Meet "Leo" Williams

1) Are you a male or a female?
~male

2) How old are you?
~2 1/2 years

3) Where were you born?
~in a little city called Endicott, New York (upstate New York)

4) How did you end up here in Florida?
~Well, my mommy searched long and hard over the internet for me when I was just a wee one! She said that she wanted to find a kitten that was brought up around young children in the home and that would easily adapt to its new home with the Williams family. After searching the internet, mommy found the Cafferty family that was selling my breed of kittens, which is known as himalayan. When I was 12 weeks old, I flew by air conditioned plane to Orlando all the way from the Newark, New Jersey airport! I was a little scared, but I had my little blankie that I had grown up with and that still had my mother's scent on it. This accompanied me inside my pet carrier on the plane ride to Orlando so that I would have a familiar smell to keep me calm while I flew to my new home!

5) What does the breed "himalayan" mean in cats?
~It's basically a Persian cat, with long-hair and distinctive blue eyes, except himalayans all have what are known as color points along several different "points" or areas of their body...the ears, the nose or "mask" area, the paws, and the tail. I am a "chocolate point" himalayan. This means that I have dark chocolate colorings on my "points" along with a fawn or cream-colored body. I also have pink pads on my paws, which distinguishes me from the more common "seal-point" himalayan. Seal point himmies have dark or chocolate colored paw pads and their body color is darker overall, rather than cream. There are also other more rare color points in himalayans, such as the "lilac point", the "flame point", the "tortie point", the "cream point", and the "blue point". You can also sometimes find combinations of them, such as the "blue-cream point". All true himalayans must have blue eyes. If you notice in my picture, my eyes are a beautiful ice blue color.

6) Are you good with kids?
~Most definitely! The himalayan breed is known for its docile temperament, which makes us the perfect kind of cat to bring into a family with children! We tend to be lap cats who love to be with our owners all the time, rather than aloof, like many other typical breeds of cats. My owners especially love how I act almost like a member of the family by tapping them on their ankles as they walk by me just so that they will pay attention to me! It's like I am saying, "Hey, you! Look at me down here! Let's play!" I love to play chase in the house with Sierra and Chandler!

7) What's your biggest "pet" peeve? LOL
~Probably when my mommy shuts the bedroom door and leaves me out. I know it's not intentional, but I can't stand being separated from mommy! I stand at the door and cry and whine when a door is closed. I also follow mommy into all the kids' rooms at night as she tucks each one into bed or reads them a story. If she accidentally shuts the door to one of their bedrooms, I just sit in the hallway and meow relentlessly until someone lets me in!

8) Do you have a girlfriend?
~No, but I sure wish I did! About two months ago, I became fully mature. So, now I like to move my paws back and forth on mom's lap in a making "bread dough" motion. It's my way of saying I wish I had a girlfriend! Mommy wishes she could find me a mate, but dad says no way! He has allergies and it wouldn't be a good thing to introduce another cat into the family. I am not fixed yet, so hopefully, soon mom will make an appointment at the vet's so that I can get neutered and put me out of my misery...er, on second thought, NEVERMIND!!!!!!!!

9) So, what's all this stuff we've recently read about you hunting down "Hammy" in the house?
~Well, I'm a cat, as you know. And the temptation of seeing that little hamster every dayis just too much sometimes to ignore! Ya' know, it's in my blood to want to chase and hunt that little guy down every chance I get! It's not fair that mommy always seems to intervene whenever my eyes get as big as saucers while looking at "Hammy". She scolds me and tells me "NO!", but one of these days, I just know I am going to get lucky and when that little guy taunts me and no one is looking, I will get him!! Ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!

10) How'd you get the name "Leo"?
~My mommy noticed that my father's name on the pedigree papers was Sir Michelangelo of Cafferty's Kitties. My mother's name was Miss Mocha Latte. Mom thought sticking with something like "Leo" (short for Leonardo) would be better than something like "Java Chip Frappucino", like my dad had suggested...thank goodness for that! LOL