Emmitt Leopold

Shortly after Danny got home from Iraq, we decided that we wanted a third kitty.  Our goal was to replace the sweet little kitty that we had gotten for Hayley and had to return because she was not using the litter box.  She was not using the litter box because Elsa Janie would sit outside of the box and beat the little kitty up when she came out.  We felt that we needed to keep Elsa, and returned the little kitty.  I don't think that Hayley has ever really forgiven any of us for the decision.
So, back to this story.  We went to the kitty store to adopt a kitty.  We knew that we needed an adult and one that was big enough to take on Elsa if need be.  We found a handsome tabby of the most unusual shade of peach.  He had a white belly.  He had a white chin.  Most importantly, he had four white paws .  He was very lovey at the adoption center.  We put our money down, boxed up our cat and headed home.  Once home, we did not see our new family member for two days.
Emmitt, as we had named him, had found himself a corner to hide in.  And hid, he did.  Ashlyn patiently waited him out and they became the best of friends.  He was not going to be a replacement for Hayley's long ago kitty.  He was going to be Ashlyn's best friend. 
At that time, Ashlyn had long hair and Emmitt had the pecular habit for burrowing into it, kneeding her hair, purring in her ear.  He would hug and hold on around her neck.  He was so very lovey.  He was so very sweet. 
And loud.  This cat had something to say about everything.  He would come into a room yelling.  He would leave the room yelling.  He would yell and yell and yell.  My favorite is when he busts into a room, yells loudly and busts back out.  I often think that there is some type of serious incident that we should attend to, but we don't.  That might be why he busts into the room yelling so frequently.
Emmitt is a bust open the door kind of cat.  Any door that is slightly closed is wide open when he is around.  And he likes to be the first one in the room.  More often than not, I will be walking toward a room only to have Emmitt race in before me.  When I get into the room, I find Emmitt laying on the floor with a "what took you so long?" expression on his face.  Emmitt's other mode of operation when entering a room, is playing the hot lava game.  Remember that game from your youth, you know the one when you cannot touch the floor,  well Emmitt is a Hot Lava champion.  He can enter the family room and traverse the room by going from chair to chair to couch to fire place mantel and back out the room.  It is pretty impressive considering he weighs 20 pounds and has a larger waist circumference then Vera Ellen had in the movie classic, White Christmas. 
 Emmitt Leopold, named for Emmitt Smith, one of the greatest Dallas Cowboys ever and Emmet Otter, one of the greatest Christmas characters ever.  The Leopold flows nicely from the Emmitt and Leopold has a nice royal ring to it.  Of course, our Emmitt Leopold is neither much of a football player, jug band member or royal.  But he is fat and furry like Emmet Otter and can juke like a running back.  He does enjoy a leisurely nap much like royalty. 
Emmitt has proven himself to be a true and faithful friend to Ashlyn.  Many days during treatment, we would find him keeping watch over her as she napped.  He was her guardian, he was her warmth, he was hers.  On the darkest of days, he was hers.  With his little white paws and his ever so loud purr. 

So, Hayley did not get her replacement kitty.  But she had Sophie so why we ever got her a second kitty is beyond me.  But Ashlyn got her buddy and he was there for her when things got tough.  He was and is a good friend.  Loud, often obnoxious, sometimes cantankerous.