Briar

                                                  My Cat Briar

A few months  into  2015 my Mom  and I went  to the local  animal shelter. 

 I was feeling nervous and a little scared,  not quite sure how ready  I actually was to have a pet of my own.  I would  have to  look  after  this pet on my own and it would rely on me that would  be a big thing. 

 We looked  at a few cats and eventually decided  on White female cat with  green eyes named Briar. 

 The first  few weeks with Briar took  some  adjusting for both of us. Getting  to know  each other,  bond, play, feeding and cleaning.  I would  put music on  whenever  I went out so that she could feel comfortable.  She would  hide  most  of the  time.  

 Over  the  years  Briar has grown more open and confident with me. She is still shy and scared and will hide when someone else comes over. She is alright with just my mom coming over.

 Some favorite activities Briar enjoys aside from the usual eating and sleeping are playing fetch with a ball. She doesn’t usually bring it back but every once in a while she will come into whatever room I am in with a toy in her mouth asking me to play with her. She also loves shoe strings. When I come home from work or an errand she will always say hi to me and roll around on the floor by my feet. 

 I have read up on all the ways cats show they trust and love you and Briar definitely shows all those signs by blinking at me, rolling around on the floor, rubbing herself on my legs, showing her tummy and even talking to me.

   When I was growing up my family and I had a dog named Maxine. Maxine was a black standard poodle and lived to be 16years old.

   When I first got briar I had dreams that took place mostly in the hometown where I grew up. Both Maxine and Briar were in the dream. In one dream I had two cats Briar and another cat. It was night and there was snow and all the doors were wide open. I was so scared that both cats were going to run away.  Only one cat escaped, Briar was hiding in my room. I went out to find the other cat and somehow found myself calling Maxine. I eventually found Maxine. I felt like Maxine was telling me in those dreams that she accepts Briar!

  I don’t know what I would do if I ever lost Briar. I enjoy her so much. I love waking up in the morning to her Greeting me with headbutts to my hands and the pillows. She somehow always knows what side of the bed I am laying on.

 I have recently heard a story from a coworker that one of her cats learned how to open the screen door. I would be scared If Briar ever figured that out. Briar has figured out how to open the sliding closet door and the kitchen cabinets. An acquaintance of mine recently posted a video of his cat having just learned how to turn the kitchen sink water on.

  I have always enjoyed reading books, newspapers and magazines. I have also always enjoyed putting jigsaw puzzles together.  Having a cat I have realized that this is unacceptable behaviour and will find her sitting on my puzzle pieces or on whatever I am reading.  

  Briar is not a fan of loud noises and prefers quietness, therefore whenever I am watching something on a screen she is usually in the other room. Occasionally I have noticed her watching what I am watching. She will always watch cat TV.

  Until recently we had a bunch of trees outside our apartment that unfortunately got cut down due to a future highrise development.

  When we had the trees outside we both enjoyed watching the Birds and Squirrels. Briar would chirp away talking to the birds.  One year we even watched some raccoons taking over a crow's nest.

 Briar loves being brushed and rubbing her face all over the brush after.

  When she feels like being high up in the home she will climb the bookshelf, if I am near the closet she will use me as a step ladder to get to the top shelf in the closet. Her using me as a ladder really shows how much she trusts me and I sometimes wish I could get a video of it.

 I free feed briar her dry food, give her canned food once a day. She is not a treat eater but loves catnip and knows where it is kept and will beg for it.

  Ask me if she is spoiled? Only with love! She has an overflowing medium plastic bin full of cat toys. I have found her sleeping in it and am pretty sure that in the early morning hours when she has the zoomies she will pull out some of her favorite toys that I was sure in the box.

  Recently I have found that Briar has been more comfortable sleeping in her carrier. 

  A few years ago I decided to make Briar her own instagram Page. She has almost 400 followers. Every time briar reaches another 100 followers I donate money to the local animal shelter. There is a huge cat community on Instagram probably because more people own cats than dogs in North America.  Most people have more than one cat.  I sometimes think about getting a cat friend for Briar. I am not sure how Briar would like that. I have had Briar for 6 years now. She is 11 years old and I am not sure if she likes other cats.  I may just wait till after Briar and then get two cats together in the future. For now I will enjoy my time with Briar.

 I am constantly learning more about cats all the time and feel that the bond I have with briar is always getting stronger!