One year ago this Monday we brought Colby Jack home from the orphanage (a local rescue group).  Happy Adoptaversary Colby J!!!!  How does one celebrate such a momentous occasion?  For a cat who is a bit spoiled and has about everything?  With a cat tree, of course.

CJ has a very small scratcher/hammock that he used to love.  He would crawl into the hammock, curl up into a ball and sleep for hours.  However, a few months ago he decided he didn’t dig it anymore.  He still scratches the rope poles, but refuses to lay in it.  I have no idea.

We decided on a tree (in part) based upon his recent response to the change in the weather.  It rained here last weekend.  As happens when summer turns to fall.  Apparently the cat had forgotten about rain.  He loved this summer.  He luxuriated in the sun.  He played hard outside every opportunity that he was given (which was only when we were home during daylight hours).  And then it rained.  And he refused to go outside to play. Turns out he doesn’t like to get his toes wet.  Or his ears.  Or his….you get the idea.  So, he’s suddenly become a house dweller.  Which means we’re supposed to entertain him (according to him).  Thus, the tree.

I began researching cat trees on Amazon.  I noticed two things:  A) They can be rather expensive; and B) Many of them are intended for petite cats.  Don’t believe me about the size?  Read the dimensions on those things.  Many of the platforms and baskets would not hold Mr. Orange, who’s 24 inches long from the tip of his nose to the base of his tail.  Add to that the 13 inch long tail and he’s a whole lot of hunky man (if Magnum P.I. had been a cat he’d have been a cat like CJ).

Somewhat discouraged by the selection on Amazon I hit a few stores in town.  I found one at Petco that I really liked, but at $150 (before tax), I reluctantly passed it by.  My search ended at Petsmart.  It’s not hugely tall (about 4 feet), but it has a bed on the top and a crawl tube in the middle that are both large enough to accommodate all of that glorious orange.  I hefted it out to the car, hefted it home and into the study and flung a blanket over it.  I had to shut the door when I found him snooping.

I wasn’t too sure about this large orange boy when we brought him home.  Honestly, it took me a few months to warm up to him.  I didn’t quite know how to deal with the adjustment from a small, grey, super-snuggly furniture dweller (we lost her to cancer) to a large, orange, non-snuggler who prefers to lay on the floor.  But, with a little bit of time he won me over and now….well…I adore him.  Even if snuggling is endured rather than enjoyed.

So, the cat got a tree.  How do the humans celebrate?  With food, of course.  And good red wine.  And balloons.  Because I the cat loves balloons.  A party for three.  What kind of food does one prepare for such an event?  I kind of think of CJ as an All-American boy.  If he was human I think he’d be a hunky, blond-haired, blue-eyed guy…adored by all.  Or he’d be a surfer-boy-stoner.  There’s some of that there, too.  Nonetheless, what kind of food does one cook to celebrate an All-American surfer boy?  Beecher’s mac-n-cheese (I added chunks of smoked pork chop from a local meat market) and green beans for us.  A little turkey lunch meat for CJ.  Dessert is ridiculous.  Truly.  Caramel Apple Pie.  I stopped by Trader Joe’s this morning and bought their fleur de sel caramel sauce to go on top.  It’s like a mix between a pie and a crisp.  Ridiculous.

But, the food should be amazing when celebrating the adoptaversary of an amazing cat.