Mom told Dad that I need a playmate. I thought Fred was my playmate. I chase him through the house. I jump on him when he is trying to sleep. I bite his ears and his neck. What more could I need? Then she said I was mean to Fred. How could I be mean to my best friend? When I turn to ask Fred that very question, he wouldn’t look me in the eye. I was absolutely shocked when he added, “You do get a little rough. I am so much bigger; I don’t think it is fair if I fight back.” I realize in that moment that Fred is a better friend to me than I have been to him.

I know that the woman who lives next door has lots of cats. They often come over to sleep on our car and even the things that Mom puts out when we have a yard sale. I wonder if Mom plans to invite one of those cats to come live in our house. Since most of them are all grown up, I honestly don’t think they would like to start wearing a harness and live inside most of the time. I’ve never really tried to play with any of them. I guess I’ll have to wait and see. A few weeks later Mom and Dad are talking about a new batch of kittens from next door. One of them is a black-and-white tuxedo male kitten, and the other is a classic orange, black, and white calico female. Personally, I think I’d rather have a brother than a sister. Mom and Dad spend a lot of time discussing which of the two kittens would settle best in our house. Mom tells Dad that before she was born, her older brother insisted that if the baby was not a boy, he would trade her for the bull calf the farmer had next-door! The farmer thought it was really funny. Her parents didn’t see it that way. I’m not sure how they convinced her brother that keeping her was a good idea. Maybe they didn’t give him a choice. They don’t give me one either. They name her Harlequin because of the way her face is divided like a Harlequin clown. Her middle name is Sophia. Because they have a granddaughter named Harlequin, they decide it would be best if they refer to her as Sophia. I have a sister. Fred tells me I have to be gentle with her because she is still a baby. Some playmate she is.

I don’t know how my human grandparents talked my human uncle into accepting a sister, but I can honestly say I don’t like my new baby sister. She is not someone I want to hang out with. She spends a lot of time sitting on Dad’s lap. That used to be one of my favorite places to sit. She also talks all of the time, but she really doesn’t say anything of value. She asks Dad questions, but he doesn’t understand what she’s saying. Fred steps in to give her answers. He also likes to give her baths like he did for me. He uses that great big tongue to wash her from head to tail. Of course, she has to do the same to herself immediately after he finishes. I’m sure I had been more courteous than that when I was a baby. I know he was doing his best, and I would have waited at least an hour before giving myself a bath.

She makes a funny humming noise as Dad pets her. I think I remember that my birth mother did something like that. I do the same thing when Mom holds me, but it isn’t something that can be heard. Mom likes to put her hand under my chin as I do it. She says I’m special because I have a silent purr. She says I am the first cat she has ever had that is like that. She and Dad talk about cats they have had in the past who purred so loud, it could be heard all over the house. Sophia isn’t that loud, but I still don’t like to listen to her.

Mom got Sophia a pink harness. It is such a girly thing. I like that my harness has been either red or blue or a mixture of both as I have grown. They’ll probably get her pink ones forever. I’m surprised they don’t tie a frilly little ribbon around her neck. Girls are such a waste. Except Mom. I know Mom’s a girl, but she doesn’t wear pink or anything frilly. Sometimes when we have camped, she will wear rugged shorts with lots of pockets and boots. She and Fred like to go hiking together. I would love to go with them, but they probably walk faster than I would like. I’ll just settle for short walks around campgrounds. Sophia is too little to even do that. I’m proud of being a big boy.

Mom has been going back and forth to the van for the last three days. This morning she announced what I suspected – we are going on a trip! The refrigerator is filled, and the stuff is piled in the back. She said she has a book signing event in Mt Carroll, Illinois again with three other authors. Of course, we won’t get to join in. If we could, I know she would sell twice as many books. She also said we will go all of the way to Washington State to see family & friends. Sounds like she plans lots of stops.

All of this means that I may not be able to post my adventures because internet access is not always good. Wish me luck!