Rocket the Mysterious Neighbor Cat.

This.... Is Rocket.   He is not our cat.  Although he does not seem to know that small detail.   He spends almost as much time inside as he does outside.   He eats Hiro's food. He plays with Hiro's Toys.  And  He sleeps on my computer while I blog.  In fact, is is nestled up next to me as I write this.  Aside from going outside from time to time, you would think this is his permanent home!

But it is not.   I'm not in the line of stealing other people's cats, but cats tend to have a way of their own.  There certainly are not "Lost Cat" flyers out in the neighborhood or at the local Casey's.   The origins of this cat are fuzzy, but this is what I have pieced together after doing my own investigative work. 

The neighbors across the road, several houses down, used to rent the brown house.   They had three cats.  ( Oreo, Rocket, and some black cat I have only seen once.) Oreo used to come over for some play time with me and sometimes he would stay and eat some treat I put out.   He rarely finished it, so I figured he must be getting food elsewhere. 

Then Rocket showed up.   He was ALWAYS hungry.   He would finish the food after Oreo left...  Choosing to come after dark usually.   I thought the possums or raccoons were cleaning up the left over food, but then I see the ghost in the night.   He was rather skittish. 

But eventually,  he discovered that I liked to play with Oreo.   And he would join in.   Since then,  the neighbors have moved away....  Purchasing a house ( they were renting previously) just down the road. I'm not certain exactly where, but I gather they still live in the neighborhood.  They did NOT abandon their cats. ( At least that is what I have been told....)  The problem is,  I think the cats think they still live in the brown house across the street.   And since no one lives there to feed them,  they simply have moved to where the "food and warm climate" are.... namely:  Our apartment!

Oreo remains wild.   And during the extreme cold we had here, he disappeared.   Most likely he spent those two weeks in his original house down the road somewhere.  

However,  Rocket has been camping out in our small apartment.   He only goes outside to go to the bathroom and maybe explore the surrounding areas.   We have not gone longer than 12 hours without him coming back.   

They say that "The cat chooses you."  And I can agree that that seems to be the case.   I certainly would not have ever picked Rocket as a possible feline companion.   He is a non-descript color of light orange-ish-ness.   We called him "Peaches" until I found out his real name from some local kids.  He has no markings or distinguishable characteristics.  His eyes are a shade of Light green-ish-ness.   Hazel?  Maybe?   In short.... He is boring.   A boring cat with no stunning features, markings  or color. 

BUT,  he does have personality. Personality makes up for a lot of other flaws.   He gets along with all of the other cats... Especially Hiro. ( Kind of  an important trait if he wants to come inside.)  Even Cheryl, who traditionally is a person cats avoid, seems to enjoy Rocket's company while doing puzzle time. I have to hand it to him that personality is one of the things I look for in a cat, but it is usually not immediately obvious.  If it was not for my awesome personality, I'm sure I would have never won over Cheryl's heart and mind in the dating game.  ( Because, let's face it.  I'm lacking in the "Good Looks" and "Stunning Physical Features" most females are looking for in a male counterpart.)

Rocket does have his flaws though.   He can get annoying when he wants to play.   He also is always hungry.   We have since been calling him "GUTS" as a nickname due to his bulging middle and  insatiable appetite.   It was novel at first.   He could play "clean up" when Leo and Hiro would eat their small bites of treats or food and leave a majority of the rest  just to dry up.   "Guts" would make sure nothing went to waste. 

I like the name "Guts!"  It is a name of the lead character in the Anime "BERSERK".  I have never finished watching that anime, but I hear it is awesome, violent, and bloody.   Those traits might not apply to Rocket directly, unless you are a Vole or Chipmunk in the yard.  

There is also the story of Cheryl's father being punished for saying "Guts" to one of his schoolmates back in the day.   I guess the standard for Profanity was much more restrictive back in the old days. (1960's?)  "I don't want my child playing with someone who uses the word: 'Guts!' " Was the quote that made me laugh hysterically....

So...  with little else to blog about,  I chose to fill in the details to the mysterious cat named 'Rocket.'  ( Or GUTS  for short...)   He is still not our cat, although he seems to feel differently.  I certainly enjoy his presents... most of the time.   It has been a while since I have had a good "side kick" cat.  Hiro is getting up there in years and was never really good a "kickin'" for me.  (Like a Batman without a Robin...) Leo is a night time boarder... so he does not count either.   Perhaps I will do a separate recap on Leo's evolution someday.   But for now...   I'm enjoying Gut's furry warmth next to me as he snores  rather than purrs.   ( Yes,  his purr sounds like a snotty-nosed snore.  Another Quirk...very strange.)   Thanks for stopping in.