I've loved cats since I was little, but my grandparents would never let me have one. Finally, when I was 20 years old, they relented and said it was OK. I love purebreds, so I went to a local cat show, returning with a pamphlet about the Siamese cat breed. The breed seemed like a real handful, a lot of personality, which was just what I wanted. I decided to get a 6-month old (so I could get her "fixed" right away) female seal point. I called a pet store that I knew sold Siamese, near my best friend's house. The woman on the phone said, "We only have one. She's six months old and a seal point." Meant to be, right?!
The pet store had been calling her "Roxie," but I knew I wanted to name her Bianca. There was (maybe still is?) a character on the soap opera All My Children named Bianca, a spoiled little girl, the daughter of Susan Lucci's character. The name fit her right away. I bought a silvery blue collar to match her eyes, with a little bell on it, so I'd always knew where she was. Later I stopped using a collar because she didn't like it very much.
Like most kittens, she was funny and playful and always getting into trouble. She'd step on my head in the middle of the night and try to eat my hair. She loved to play fetch with little foil candy wrappers. She hid them everywhere, under the refrigerator, under the couch, and took them out when she wanted to play. The sound of her meowing with a crumpled candy wrapper in her mouth was the funniest thing! She loved to chase me through the kitchen, dining room, living room then back through the kitchen again. She was much faster than I was, so she'd take a detour around the dining room table out of courtesy.
When I moved out on my own, my roommate had two dogs. Bianca was terrified of them, so I eventually left her home with my grandparents for a few years. She wasn't happy there either, they didn't play with her or let her sit on their laps. Finally we were reunited and she was more loving and happy than ever. She spent about 80% of her time on my lap!!!
As Siamese people know, they are very vocal and not always at convenient times. Whenever I made or received a phone call, Bianca would boldly chime into the conversation. Enthusiastically so! I used to get frustrated and yell at her, not proud of that but it's true. When Bianca got older, I realized my time with her would be limited, and I promised myself not to yell at her. Whenever she cried, I would pick her up and hold her, remembering to appreciate the fact that she indeed would not be around forever. As a result, she was much more loving with me and we got closer and closer.
In 2007, I got engaged to my cat-loving husband. When my husband would visit, Bianca would get territorial. She'd park herself between us on the couch, and whenever my husband tried to touch me, she'd hiss at him! These two did not like each other AT ALL!!! When he finally moved in and helped to take care of her, Bianca accepted him as her Kitty Daddy. For a while, she cuddled with him more than she did with me! They really bonded, taking naps together and lots of quality time on the couch. He grew to love Bianca as much as I did. If only he could have known her when she was younger and full of life! He would have really fallen in love.
I'm so sad to lose my first furry baby, but I am glad I got to have her in the first place. She gave me years of companionship, tons of belly laughs, good snuggles and lots of hilarious conversation. Her voice was adorable, and she had so many different vocalizations! She never hesitated let me know how she was feeling, with a good bawling-out, a swipe of the paw and sometimes a little dirty look. Gosh she was a character! How could you not love that?
Rest in peace, my crazy little sweetheart. We miss you terribly, and our house is not the same without you in it.
