Haimish came to stay in May of 2000. He was about 2 months old at the time. Very late in life as a kitten to be adopted. It was a week after Barney had to be put to sleep, and I was lonesome for him. Roxy was also missing Barney, so a friend said I should adopt another kitten. We went to the Calgary Humane Society to look at the cats and kittens. Walking into the room with the cats, I wanted to take them all home. Some of the older cats knew they were on "Death Row" and the kittens didn't have a care in the world. They were playing amongst themselves. When I walked past this one cage, out between the bars came this little white paw and the most quiet of meows I ever heard. I opened the cage door and picked up this wee bundle of fur. Immediately he purred loud and cuddled in my arms. I was hooked and knew this was the one. I am a firm believer an animal picks who they want to live with.

Where it was the Calgary Humane Society, a screening had to be done and all kinds of questions asked. I had to sign adoption papers and agree to get the kitten neutered, which by the way I was going to do anyway. I paid my deposit and had to wait until Saturday to pick him up. I signed the adoption papers on the Tuesday before, and this waiting peroid was required incase the kitten might be reclaimed by the ones who dropped him off at the shelter. I asked the lady at the shelter how often this happened and she said never. But rules are rules and it was one of the longest 4 days peroids I ever had to put up with. I guess Haimish was close to getting his needle to put him to sleep when I adopted him. Poor Barney didn't die in vain, a kitten got a second chance at surviving because of Barney's death. Haimish turned out to be one very lucky kitten.

I picked the name Haimish after my Scottish background. It means James, but I must reiterate here I didn't name Haimish after my Dad. Haimish is the traditional way to spell it as well, though you will see the name sometimes spelled Hamish. It took awhile to get used to a new kitten in the house. Being woken up at 3:00 in the AM with something being skated across the kitchen floor, or being picked at in bed when one is trying to sleep. The toes seemed to be Haimish's favorite item to pounce on in the wee hours of the morning when I was trying to sleep.

When Haimish was growing up, I sometimes wondered if I did the right thing adopting another kitten, especially when he made Roxy's life a "Living Hell". But as Haimsh grew up, he actually settled down and today he is a nice mature cat, who is actually very lazy. He only has one fault if you can call it one. Haimish hates it when company comes over. He hides in the bedroom and won't come out unless he knows the person who is visiting.