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Rafayel — Siamese
How did he get to live with you?
Oh, the classic mistake: "My first cat is an angel so I may adopt another one!" Did you expect another quiet and calm kitty? WRONG. But let's start from the beginning: you were worried that Xavier would start feeling lonely being the only cat. You heard it's recommended to introduce them to other cats so they can learn to socialize and avoid aggressive behaviors, especially in younger kitties. Xavier was already an adult, but it couldn't be too late, right?
And it happened by coincidence, really. You were strolling around, enjoying the fresh air and your well-deserved day off, when you heard the first weak and pitiful "meow" behind some shrubs. You quickly found him; his leg was hurt, and he looked like he hadn't eaten in a long time. You carefully got closer, trying not to scare him, but he still hissed and even tried to scratch you.
It was understandable, he was hurt and you were multiple times his size, how could he not be scared? So you offered some of the small treats you carried on you since adopting Xavier, a new habit. That managed to make him calm down enough for you to pick him up with your jacket.
At the vet, you felt relieved that his injury wasn't serious and he'd get better soon; the lady even asked if you were interested in keeping him, and you were about to refuse when you remembered Xavier. Some company wouldn't hurt for either of you so... why not? After the corresponding paperwork and paying for the treatment, little Rafy was all yours to take care of. The walk back home was quiet, only filled by Rafayel's massive smugness of owning you.
The expression of utter betrayal on his little face was beyond words when he discovered he wasn’t the undisputed king of the house!
Kitty traits
Picky eater. Dry food is too dry and wet food is too wet. Oh, and he gags at certain veggies, don't put them near him. He loved cooked fish yesterday, but who said he wanted it again today? Also, he has already made it clear he doesn't like that brand of tuna. And once again, where's his salmon treat? You can't win with him, Siamese cats weren't supposed to be this picky!
Food thief. Pretty ironic how he's so demanding about his food, but he'll do anything to have a bite of yours. He wants to taste that vanilla ice cream you bought, the steak you treated yourself with, and your drink looks tasty too. You have to push him away all the time, and sometimes he stretches as if he wasn't doing anything. He's not slick.
Gagging Gatsby. You observed him all day, worried sick for your little boy who wouldn't stop gagging. With your heart squeezed by worry, you rushed to the vet, only to find out that he... had swallowed a fly. He spent the entire afternoon writhing in disgust, convinced that ingesting a mere fly had doomed him forever, and you stabbed your wallet at the vet for this little lord who was just feeling icky. You really didn't know what to do with him anymore.
Doesn't like = will destroy. The precious cat mug you bought at the thrift store ended up broken on the floor after Mr. Perfectionist felt it looked at him wrong, or something like that. The vase with flowers gifted by your colleagues? Dumped on the table, the poor flowers scattered all over the place (Xavier joined in his antics, double scolding for misbehaving). And the curtains? Oh Lord, they were a bit too white for his liking, they had to go away! This means he jumped to the top of the window and slid down them with his claws :)
Spoiled rotten. Bows, collars, outfits, jewelry, fancy oils for his exquisite fur and paws, special brushes for grooming, the comfiest bed and blankets? He wants them all. Have I made clear enough that your wallet is suffering?
Needs attention like air to breathe. Contrary to Xavier, he meows a lot. When he sees you passing by he meows happily as he follows you, does it when he's angry, hungry, needy, or just wants you to stop doing whatever you're up to and cuddle him instead. He's mostly dramatic, but when you leave he meows up a storm, and that's what hurts you the most.
Loves baths like no other cat! You could have been expecting this, so yes, he does love baths very much. You bathe him with Xavier, who doesn't really mind them, and it's so cute seeing Rafayel being the most playful he ever is, even trying to get Xavier into the action (he's dozing off due to the warm water…). Let him enjoy his time, he and Xavi get a bit upset with the blow dryer afterwards if air gets into his sensitive ears.
His favorite place to make biscuits it's your ass. Do NOT leave your rear exposed while you're lying down, he will jump onto you and start kneading the soft flesh without warning. It's up to you if you let him do it or not, but he thinks he's soooo funny.
