If there is anything to reincarnation, I want to come back as one of my grandchildren or one of my cats. They are the most pampered creatures I know. A few years ago we had five cats, but all have died of complications of old age except Chula. She was at death's door after the hurricane, but we have nursed her back to excellent health. And she is The Queen. Or at least, she was.

On Sunday, Dolphin brought me a kitten. Her neighbor found it abandoned while she was jogging and brought it home. The kitten weighed less than 2 pounds, which means no shelter would take it except to euthanize, and the neighbor's dogs and the kitten were not a good fit. However, the neighbor knew that Dolphin was the biggest softie around, and had no trouble handing the kitten off. But sneaky Dolphin knew an even bigger softie, so here I am.

Here is the new member of the household.

His name was Orion for a day (because he has a belt) but it just didn't feel right when I said it. I was working my way through the alphabet, debating the merits of Darth, Elvis, Jedi and Luke (do you see a theme here?) when Guppy cut to the chase and suggested Yoda. And that fits. The force is definitely strong in this little one: you see him climbing up the couch, but an instant later you hear him pouncing on a ball in another room. Energetic he is, and loving, too.

Unfortunately, Chula is furious. We did not need another cat, she did not want another cat. She has been growling and spitting at Yoda. Last night I had Chula wrapped in her blanket on the couch, all soothed and happy, when Yoda jumped up there. Chula immediately growled at him, but Yoda just lay down on the edge of the blanket and turned his back to Chula. Every few minutes he would look back over his shoulder to see if Chula was still watching him. Once she gave up and ignored him, he laid his head down and snuggled into the corner of blanket he had managed to claim. It was obviously his intent when he first jumped on the couch to snuggle up to Chula. I hope she will relent and start mothering him soon. It would be good for both of them. And for me! Both cats seem to think that I should lavish attention on them all day long. What could possibly be more important?