Squirt (American Medium Hair)

This is Squirt. He is 6 years old, which makes him 40 in human years. He is an American medium hair. I got him from my son on October 30th, 2003. My son used to work for one of Florida's refuse companies, working the overnight shift. On one of our coldest Octobers, he was at work and went outside for something and heard this crying, crying, crying, and started to look around to see what it was. He looked down saw this tiny orange ball of fur on the ground near where the drivers drove their vehicles and where they would put the large garbage bins.

We assumed either the mother dropped him while she was moving him to another area or he crawled away from his safe spot. My son picked the tiny baby up and saw that it was all by itself and it's eyes weren't opened yet. He brought it inside to show everyone, put it in a box, and proceeded to call me. I kept telling him we have a dog and don't need a cat, even though I love cats.

After about the 3rd or 4th time I got dressed, it was around 10 pm and drove to his job site and saw what he had, of course it was love at first site. I took the tiny furry cold baby from my son who had put him in a box with some diesel smelling rags and listened to the tiny thing crying, crying, crying. I figured it was hungry and cold, so I stuffed him in my bra and went to Wal-Mart got some supplies and a heating pad.

I took him home made up his area and we were then on a 3 hour feeding schedule so I would set my alarm to go off at this time. When my son came home, he would feed him or at least try to. When Squirt was taken to the vet, he said he was 3 days old or so, and to bring him back when his eyes opened. He was 10 days old when his beautiful blues eyes opened up and he weighted about 3 ounces and the rest, as they say, is history.

Our dog Chyna would help with his grooming by helping him go to the bathroom. She was a very good mother and seemed to enjoy watching it move around and try to play. Well,he loves to wrestle with your arm if your brave enough, and we have a new kitten in the house he has been trying to get to know by playing with it.

Squirt loves to run all over you when you sleep and he absolutely loves the scratching post I made him 4 years ago. He loves for me to carry him outside and walk around the yard so he can smell the various plants and flowers. We recently moved and there are stray dogs around so we haven't been able to do that as much or even at all for fear he will jump out of my arms and get hurt or hit by a car.

We use to live in the country on two acres where nothing was around. He loves to also climb on my chest when I am lying in bed and curl up and go to sleep for about 15-30 minutes and then off he goes.

By sharon from Westville, FL