World, meet Chuck

I hadn't planned on getting another cat so soon. But I was browsing the local Humane Society website yesterday and saw a picture of a gentleman named "Chuckie." Here's what the description said:

"I'm Chuckie, a good looking, classic type of guy. I'm young, and I have a lovely tabby striped coat with warm brown tones to it. My eyes are large and a cool amber-green color. I've already been neutered, and I would just love a new home with YOU!"

Meh.

But it was his face that drew me in. It had so much character, and eyes that looked sad and mellow and bemused all at once. The boy had soul.

I took the boys to see him yesterday, and though he'll never be a replacement for Mini, he's everything we could hope for in a cat and, at the same time, I can feel that he will be more than just a cat for our family. He's going to fill a gaping hole we didn't even know we had.

Everyone at the shelter loved this boy. When we visited yesterday I didn't want to say I was there to see a specific cat, so I told the gal at the front desk that we had just lost a cat we'd had for 10 years, we were thinking about maybe adopting a new one, did she have a cat that was good with people, good with other cats... before I could even finish she said, "Chuckie. You need to meet Chuckie."

When we took him into the secluded "patting room," he alternated between playing with the boys and nuzzling them while rumbling like a distant freight train.


And then another staffer told me that they have 160 cats at the shelter, but when they needed to choose one to take to visit lonely people at the nursing home, they picked Chuckie.

That's all I needed to hear.

So welcome to the family, Chuck. Make yourself at home.