Nell Kitten

She is, without a doubt, one of the sweetest joys of homecoming each day. Nell is a 2 year old gray tabby who, despite having grown out of formal kittenhood, has remained relatively petite. We still think of her and call her Nell Kitten. When she selected us as her family, she was a tiny little thing living at an animal shelter. Too small to be allowed to hang out with the "big kids", she was confined to a cage along with several other babies in other cages. As I walked by her, she stuck her little paw out through the cage bars and I put my hand up. Play time!! She batted at my fingers, rolling onto her back and looking at me upside down. I was smitten and have been wrapped tightly around her paw ever since.
In spite of her diminutive size (I admit to referring to her as a "little piece of kitty gristle") she set out straight away to establish the pecking order, and in no time at all had our 70 and 85 pound Collies in line. Nell is a woman who knows her mind and is quite willing to swat any of her human or fur-bearing housemates for any unacceptable behaviors. When she is in a mood to do so, she gives me a kitty hug: she lets me pick her up and lays over my left shoulder allowing me to hold her and scratch her ears. If she is not so inclined, she says "No". I'm not kidding. It's a kitty sounding "no", but quite distinct.
As some cats are "mousers", Nell is a "bugger", showing amazing eyesight as she races around the house after flies or other hapless insects. Her prowling stance, all hunkered down, eyes fixed on her prey, as well as her spectacular attack leaps, have earned her the nickname the "FJC", or fierce jungle cat.
No matter what we call her, she is my Nell and I love her to bits.