Several things about Larenti that have developed in the last few days.

(1) ‘She’ is a ‘he.’  I’ll have you know it took shaving a good deal of his derrière to find the necessary bits to determine this.  Even the vet said there was much confusion and betting on the outcome as more and more hair was cut away.  Ultimately, however, his gender is now known with certainty.

Although I based my original hypothesis on his standoffish behavior, I grew to realize that stemmed from his distrust of people in general.  Nevertheless, I’d already spent some time referring to him as her and saw no reason to change that without proof.  Now the verdict is in.

I’ll go back and change all the personal pronouns and other gender references as time permits.

I’m not changing his name based on this information.  I think Larenti is a perfectly gender-independent moniker.

(2) He’s been inside since yesterday.  Quarantined, yes, but inside nonetheless.  All it took was a bit of cold air.

(3) We just returned from the veterinary clinic.  He’s now up to date on his vaccinations.  His general health is good, although there are a few minor issues to be dealt with before introducing him to the rest of the household.

For example, we need to give him flea treatment as there were some tapeworms found.  Neither fleas nor tapeworms are serious issues, you realize, yet both have been and will be dealt with (a shot to wipe out existing tapeworms and flea treatment to stop the threat of tapeworms. . .and fleas, of course).

Also, he has a wee bit of a yeast infection in his ears.  We now have ear drops to remedy that insignificant concern.

He’ll remain quarantined for two weeks as we allow the various treatments to work.

(4) He’s approximately 4-5 years old.  A young lad.

I never suspected him to be senior or geriatric.

(5) He purred the whole time he received his shots and exam, nestled against me like a warm engine looking to me for safety.  That made me feel like a million bucks.

There was some stress during the buttocks shaving, yes, but would you react any differently if de-haired in the nether regions by perfect strangers?  I think not.

(6) Not once did he cry during the trip to or from the vet.

(7) I’ll post some new photos of him tomorrow if any of them turn out.  I’m not exactly catching him at his best.

(8) He’s tired, stressed, worried.  My focus remains on ensuring he finds this place safe, the company loving and accepting.

(9) His “about The Kids” page will be built in short order.  Likewise, I’ll add him to the various categories, add his likeness to the thumbnail links in the sidebar, and generally tend to all the blog matters surrounding membership in this exclusive club.

(10) I have no concerns for his integration with the rest of The Kids.  He already knows Vazra.  He’s now met Grendel and Kazon without incident.

Given his propensity for wanting to hang out with other cats, not to mention his habit of sitting at the patio windows and “talking” to the Kids, I never thought it a concern.  There will be tribulations just as there were with Vazra; none of these have been major or worrisome.  I expect the same with Larenti.

(11) He weighs more than 18 pounds (8 kilograms).  I believe I’ve mentioned before that he’s a large cat.

In physical size, he’s approximately as long and as tall as Kazon, but his longer hair makes exact matches a bit difficult.

(12) I need to have him shaved to get rid of some knots.  After that, regular brushing with the rest of The Kids will see to it that such afflictions don’t revisit him.

(13) You may NOT call me The Cat Lady.

(14) There will be no further additions to The Kids.  Not for a while, at least, and not while living where I live and on the pittance my employer pays me.

Too many cats in a small space causes stress.  Stress is a cat’s worst enemy.

I already spend a great deal of money on these felines. . .more than you can realize given various health issues.  Any more would easily bankrupt me.

That’s not to say I’ll stop feeding the locals; it is to say I won’t be rescuing any more.

(15) Call this a god complex all you want, what with taking a cat from its life on the streets and in the wild, tending to its health, ensuring it has a loving home where it can live a long and fruitful life full of affection and company.  Call it selfish to interrupt a life in such a way, to take it from what it knows and introduce it to a new life that is alien.

I don’t care.

Vazra would have died in no more than a year had I not “interfered” in his life as I did.  Now he’s so healthy that he doesn’t even look his age.  The horrific, skin-ripping knots in his fur are a thing of the past.  He’s put on weight such that he’s now normal.  He’s so happy he could just spit.  He follows me like a puppy, talks to me incessantly, plays with the other cats, enjoys a life of leisure and no want. . .

But remember I had the same god complex when I snatched him from the lake and gave him a home.

Now, you’ll pardon me if I tend to some business, such as cleaning cat boxes, visiting with Larenti so he knows he’s okay, in a safe place, and giving the rest of The Kids the time and attention they need and deserve.