Master Harper Robinton

November 30, 1998

My name is Master Harper Robinton, but my dad just calls me Harper for short. I was named after one of his favorite characters in an Anne McCaffrey book.

My housemates, Heinlein and 'Caffrey, had been raising dad for about a year when I came into the picture. My mom cat was a purebreed Snow Bengal named Tessa who was very, very quick to run out an open door. Tessa lives with a friend of my dad's who couldn't afford to pay for breeding rights so Tessa needed to be fixed. Mom had other ideas, though, and managed to escape before her vet appointment. My four sisters and I were the result. Dad's friend had already kept one kitten from another time Tessa escaped so had to find homes for all five of us.

Well, dad claims that he had no intention of living with three cats in a one room apartment! But, I'm too handsome and fluffy to ignore. The first day I met dad, I knew he was the human for me but, being only three days old, I couldn't really see anything yet. So I just listened so I'd recognize his voice if he came back. Sure enough, over the next few weeks dad was a regular visitor and always picked me up first! But he kept saying he couldn't get a third cat. He was tough to convince.

After a few weeks, dad came back for a holiday party and I was ready to perform. My dad's friend had mentioned another couple coming a little later wanted a boy kitten but I was the only boy in my litter. Daddy took one look at me that day and looked at his friend and said "His name is Harper and your friends can't have him." That settled it. When I was seven weeks old, after many visits, dad came and picked me up and brought me home.

Dad brought a neighbor with him who picked up my sister, Maggie, so at least I wasn't alone for the car ride. And until we moved, I got to visit my sister down the hall. The next week, dad took his boyfriend, Dave, over to pick up Urvishi and Nereide. (Urv and Nereide had convinced Dave to take them home on one of Dad's visits to see me when I was too young to leave.) So, dad not only rescued me but he found homes for three of my four sisters!

Take a look at my page of baby pictures to see what I looked like back then. It's obvious why dad couldn't resist me.

And I'm still handsome!

Harper

ps: when daddy moved in with Uncle Dave in 2003, I went to live with my Aunt Reba who used to be my cat sitter but is now my new mom. Uncle Dave's Nereide grew up to be very agressive and the one time I visited her she hated me! (Her own brother!) Daddy knew I wouldn't be happy living under the bed so he found me a new home where I could be the Alpha Cat! I'm very happy with Reba so I've been rescued twice. (And I am the Alpha! I tell my new sister KK what to do all the time.)