Just a few weeks before Sarah and I left Florida and moved to Virginia, we adopted a new cat. We had seen her outside, and our neighbors occasionally took her in. However, our neighbors were out of town when the weather turned particularly cold, and the cat was left outside.
We didn't feel we could bring her inside with our other cats just in case she wasn't entirely healthy, but we fed her and gave her water and a box with a blanket to try and keep warm.
This little black cat with the white tufted chest and yellow eyes was so sweet. She already seemed domesticated. Every evening when we'd return home, she'd rush over to see us. We were hesitant to adopt another cat just before making an 800 mile move, but when Moxie crawled into Sarah's lap, it became a done deal. This cat already belonged to us!
We made an appointment to take her to the vet and have her checked out. She had some bald spots on her legs, but the doctor checked her for mites and found none. He suggested it might be over-grooming herself from stress. Otherwise, she received a clean bill of health and we were able to take her home with us.
We decided to name her Moxie, continuing the letter 'M' motif that we began with Monkey and Maccabee. The word moxie is defined as "the ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage." We thought this well described this sweet girl who had survived the outdoors on her own.
We later found out from our neighbors that Moxie had been abandoned in an apartment when her previous owners had moved out. We couldn't believe that anyone would leave this sweet, affectionate cat behind. She loves people and quickly made herself at home in our lives and our hearts.
Moxie didn't only receive a new home when we took her in... she also got a new sister and brother. Monkey and Maccabee were very curious about this new addition to our family, but Moxie was very wary of them at first and very protective of her space, most likely a result of having to protect herself when living outdoors.
But, as time passed, she became more comfortable around the other two cats and began to come out of her shell more and more. Moxie was now a part of the family, and it felt like she always had been.
Just a few weeks before Sarah and I left Florida and moved to Virginia, we adopted a new cat. We had seen her outside, and our neighbors occasionally took her in. However, our neighbors were out of town when the weather turned particularly cold, and the cat was left outside.
Moxie is so different in personality from Monkey and Maccabee. She is the lap cat we always wanted. She loves to be near her Mom and Dad.
She is next to us on the couch whenever we are watching TV. She loves to have her head petted. And she spends every night, all night, in bed with us.
