Meet Dr. Werner “Snake Eyes” Herzog. [update: okay, that is a ridiculous name. We just call him Vern now.]

Audrey and I have been talking about getting a pet for a while now, but then the other day, our friend had some stray kitties playing around in his backyard and we committed to taking one. Well, that plan didn’t turn out to be as easy as we thought. Turns out feral young cats are nearly impossible to catch bare-handed. We spent half the afternoon trying, using several different tactics, none of which worked.

In the end we gave up and went straight to PAWS (Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society), the awesome and highly recommended animal shelter on 2nd and Arch. After playing around with several cats, we were drawn to Werner particularly for some reason. For me it was his striking green eyes and his laid-back attitude. For Audrey it was his shiny gray coat and snugglability.

He was the perfect choice. The moment we brought him home he was completely at ease. And this, an ex-stray! He curiously nosed around the house confidently, then settled in the curling up in our laps and kneading his paws into our bellies. He’s an excellent cat. We’re convinced he’s an ‘old soul’ even though he’s only one year old. Hope y’all get to meet him soon!

He’s sitting on my lap watching me type this with focused intensity right this moment… I think he might be into blogging, too! Whoa.