Once I decided it was time to have a cat companion, I had an idea they were active at night, or, at least, were active sometimes during the day, or why would they become the current favorite companion animal? If you just wanted a fur ball, you could get a Pomeranian. They’re cute! “Doggy”! Companionable! Diurnal! And perfect hand warmers in winter time!

I did have some sense of what I wanted in a cat. A neck warmer, perhaps, a lump that was active enough to engage me in cat fun, but not so active as to interrupt things like writing this blog. I mean, I didn’t want a needy cat, I wanted one that was copasetic, comfortable, a purrbunny in fact. A cat that had a dog-like love of attention, but a cat-like independence (i.e. didn’t attach itself to my leg and never leave me alone).

Nor did I want one that demanded so much of me that I didn’t have a life at home short of doing the cat’s bidding, a little dictator!

Louie’s veterinarian estimates him to be five years old, which makes him a mature cat but not an old one. I like to think of him as a 30-something cat, just embarking on a new job, that is to be a perfect companion for me.

And it means settling in here, learning that 2:30 AM isn’t feeding time, Louie. (“Eat some crunchies to tide you over, cat!”). Learning that the scratching board will have endless supplies of catnip pellets if you use it, Louie. That you don’t have to be up all the time I am, but best sources say I’m supposed to give you 12-1/2 minutes of attention a day for you to be properly socialized. Please, let’s not make that 50% at night when you hog up half my bed, and 50% when I find you asleep on the guest bedroom bed and wake you up for some kitty quality time! And help me with this cat toy business. What is it you need and want? Hunh? I can’t continue to buy cat toys you don’t use.