Monday, March 23, 2015

Her Name is Paddington and She's Eight Months Old! by Karen Rose Smith




Many of you know Paddington's background.  We found her mom, Halo, napping in our yard last Mother's Day. Somehow I knew from looking at her that this would be a long range relationship. Halo was malnourished and looked like a waif.  After an emergency visit to the veterinarian, we found out she was pregnant and had probably been in an accident and had a healed back leg.  Halo had digestive problems from the start and cooking for her became a daily routine.  Once inside, we kept her in my office because we couldn't let her integrate with our other cats.  She couldn't have shots until she stopped nursing.

At the end of July, her litter was born and she was a wonderful mom.  Paddington was the first born and had trouble sucking.  I hand fed her the first day.  She always needed help finding her feeding spot.  She had a sister and a brother who thrived and we loved all of them.  We found forever homes for Tia and Mason.  We decided to keep Halo and Miss Paddington.

Paddington missed her sister and brother and always seemed to have a special bond with Halo.  Her mom made sure she fed and washed her often to encourage her.  Paddy and Halo still have that special bond.  They nap together and often play together.  But Paddy has made other friends now too.  She likes to play with Zoie our almost three year old and she's an expert at bothering London our fourteen year old who complains but likes the company.

Paddy is social.  She likes being around people and cats for the activity!  She hates to be bored and when she is she can find trouble easily from chasing ladybugs, to ruffling the blinds, to climbing to the top shelf of the closet and knocking down whatever she can.  She's curious, intelligent and experiments with her world.  At eight months she's eight pounds of wiggling activity.  She's not a cuddler except with Halo.  She likes to sleep nearby but not with us, though she does accept petting and affection.  

Paddington has been more affectionate since she went through her first heat.  She has a date for spaying in early April.  I will blog about how that goes.  Separating her from the others will be difficult for any length of time.  We're going to play it by ear, especially with Halo.

Paddy is a joy in each day, a laugh when we need it, a soft furry presence who is a scamp most of the time and a total love in others.

Happy eight month birthday, Paddy!



USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. Her 87th novel will be released in 2015.

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks rather than gardens. And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.
Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 


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©2015 Karen Rose Smith





1 comment:

Deborah Blake said...

Happy eight month birthday, Paddy! I hope your "twin" brings me as much joy as you do your family.