"You know… we really need to work on this, little man." You sighed, hands supporting your head as you sat on the toilet. "Privacy and all, don't you think?"
The coffee cream cat stared at you with big eyes, almost blinking happily as you talked to him. This was usual everyday life since you brought Rafayel in... personal space dissipated completely and privacy became a once-in-a-while-luxury.
Rafayel not only wanted but needed to be glued by your side each minute of the day. When you woke up, the first thing you saw was little Raf on top of you, eyes expectant of breakfast; at noon he climbed on the table as you ate to keep you company, at evening he sat next to you on the couch if you decided to watch some TV and at night he ran with full batteries around Xavier who had won the best spot on the bed.
"Meow". You sighed again, almost sure he understood what you were saying to him, and actively decided to ignore it. "Come on, Rafy. Just a minute, please!" You tried to carefully push him outside, but he just jumped up on the counter and looked at himself in the mirror.
When you got out of the bathroom, a groggy Xavier waited on the couch for breakfast. He saw how you carried Rafayel's body with one arm and brushed your teeth with the other before letting him down on the hallway floor. The little cat at your side looked away for a second before losing his concentration completely, his wide eyes now landing on an earring you lost some days ago.
He jumped on top of it and tapped it with his paws, looking its shiny colors, the gem-like shape, and- oh! That smell!
"Breakfast's ready!" You called them both and they hurriedly attacked their bowls. Sadly, there was no time to spare as the clock marked near eight in the morning, threatening you to get late to work. Your presence was like a fleeting shadow, going from here to there, taking interrupted bites of your breakfast, tripping as you put on your socks halfway through, and buttoning your shirt wrong.
"Bye-bye, my loves. See ya. Behave," you said as each busy head received a kiss between their ears. "Bye-bye, Miss Hooman!" was probably the thought inside Rafayel's head before he heard the automatic lock of the door. Only then he did notice your absence, and by the time he reached the door, it was already too late.
[...]
The day felt longer than usual, and even more tiresome. You dragged your feet inside and closed the door behind you, taking your shoes off as you turned the lights on. The living room looked empty, a thing you noticed after putting away the groceries in the cupboard. Xavier's bowl was almost empty yet Rafayel's was mostly the same as this morning. By looking at the hour they were most likely asleep by now, so you'd make sure everything was alright the next morning.
With slow movements, you made your way to the bed after taking a shower and tucked yourself under the covers where Xavier had fallen asleep. You scratched his head, scrolling on your phone to find the app for the new security camera you installed for the front door. It was your new acquisition after adopting another cat, you needed to be sure you had a way to take care of them even from a distance. To optimize energy, the camera only recorded when it detected movement at the entrance, but the curiosity soon broke your heart.
7:49 a.m. The first recording, just as you left the house. Rafayel's thin body paced in front of the door with a sad meow, his ears flattened after a long time of meowing. 8:36 a.m., he probably heard someone outside and ran to greet you, only to find a closed door. 10:31 a.m., he was trying to find his way out, jumping to turn the doorknob, only to fail. 1:23 p.m., he decided to take a nap there for an hour, and by noon there were no more videos.
Your heart clenched, and you didn't waste a second before getting off the bed and finding Rafayel after looking around, curled up behind the sofa cushions with the shirt you wore that morning. "Hello, baby," you smiled when he opened his eyes, meowing loudly one more time as he bumped his head against your hands, "Hi, love. Were you sleeping? Are you comfy?"
His paws tried to reach your face as you cradled him in your arms, taking him with you to the bed. "I'm back home, sorry for taking so long, Rafy." He protested, of course he did. You left him alone all day! Do you know how long is that, Miss Human? That's like. A whole year in cat years! And Xavier is not exactly the best company, you know? He naps all day and doesn't play with him and-
Smooch.
His feline rambling subsided after your soft lips touched his small head. "I'll make it up for you tomorrow, I got you a little present for being such a good boy". Rafy The Lover was back, purring happily against your hands as you caressed his soft fur, lulling him to sleep on top of your chest with a warm smile only you could provide.
You knew better than anyone the feeling of being alone, and you'd do anything to avoid making Rafayel feel left behind again when he called out for you.