens and cared about their welfare. I will be always grateful to her for breeding such beautiful babies. Unfortunately, last year she decided to retire.

You can say I waited until the last moment to choose my kitten as my hubby was not thrilled to get yet another cat. But I convinced him and well when I got back to Lori she only had two kittens left both males a blue bicolor and a blue seal mitted. I just fell in love with Smokey’s expression in his baby picture. His little face was beckoning me to take care of him, and I couldn’t help it I choose him. I told Lori in advance that I would name him Smokey so he could get used to his name, sent my deposit and asked her to please start training him to be inside a carrier (yes, I learned my lesson with Sassy).

We left for SC in July and stayed for 2 week to get my daughter settled in the USC. I contacted Lori and agreed with her to meet Smokey in between. She agreed to meet us on a day that she was on her way to bring the other kitten to his new home, and I met her half way to meet my baby. He was so cute, not afraid at all and let me cuddle with him. I gave Lori the carrier that Smokey would be travelling in and we agreed with her to come to her house two days before we left to pick him up. It was nearly two hours of driving to get to Greenville. Such beautiful scenery. We arrived and met her with her daughters who were the ones who helped her take care of the kittens and also helped with socializing them. She updated me on Smokey’s habits, food and referred me to her vet to get some pills to tranquilize him during the flight. Her daughter’s were sad to see Smokey leave as by then he was nearly 4 months old.
This time around me and my hubby had no problems besides the airline that we came with did not fly pets but they switched us to American Airlines and it was a smooth flight for all of us. Smokey slept most of the flight and when we got home I put him in a separate room to avoid meeting Sassy and the other pets right away. He was such a sweet little kitten and after a day or so I introduced him to Sassy.

Well, Sassy didn’t want anything to do with him, she hissed and spitted and voiced her opinion loudly. To this day Sassy won’t pass by him without voicing her displeasure. It has diminished over time but Sassy has not changed her attitude towards him. I think she is a very territorial cat. However because of Sassy’s behavior Smokey’s personality changed over time. Because of this he has become a very serious cat, a very aloof one my hubby always tell me. He doesn’t trust anyone, is not very friendly and can come across as very skittish. However, he is my baby and I know every little thing he likes or dislikes. He doesn’t like to be petted on his back bone or belly. You need to be careful how you carry him and any uncertain sudden movement he will scratch or bite. He doesn’t like to be carried by my hubby or daughter. In the 4 years that I have had him I only heard him purr twice, and I am not kidding! He has his moments that he will come to you and ask to be petted, but most often than others he has this leave me alone attitude. He is not very photogenic either….. I always try to get a good picture from him and he looks at me with this expression like …..oohh please not again, go away…. I take him along with Sassy in a separate stroller for a walk and in the car for rides. And yes, he does care for Sassy for he will look for her when she is not around and well sometimes I will catch them playing. Smokey sleeps with me by my feet and he wakes me up every morning at 6 a.m. for his wet food ( he is like an alarm clock) . He won’t stop meowing until I get up to give him his food. Sometimes this is not funny in the weekends when you want to wake up late. At 5 p.m. it’s his dinner time so he does the same thing. He has the longest meow, it’s like he is stretching a syllable.

He is an excellent bird catcher. Yes, I do let them out in the garden and there were a few incidents where he caught some birds (which I rescued). In the evening I let them both out and babysit them before going to sleep. Yes, babysit, because Smokey’s learned to jump the fence even though I had the height fixed to prevent this from happening.

In the end he is my precious baby and I love him to death. When I go on vacation I have to think twice before leaving him behind.

I think pets help you relax and they make you happy. They are beings that need to be taken care of and they take care of you with their loving, antics and personalities. I hate seeing cats or dogs being mistreated, left behind, or just kept in a cage or on a leash without care and love. In my house they are part of the family and I love them all and do my best to take care off them. If I had the time, place and money I would adopt more furry friends, but for now Sassy, Smokey and our other pets makes us happy. I hope my baby lives to spend many years with me where I can spoil him silly.

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