Getting to know Jake

I think it's about time you all were properly introduced to our little family. You know we have two cats and two dogs, but who are they exactly? What are their hopes and dreams, their inspirations? We'll start with JakeJake, the Pirate Kitteh of Doom.

Jake as a mere whippersnapper. Even then he was perfecting his "hello sailor" look.

After getting stuck in the couch cushions. He's a little weird.

Jake today.

Jake is an Aquarius who likes short walks down the hallway, tuna, playing with his brother Elwood, crumpled balls of paper (cheapest cat toy EVER) and plenty of naps.

Yup, he's a hard worker.

Out of all our pets, Jake is our most special little guy. And yes, I mean "special" in that way - he's not too bright. But he IS incredibly sweet and loving, always up for a cuddle and a tummy rub.

Claws of death. Also claws of carpet ruining.

Even though Jake is an equal opportunity lover, he and Ben share a special bond. For starters, there's a strange fetish involving blue bath towels. No other color - just blue. When Ben steps out of the shower and grabs a blue towel, Jake instantly clamors at his feet until Ben will sit down and devote himself to a little JakeJake patting time.

I want to be a cat in our household. No really, I do.

Or the times when I will invest 15 minutes of kitty petting effort to no avail, only to have Jake suddenly erupt into purrs when Ben touches him with a single finger. Bastards.

That little rear paw sticking up just cracks me up every time I look at it.

As I said - they have a special bond. But I have to admit that I often don't understand it. A couple nights ago I looked over to see Jake lying contentedly on Ben's chest while they stared deeply into each other's eyes. Ben leaned his head forward until it was touching Jake's, then whispered softly, "It's time for our mind meld, Jakey. This...may...kill us both." Clearly their relationship is far deeper than I suspected.

Napping. It's harder than it looks.

Next up: Elwood, Evil Genius Kitteh.