Rudy was a gift from Miki and Kobe's breeder, after Kobe died. I wanted another Siamese, but she was now breeding Abyssinians only. Rudy's mom had contracted a virus and the litter came out with various "defects" to render them worthless as show or breed cats. The breeder had triumphed with Rudy's beautiful color, but he had a kinked tail. I had always though Abys to be exotically gorgeous cats, and I was thrilled.
Not for long. Rudy was the kitten from hell. He never slept. He was never still....like a kitten on steroids. He was mostly air-borne, and did not walk the ground like ordinary cats. Siamese are agile, and they did climb the draperies when little....This cat, however, was an athlete...and an arial walker. He walked the drapery rods 8 feet high with the greatest of ease, infuriating Zippy and Miki who couldn't quite perform the same feats.
Rudy's jumps spanned an easy 10 feet horizontally, and that was mid-air....from the tops of furniture to furniture, frequently flying right over my head. I believe he liked my reaction of horror, awe, amazement, and surprise, aptly expressed by a scream. Yes, he got off on it, I was convinced!
He rode most of the trip from California to Texas in the litter box., filling the van with an incredible noxious stench. While Miki was happier than I had seen him in years on the long trip, Rudy had stress diarrhea. He still gets the "runs" if stressed. Now, at almost 5 years old, he has calmed down a lot, and is a good companion who is always near me, always alert and interested. (He can't, however, be bothered with doing anything but gulping his food whole....which he then vomits back up ...also whole.)
He is very social, never having met a human or another cat he doesn't like. When Nate was a toddler, Rudy allowed him to throw crayons at him. He assists all workmen who come into the house, greets every guest, and nurtures kittens....well, at least the two Balinese, first Blue and now Santino. He loved both kittens, growing tired of them only when he discovered they were here to stay. Now he screams like a banshee when Santino jumps on him. He doesn't go after him, though. Very sweet....He has begun bathing Santino and Miki, both.
He manages to sleep on my head at night....and licks me with an incredibly wet tongue whenever he can get away with it. I appreciate him (now) and I love him. He is drop-dead gorgeous, his coloring so beautiful it almost takes my breath away, but Abys as a breed are "foreign" to me....perhaps, only so because of a lifetime with Siamese.
Rudy has always loved water. He likes to drink out of a running stream, so he has his own fountain. In the mornings, he hops into the shower, looking up and carefully gauges how much time he has after I turn on the water. He loves this game, though I still have not figured out quite what the point is. He seems he is daring the shower to get him wet.:-)
His interest in water has contributed to my downfall on his training. I've always used a water spray bottle as "enforcer" of household rules. Rudy loves the bottle! I had to stop using it because rather than a deterrent, it was a wonderful game for him. This, and his personality....completely absent any desire to please me....makes him a challenge to love. He is the only cat who continues to scratch furniture and walls, and wakes me in the middle of the night furiously emptying the litter box of litter. His teeth are terrible, incurring large dental bills. He will never allow himself to be held....never....and is feared by the vet staff who does not believe that he is not in any way a mean cat....just cannot stand being held.
Yes, everyone who meets him falls in love and wants him. I have offered to let him go several times, and just as quickly known that I cannot part with him. I love him.
