The Cat's out of the Bag

Dimka, "Grey Smoke"

This is Dimka. Her name is a Russian variant word that means "grey smoke". She appeared to us about three years ago. We found her out front of our little townhouse in the rainy part of August 2016. It was cold and very wet. She was shivering and hungry. 

Dimka at the front door 2016

We already had an indoor only cat. I told my wife that if this outside cat hangs around for 5 days we will adopt her. I made a little shelter outside for her to sleep in. As it turns out she had the attention of both of my next door neighbors. 

a.k.a. Mosby, "Gray Ghost"

George was my neighbor to the right. He did not like cats. He did however find interest in Dimka. George had bought food for her and named her after Civil War General John S. Mosby because of her grey coat. John S. Mosby was known as the "Gray Ghost" (Incidentally the word for guest in Russian is ghost).

Joan was my neighbor to the left. She was feeding Dimka too. She had made a little shelter also for Dimka. She didn't name Dimka. 

Dimka at the Norfolk SPCA 2016

Five days passed and on a Tuesday morning I scooped up the grey cat and took her to the Norfolk SPCA. They would be able to determine if the cat was male or female. They could scan for a microchip. They would be able to give her the shots she needed.

Dimka the Russian Blue

I told my wife about what I had done. I told her the cat's gender. Roza named her Dimka. We did a little research. It turned out that our new street cat was a Russian Blue. At least that's what we came up with. We spoke Russian at home sometimes so it made sense.

Before I had only our cat Lena. Lena would meditate with me. Dimka and her at first didn't get along. Dimka terrified Lena. Eventually the girls tolerated each other. 

Dimka never misses an opportunity to sit with me during meditation practice. Sometimes Lena joins us. It's strange and wonderful. My wife and I love both of our cats. The street cat and the indoor only. Both cats are strictly indoor now. Cats don't live long living outside. 

Lena, Dimka and Alexander Nuttall practicing meditation

Sometimes Lena gets to eat the leaves of a lilly in the back yard. So she gets taken to the plant. She eats a little and then runs to the back door in order to get back inside. Dimka, on the other hand, would just run away. 

So I scooped her up and committed her to a velvet cage. We play, mediate, eat, pee, shit and so on. Both Dimka and Lena take turns using the restroom with me. It's what we cats do.