Happy, Happy: Georgie and Charlie arrive

As I lie on the sofa after a long day, there’s nothing I enjoy more than reflecting on those first few months after the arrival of my Georgie and her brother, Charlie, both of whom celebrated their fifteenth birthday in May — prior to Georgie being unexpectedly euthanized a week later. It’s not too surprising then that I’ve come to look back so fondly on those early days when they entered my life. Was it really that long ago?

It all began in 2008. After months of heartbreak and grief over the loss of my 16 year-and -some-months-old Flutter, I was ready to love another cat–or more precisely, two. Every week, I would eagerly check for weekly emails from the breeder to see the progress of a brother and sister that I had reserved from birth.

I had high hopes because they were descended from his father. Surely, they would inherit his glamorous shaded silver Persian looks and his love bug genes, right? (Never mind that the gene game can be tricky!)

It was certainly fascinating to see how their colors changed over a matter of weeks. Georgie started as the darker of the two with classic tabby markings and Charlie as a lighter mackerel. And more interestingly, it was already possible to detect Georgie’s cattitude in her spirited poses and general expression as well as Charlie’s more pensive spirit. Although she looked nothing like Taffy, she seemed to share her confidence and daring.

And so I enthusiastically awaited Tuesday, August 12th: the day when Sir Charles James Foxtail and Duchess Georgiana* were to be shipped from Missouri. Although not the best housekeeper, I tried my hardest to do a thorough house cleaning and tidying.

As Mom and I took a cab to the airport, we counted down the minutes. For a brief moment, I understood the joy and anxiety that parents adopting children from abroad must feel — and indeed, over the passing years, I would find myself increasingly touched by stories of international adoptions even though I had little desire to have children or adopt. How thrilling it must be after months, if not years, of anticipation and paper work to have your child by your side.

Mom, too, was excited. Despite never really being a cat person, she had missed Flutter immensely. What a soft, sweet boy he was.

We could barely contain ourselves when we walked into a small, shabby office to pick up the kittens. After showing the attendant my ID, he grinned as he handed us the carrier. My heart melted at the sight of Georgie at the door of the carrier. All the pain, all the grief from Flutter’s loss seemed to vanish. There she was, our Georgie — now, the whiter of the two kittens — mewing excitedly and looking as if she were smiling, saying, “We’re here now and ready to be loved.” If I could set a system restore for the happiest moments in my life, this would be one of them.

Although both were clearly kittens (what else could they be?), something about them reminded me of children. In fact, as Georgie sat towards the front of the carrier, she mewed a good deal through much of the ride home, much like a talkative toddler. “I’ve got so many things to tell you,” she seemed to say as her brother, Charlie, sat in the back, barely making a peep. I was not off in my comparison to a small child because 12-week-old kittens said to be the equivalent of a 4-year-old.

When we arrived home, Charlie was obviously apprehensive. After shutting the door of their new nursery, I noticed how he tried to hide under the sofa — reminding me a bit of Flutter when he first arrived. On the other hand, Georgie brought back memories of Taffy — who had begun to play immediately upon arrival. She was already clearly relaxed by the second day, so obviously acclimated to her new surroundings. It was interesting to me how my girls were confident, adjusting quickly, and the boys less so. Was it just the luck of my draw or was this a gender difference in cats?

As weeks passed by, it became even more interesting to see their differences. We referred to Georgie as “the CEO” since she was outgoing and mischievous, always the readier of the two to play and explore as the following photos reveal:

Charlie was “the professor” because he looked so pensive as if he were pondering the philosophy of…fish, mice, or whatever it is that cats contemplate. In later years, I would marvel at his concentration when he hunted the occasional mouse: this was the cat that meant business! But back then, I felt sorry for him that first time they were brought downstairs to play two weeks later. While Georgie treated the opportunity as a great adventure, dashing enthusiastically through the dining room and kitchen, the skittish Charlie clung to the side of the hallway, obviously terrified. I had to pick him up and bring him back to the nursery.

Of the two, Charlie was also far more interested in food. Hearing a squeak one night while I was snacking on turkey breast, I jumped, thinking it was a mouse. No, it was Charlie standing on his hind legs, begging for a slice. He must somehow have smelled it from upstairs. Georgie, on the other hand, seemed more preoccupied with her grooming as she could often be found dipping her paw into the water fountain to wash her face. How dainty and girly, I thought to myself — just the kind of girl who would sing “I enjoy being a girl” from The Flower Drum Song.

Georgie’s general daring, however, caused panic on a number of occasions. There was one summer day a year later when my father had left the back door open absent-mindedly. My mother and I promptly started calling for Georgie, searching outside and inside. There were no traces of her. I then called the vet next door to ask if they had found a fluffy, white cat. (And who would not keep her, I thought?) I ran to the busy street, where cars raced along at 40 mph (despite the 15 mph speed limit) half expecting to see her mangled corpse there. Nothing–thank God. As I went back in, I decided to do one last search with a flashlight. There, under the sofa in the family room, a pair of eyes lit up by the wall and Georgie crawled out to my relief. Even today, after having lost her two months ago, I am still thankful I didn’t lose her that day.

There was another scare the following day when I thought I had searched everywhere for her for over 30 minutes. As I decided to dig out a new notebook under the other desk in the corner of the room, I found Georgie sleeping soundly on the chair under the desk. In other words, she was less than 5 feet away from me when I began searching! I could have sworn I sprouted more gray hairs that week than any other.

Then sometime later, there was the morning when Mom was gardening. She thought she had shut the front door tightly but as she lifted her head, she saw from a distance a white figure on the doorstep. Running up our lawn, she noticed it was Georgie, probably wanting to bask in the sunlight. It’s why I’ve since learned to make sure none of the cats are around when I am opening the door.

But perhaps most memorable in those early days was the bond between the two kittens. On separate occasions when we entered their nursery, my mother and I would notice them stare at us before looking at each other. What were they thinking?

They often seemed to move in sync, often lying in the same position side by side. They were obviously brother and sister despite their differences — and it was gratifying to see their love for one another:

Although there was part of me that felt a little disappointed that they were not as devoted as Flutter was when he followed me around, I felt so blessed to have Charlie and Georgie in my life.

*Sir Charles James Foxtail is named after the 18th-century parliamentary reformer and abolitionist, Sir Charles James Fox, and Duchess Georgiana is named after his cousin, one of the earliest female campaigners. She is also a predecessor of the late Princess Diana.