Introducing...

Sentinel Damascus Collins

We've chosen a name. Sentinel, because he stays at home and guards the house, Damascus, because he was found in Damascus, and Collins because he is my cat. In the week Sentinel has been living with us we have discovered quite a bit about him. This is where he spends a lot of time. Not on top of this lounger, but under it, sitting on the wool blanket that is poking out from under the couch. He spent all of Sunday there, hours and hours and hours. This morning he came out and followed me around from place to place, but after awhile, back he went under the couch. It's hard to predict when he will be there for entire days, and when he will be there for just a few hours. I think he feels safe there, and it probably is warm. Or warmer than other places in the house. Right now it is very cold here.

I don't think any of these picture convey quite how large this cat is. I took him to the vet on Friday and he was over 12 pounds. I was glad about that because he was just over 12 pounds when he came to the Humane Society--and that was when he still had both front legs. So he lost a leg but also gained some weight. I think he was a bit scrawny when he was found.
This was our one day of play, last Monday. Subsequent attempts to play have resulted in a retreat under the couch. He was very into that mouse and had fun grabbing for the feather. I'm hoping that as he feels more secure we can spend more time playing.
He has a very small meow, more like a "mew" than a "meow." When he is in a following around mood, he punctures his following with chatting.
I think he still gets sad sometimes that he doesn't have all four of his legs. One attempt to jump up on the couch resulted in a miscalculation and a fall and he retreated under the couch for the rest of the evening. It has only been three months and I hope that as he gets more used to having three legs, memories of his four-legged self will fade. I think he was a very handsome and proud four-legged cat and I hope he will be just as handsome and proud of a three-legged cat.

When he is out and about he enjoys being petted and loves to lick your hand. He could lick your hand for the next four hours if you let him. He rolls around a lot as you pet him and also purrs a lot.

He's a very nice kitty and I'm glad that he has come to live with us.