This little orange-blond guy is marking his first year living in our house, plenty of time for him to start acting like the Lord and Master of our home. Firu-de-Miau is the third cat my brother has brought into our household. In fact, it has been over ten years since I was the one bringing in and raising a kitty in our childhood home, as I’ve since moved to a different city. I mention this last point because all my pampered cats of the past shared the same traits: they were practically my children—loving, and enjoying a great deal of freedom. But Firu is now the third cat in my childhood home to view me as what I truly am these days: a guest, even in my very own childhood bedroom! 😹
If you’ve read my cat-related posts in the past, you’ll know that this cat bears practically the same name as my brother’s previous cat—namely, Firumiau. What’s more, both are ginger cats—almost exactly alike. I never really liked that; my cats always have very long first and last names, and I’ve never had one with a name exactly identical to a predecessor’s. However, this cat arrived at a crucial moment for my brother: following my father’s death, my brother moved back home to live with my mom; he had to give away his dog, Wanta; he ended a years-long relationship with his former partner; and, to top it all off, Firumiau died of poisoning shortly after the move. No, it wasn’t easy for my brother at all. So, when I met my new "nephew"—bearing the exact same name and the exact same face as the last one—I chose to simply accept it and fall in love with the cat without making a single comment.
It doesn't strike me as strange at all that my brother decided to block off every possible exit for this cat. Firu-de-Miau is the first cat we’ve had who was neutered at an early age—and the first who has never been able to pull off one of those wild escapades that cats are so fond of. He practically doesn't know what the outside world is like, even though we live in one of those neighborhoods where the houses are separated only by shared walls. I only visit my childhood home a few times a year, but I do notice that he seems a bit desperate—driven by that urge to go out and explore the world. My brother was never "Team Cats" like I am; he’s strictly "Team Dogs." However, since this particular cat turned out to be the perfect pet for our household—and given that my brother is the one currently living there alone with my mom—he has actually grown quite fond of cats. It’s just that I don't have much faith in his cat-rearing skills! 😹 You see, Firu-de-Miau—as well as the two cats before him—have all displayed more dog-like traits than feline ones. Plus, they aren't usually very friendly toward me or other visitors; yet, I always manage to find a way to win them over. After all, I hold a master's degree in cat parenting! 😻
Ultimately, my brother works very long hours every day; given the electricity issues here in Venezuela, Firu-de-Miau has become a great ally and excellent company for my mom. Because—yes—we have power outages here that last six hours, sometimes occurring up to twice a day. Not in the capital where I live, mind you, but certainly in the other 95% of the country. I don't know what would become of my mom if this little angelic demon didn't live in our house. Today is Caturday, and even though we can't watch TV or do other activities that require electricity or sunlight, it's fun trying to snap a good photo of the "blondie" of the house. It's a tough job, though, because he’s always wondering why I suddenly pop back into his life with the sole intention of giving him a hug! 😹 That said, come mealtime, he’s perfectly willing to become my best friend—just as long as the Whiskas come raining down into his bowl! Hahaha... What a great Caturday! 😻 I can't wait to see what he comes up with this Sunday in an attempt to escape the house! 🤣