Home is Where the Heart Is

He is as relaxed as a cat can be. His coat is shimmering in the light of hte fire and I am sure he must be dreaming. It's his spot in the house. Oreo is a cat that came to us. He decided where he wanted to live and he is secure in his decision. There is no doubt this cat is home. Sometimes it's funny how families find each other. 

Oreo used to belong to a neighbor. He was a darling black and white kitten who gravitated to our house, because, like most cats in my neighborhood, he figured out mine have the run of hte house and a never-ending supply of kitty-ohs. They come and go as they please and eat and sleep at will. But Oreo and our own cat Comet had a silent bond. On any given day you'd see the tow curled up head-to-toe. Oreo just kind of made himself at home. The neighbors would methodically come and take him home. A day or so later he'd resurface. 

Then 'Oreo's kids' started spending more and more time at their mother's house across town instead of at their dad's in our neighborhood. Eventually, Oreo was moved away. 

Comet sulked for a few weeks and seemed sort of lost but life went on. Over time, Oreo faded in memory. We thought about him once in a while and always asked about him when we saw 'his kids'. But that was about the extent of it. 

A little over a year ago I got up to the regular routine, making breakfast, rousing kids and opening window shades around the house to let in the morning light. As I passed through the dining room, there was Oreo sitting on my windowsill as if that was exactly where he belonged. He had filled out and grown up in his year away. He was hungry and very happy to see Comet. For some reason it wasn't any big surprise. It just felt as if things were as they should be. He came in like nothing was amiss, greeted Comet, ate and settled on the couch. 

When we saw 'his kids' a few days later we learned about his adventure. They had gone on vacation with their mom. Oreo had never really gotten along with the other resident cats across town. Apparently, he had gotten out of the house and struck out on an adventure back to the old neighborhood. He had made his way across the Washoe Golf Course, down Skyline Boulevard, across Plumb Lane and back to the neighborhood where he felt more at home. 

As I said in the beginning, sometimes families have to find each other. They come together through circumstance. There's something special about having a pet adopt you. Oreo is where he feels at home. He's claimed that spot in front of our fireplace and in the process he's claimed a spot in our hearts. Home really is where the heart is.