We have five cats and three dogs, none of them were "picked out" they kind of picked us! I am going to write about Harley, one of the youngest. His Mother was a lost cat that had two kittens, under an old house, in the cold month of March. When the people in the house were leaving, I ended up with three new family members!

The plan was to find homes for the kittens, get the mother spayed and keep her. Well I couldn't find anyone that wanted two kittens and I wasn't going to separate them, so they stayed. Maggie May, the mother, was a very good mother and her sons, Finnigan and Harley are very smart cats.

Harley is the clown  and will watch everything I do. He sits on my lap when I am on the computer and even puts his paw over my hand, when I am using the mouse. My husband taught him to open the door in about ten minutes and he never forgot. When I come in on the computer and he can't find me he opens the door and comes in, gets up on my lap and "helps" me type, when he gets tired of that he goes to the sofa or chair and sleeps until I am finished. Then he follows  me to kitchen for a treat.

He loves to be cuddled and hugged. He will sit in the laundry basket and stay while I carry it downstairs to the washer. He is very trusting with me but cautious with strangers. Harley does lots of funny things, one that I think as real funny is when he was on the window sill and our older cat Muffin was on the other window sill (the two windows are side by side) Muffin was almost asleep in the sun and Harley was facing  her back. He reached out with his paw and went so slowly as if to pat Muffin, then just before he would touch her he pulled his paw back, then he would repeat it. I  got the video camera and came back and he was still doing it and getting closer to touching Muffin each time, until at last he touched her so lightly and she jumped down , after spitting at him. I did get some of it on video. I also have him opening the door on video.

I tried to find gaelic names for them but the ones I liked were taken by friends for their cats & dogs. For years all my cat's names began with the letter M. Misty and Muffin were the last. As soon as I saw the Mother cat, Maggie came to mind and a friend said I should add May to it. I went through a book on cats names and settled on Harley & Finnigan.

Finnigan was right for the long haired cat as he is so gentle and easy going.  Harley seemed right for the short haired one as he is big and acts tough.

As for the happiest time with him, I think is all the time. I love all my cats and dogs and I am happiest when they are happy and content.