Happy Birthday Mr. F!

We don't have any kids, but we do have three cats who each have their own personalities and demand our attention. Sometimes I get really stressed about having three cats. When you have one cat, it's very easy to add a second cat. We had an electric catbox, so we didn't really need to increase any litter cleaning, and they didn't necessarily need any more food or attention (especially since our second cat is super chill).

However, the third cat. Well, we may as well have five cats. They destroyed the electronic catbox (so we had to get a different model), and they were constantly competing for food (we had to put them all on a diet because they were overeating, I think in fear that the other two cats would eat everything).

But when the opportunity first came to adopt the third, I thought it was a really good idea. Plus, who could say no to this face?:

Mr. F and her brother on my lap

For awhile we couldn't come up with a good name for her, but Josh and I both love the tv show "Arrested Development," and especially think the episode "Mr. F" is funny. In the episode, "Mr. F" is also a girl. 

Snuggling while I study

When we first adopted her, we always held her, even when we were napping.

Josh and Mr. F taking a much-needed Sunday nap

We even let her sleep in our bedroom, which is a strictly no-cat-zone.

She likes to snuggle when I'm reading

When she was a tiny kitten, she would burrow under pillows. It was really the cutest ever:

It's hard to believe Mr. F was ever that small!

Although Mr. F and our oldest cat Mercury still haven't become friends, Mr. F and Falkor used to snuggle up (before Mr. F grew to be Falkor's size!)

It's actually pretty amazing how quickly Mr. F grew. It seems like only yesterday I could fit her in the front of my sweatshirt just to celebrate Griffin pride.

Alder Families are Forever Griffins

Mr. F was also the source of the biggest trauma to hit a ShepAlder cat (if you don't count that night Mercury accidentally spent outdoors), a broken leg. When we woke up to find Mr. F's leg sticking out at a weird angle, it was probably the grossest thing I've ever seen in person (and I'm glad we were too grossed out to take a picture), but Mr. F in her cast was possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen in person. Once her leg was bandaged, she hobbled around at top speed, which was a problem because we were supposed to keep her away from the other cats. But every time we went to feed her or say hello, she bolted for the door!

We joked that Mr. F was like a pirate with a peg leg, only faster!

I can't believe our little Mr. F is over a year old now, and no longer a kitten!

Falkor, Mr. F, and Mercury-- just chilling on the couch together