Happy Tenth Birthday, Newkie!

Newkie was Brian's birthday present for his 22nd birthday, ten years ago last April.  Her name refers to Newcastle Beer's rich caramel color. (Thanks, Catalina, for these details.)

She follows me around as a dog would, waking me in the morning by jumping on the bed and remaining there until I move and stretch and greet the day by scratching her under the chin. Then, both of us up barely at dawn's early light, we walk to the bathroom, where she waits patiently before scurrying over and waiting for her cat dish to be freshened, and her litter box attended to.

As I fix breakfast,  she sits patiently by the door until I'm ready to return to bed with my tray.  She sits patiently through my first cup of coffee, and then, as I get up for a refill, she stands and whines by the sliding door. She scurries out, unless it rains, at which time she sits by the open door and is contented to watch the world at a distance.

In the evening, she sits by the bedroom door and waits for me to get to bed. She then climbs next to me, and waits until I fall asleep before taking her place on her own platform.

She comes when I call her, most of the time. Otherwise, she's always looking for a new place to hide! Yes, her biggest game indoors is to find a new hiding place. She loves to be chased and to disappear for a while.

She ignores human food unless it is fish.

She notices if anyone approaches the driveway, and scurries off to hide, especially if the intruder comes with a noisy machine. Otherwise, she spends many hours on the deck or around the yard. A few times she has followed me down to the lake, or out on the street.

Whenever she sees another cat around, she moves back in the house. She doesn't seem to need the companionship of other felines.

I notice how much she eats; how much she defecates; how much time she spends sleeping or crouched at the window sill. As I notice her, she notices me, aware of my presence or absence. Whenever we arrive home after an absence of an hour or a day, she greets us at the door
I brush her fur, and she extends herself on all sides, luxuriating in the experience. Sometimes she wakes suddenly and stands in front of the basket where I keep the brush, stretching herself in anticipation. One single meow, and  we know what comes next.