Michelle Miles: The Great Sir Dexter the House Cat

Meet Sir Dexter.

He's a Domestic Short Hair. I got him in 2011 from a rescue place.

Let me back up a little. On July 4th weekend in 2011 I discovered my cat, Sampson, had cancer. I was devastated because I had to put him down. I must have been real pathetic because the husband told me I could get another cat even though he is highly allergic.

So one day we were in PetSmart and there was a cat adoption going on and there was Dexter. Casually laying in the cage looking around, all calm. The description for Dexter was this:

Dexter was the friendly cat everyone knew but belonged to nobody in particular. He just strolled into town one day and made himself at home on the neighborhood lawns. Petted by all and fed on many a porch, the neighbors decided Dexter needed a chance to have a family of his own.

Dexter likes to lounge in sunny windows must of the day. He's happy to have some chin scratching and always ready for a snack. This is one laid back cat!

It's right on. I've managed to keep this description of him in a folder devoted solely to the cat-cat. I'm not sure why. Maybe I'm sentimental?



One of his favorite things to do is lay in the window (or door) and watch the birds. He "chirps" at them. I think this must be an outside cat thing because my previous cat (who was strictly indoors) didn't do this. Dexter likes to "talk" to them.

Another thing he likes to do is watch me while I'm cooking or doing dishes. I am fairly certain he's working it out in his feline brain how to cook. I swear he knows where all the dishes are because sometimes when I come home from work, the cabinets are open just enough for him to peer inside. I've wondered if I should put child locks on the doors but he's never climbed inside. At least not that I've seen. I think he's just inherently curious. Can you see him in this picture? This is what I see when I'm in the kitchen. He has a scratching post that is just the right height for him to get on top of and peer over the edge of the counter. He also likes to knock things off - like pencils and pens and whatever else happens to be lying up there. He knock whatever it is to the floor, look down at it in triumph as if he's really glad it's on the floor and not bothering him on the counter. It's funny.

He also likes to help me do yoga. I call this his kitty corpse post. He's pretty good at it. However, doing yoga with a cat taking up half the mat is rather difficult.

I have to get up at 6:30 am every morning - even on weekends - to feed him because he's on a diet and can only have 3/4 cup of food a day. If I don't get up by 6:30, he'll sit at the foot of the bed and meow at me until I get up. I'd like to say that's cute, but it's not. :)

All in all, though, Dexter is a really good cat. He doesn't do any of those annoying cat things that I dislike - like get on the kitchen counters or sleep on the placemats (my previous cat did that - yuck). He knows he's not allowed on our bed, so when the teenager is here, he sleeps with him. According to the boy, Dexter likes to head butt his hand in the middle of the night for pets. He loves pets. He also loves to head butt our shins for pets.

And when we have guests? He's 100% Mr. Friendly. They're always happy to see him at the vet, too, so when I board him I know he's in good hands. Of all the cats I've had, he's by far my favorite.

What about you? Do you have a favorite pet?