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“Feeding Larry.” I pointed to the sad white cat.

Scarlett reached out to pet him and Larry hissed. She jumped back. “He doesn’t seem very nice.”

“I think maybe he’s just misunderstood.”

She glanced at the long list of things Larry hated as I grabbed a rogue cat toy and mixed the wet food up with the dry food.

“I don’t think he likes either of those food options,” she said. “According to his sheet.”

“He doesn’t like them separately. I’m betting that he likes them together.” The dry food seemed much too dry. And the wet food much too wet. I totally understood Larry. I slowly reached into his cage.

Instead of hissing at me, he looked up at me with those sad eyes. Sad green eyes. I smiled. This was Adonis and my new cat. I was sure of it.

I placed the food down and Larry started eating without a single complaint. I smiled. “He’s perfect.”

Scarlett bit her lip as she glanced at the write up about him again. “I’m pretty sure this is an ongoing list they keep adding to.”

“Yeah, I’m kind of curious about which employee had a staring contest with Larry.” I laughed. That seemed more like it was on the employee than the sad little cat. And maybe Larry didn’t like being stared at by people who didn’t understand him.

Scarlett laughed. “Either way, it sounds like Larry is a handful. And he likes to bite too. I think they tried to make that look like a positive by saying ‘not biting.’ But it’s a list of things he hates. So it means he loves biting. Like...a lot. So he’s not much better than a monkey.”

Larry paused midbite and looked up at me, like he was waiting to hear if I agreed with Scar’s assessment.

I quickly shook my head. “No, he’s the exact opposite of a monkey.”

“But...”

“Shh, he’s listening. You’re hurting my sweet boy’s feelings.”

Scarlett just stared at me. “Your sweet boy? He hissed at me.”

“Well, try again now that he’s happy.”

Scarlett reached out.

Larry tried to swipe at her with his paw.

She jumped back.

I tried to hide my laugh and failed.

“If you think it’s so funny, you try to pet the little demon.”

I nodded and slowly reached my hand toward Larry. “Be sweet,” I said. “Be a good kitty.”

Larry listened and let me pet his head. And scratch behind his ears. Two of the things the silly list said he hated.

“Why is he only angry with me?”

“Because you said he was like a handsy little monkey. And it’s good that he’s a little fiery. Adonis likes that.” He’d described me that way. He was going to love Larry. I smiled. I’d feel so much better knowing that Adonis wasn’t alone in that big house all by himself.

“I don’t think he can understand me.”

“He’s a very smart boy. Aren’t you, Larry?”

He didn’t look pleased by my calling him that. But he liked me enough not to hiss.

“Did you just use a baby voice with him?” Scarlett asked. “He hates that.”