ode to an orange cat

I promise to post about something other than pets - one of these days... But when one has such a photogenic cat as the one seen above; what are they supposed to do about it?

His name is Anpfeifen. A German word, with several definitions, but chosen for its meaning: "to hiss or snarl at", which I must say this cat does rather well.

"Fiffen" came to live with us about a year ago. When I first spotted him that Sunday afternoon - a tiny little ball of happy purring fluff - looking very neglected in the snow of our church parking lot; I never imagined he would grow up to be such a handsome specimen of a cat. (I never imagined my parents would let me take him home.)
We all have somewhat of a weakness for orange cats.

We were very worried that our dogs would hurt the little guy, so we kept him locked up in the garage for awhile. One day; he escaped - and he chased the dogs around the house. I half expected the orange beast to eat me when I went to rescue the dogs; but as soon as I had him, he immediately melted into a little ball of fuzzy sweetness, and started purring. We just let him go wherever he wanted after that.

At present; he has grown to be a huge ten pound hairball of happiness. (As long as you aren't a dog.) The combination of his adorably grumpy-looking face and a new camera has been difficult to resist. Well, perhaps I should say that my mom doesn't find him quite as irresistible as I do. He is an expert at being a royal pain. He digs around in the garden more than the dogs do. His greatest moment of infamy was probably the day he jumped in the open van and licked all the icing off of a corner of my nephew's birthday cake. (Very skillfully slicing the plastic-wrap to get to it...) I like to imagine that Mom still likes him just a little bit; even if she did call him a 'scruffy orange raccoon'. (He does have an awkward raccoon-like amble.)