Above: Fufu, as he tried to yank my camera’s wrist strap – you can see the sparkle in his eyes.

My life has been in topsy-turvy for the past few months. The main reason is that I now have a furry and unruly roommate in the little studio apartment where I live. I adopted a kitten from the Austin Humane Society in July, and he has been with me for almost three months now. His name is Fufu, taken from the Chinese word fu, which means “good fortune.” As an American shorthair, Fufu is basically the run-of-the-mill stray cat that you would see digging through the neighborhood dumpster. But, to me, he is uniquely mine, and, aside from his occasionally disruptive ways, he is the best roommate I can ask for.

My family has had quite a few pets as I was growing up. My older sister, who lives in Houston, has two dogs and a cat. Although I am very used to the idea of living with animals, I have never had a pet of my own that I needed to take care of one hundred percent. Fufu is the first one, and he definitely proves me wrong when I thought that cats were easier to rear.

I took a few trips to the Austin Humane Society before I decided on adopting Fufu. All the animals in the shelter looked like they needed a home so desperately, but I could only take one home. I played with Fufu and another kitten from the same litter in the playroom and thought that Fufu’s docile and quiet way of interaction was perfect for my lifestyle. However, apparently Fufu is a master of disguise! After he recovered from a bad cold when I first took him home from the shelter, he became very playful and active. He is also very persistent at getting attention, especially when I am working. He likes to help me type when I am on the computer and flips pages for me when I am reading. Aside from his very helpful nature, he is also an early riser and a night owl. On days when I am glad that I can sleep in, he makes sure that I do not get lazy by nuzzling up to my face or nibbling on my toes around seven until I wake up and give him his breakfast. On the other hand, every day when I open the door to what used to be an empty apartment, I have a friend peeping out waiting for my return. While it is true that Fufu’s abundant energy sometimes makes a mess in my small apartment, his companionship makes quiet evenings more interesting.

My friends all laugh and say that my life has been taken over by a feline roommate. Indeed, my life has not been the same since Fufu entered it. Three months into our roommate-ship, we are still getting used to each other. But, I have a good feeling that we will get along just fine for many years to come.

Lastly, I just want to remind anyone who is thinking of adding an animal to his or her household the option of adoption. Austin Humane Society and many other animal shelters around Austin are excellent places to start, and the animals would love to be visited!