So when I happened into Petco about 2 years ago I was naturally drawn to the adoption area where they keep all the cats. I've fostered a lot of them for short periods of time through the years, but never adopted a cat because I didn't think it would be fair of me to adopt a kitty then take off for my research during the summer(although I did have a cat during my undergrad years).

But when I saw Wampi, I was so in love. I thought, "OK, he's almost a year old ... he'll be harder to adopt out. I can foster him for awhile and maybe find him a good home." The year before I fostered a beautiful Norwegian Forest Cat and he eventually went to live permanently with my neighbor April. Later on I was to learn that Wampi had been adopted out twice before but returned shortly after because he was too high maintenance & too energetic.

So I went over to his cage and we just looked at each other.

When they opened his cage door they said "careful, he doesn't let anyone hold him ... he might try to jump out and run." But this didn't happen. Nope. Not at all. I leaned forward and he carefully put his paws on my shoulder. Then he hopped up on my shoulder! "Wow," I thought. "What an amazing kitty!"

I turned around to see all these volunteers and people staring. And Wampi was perched on my shoulder staring back at everyone.

The woman who was helping me exclaimed "I think he chose you!" And I was thinking the same thing. I was so in love right then. I knew I was going to adopt and not just foster, and this was a good time since I was pretty much done with my research (just writing & analysis left to do!).

I said I wanted him. "Where's the paperwork?"

The woman smiled and said I could fill it out, but there was another couple who had already said they wanted to adopt him. They were finished with the paperwork and standing there watching me with the kitty. I was so heartbroken. How could this be? It just seemed so right. Maybe you know the feeling I'm talking about. Just seemed absolutely right and to be told, "no" seemed surreal.

She said I could fill out the paperwork anyway and if something fell through with the other couple, she'd give me a call.

You know the end to that story. She called the next day and said the couple hadn't returned her call and that it seemed they weren't as interested as she first thought. She said I could have the kitty! I was ecstatic!

So within a day Wampi came to live with me. But it took me another 3 days to figure out his name.

(Tomorrow: How Wampi Got His Name)