This week’s Arlington Pet of the Week is a tabby cat named Pippin from the Westover-Madison Manor area.
Here is what his owner, Erin, had to say about him:
Pippin isn’t just a “friend” or a “companion,” he is my best friend and my closest confidant. As soon as we met at the Animal Welfare League, I knew that Pippin was special. His brown tabby coat with its stripes and spots and his bright green eyes with massive pupils seemed to speak to me. His paws were massive, even at the age of just 8 weeks. He reached out and stretched them right in my face as if to say: “Look at how big I will be one day, don’t you want to see me grow?”
Nowadays, his paws don’t seem so big. He is no longer the kitten I met a little less than a year ago. He is now a true “tom cat” with an absurd amount of swagger and confidence. That table in the photo? Yeah, he can jump on it. That door in the photo? Yeah, he can open it. That cup of pens in the photo? Yeah, he can knock it over. This confidence is well founded; I’ve never seen him fail.
Of course, it’s impossible to speak of Pippin without talking about Henry, the Boston Terrier-Dachsund mix who, like me, immediately took to Pippin. The two were fast friends but they have an odd way of expressing this. Henry can be seen multiple times a day dragging Pippin by his scruff from one side of the house to the other. Often times, guests are put off by how frisky the pair seem to be but their play is innocent and mutual.
As soon as Henry steps away, Pippin will reach his paws out and tap Henry and the fun will begin again. Pippin is also always getting Henry into trouble by knocking things on the floor for Henry to eat. When Henry is found mid-feast, chewing a hat or a pen, he always gets the blame, not Pippin. What can I say? Pippin is just too charming for anyone to ever be mad at him!
Everyone who has met Pippin has loved him, even the self-proclaimed “cat haters.” Whoever thinks that dogs are the only social animal hasn’t met Pippin. He is more than happy to hang out with anyone he meets and will hop right into their lap. He loves to cuddle, play, and will eat anything you give him.
He is curious yet loyal. Most nights, he sleeps right by my side with his head resting on my arm. The one time he was able to escape into the great outdoors he simply sat outside and waited to be let back in. He provided me with constant emotional support through my final year of high school and I’m not sure what life will be like without him next year. Pippin may only be ArlNow’s “Pet of the Week,” but, for me, he is the pet of a lifetime.
Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet. Please don’t send vertical photos, they don’t fit in our photo galleries!
Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care is the winner of six consecutive Angie’s List Super Service Awards, the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year and a proud supporter of the Arlington County Pawsitively Prepared Campaign.
Becky’s Pet Care provides professional dog walking and pet sitting in Arlington and all of Northern Virginia, as well as PetPrep training courses for Pet Care, CPR and emergency preparedness.