Kenda and Thai Foon were quite happy with the way things were. They had the run of the house, they could sleep together, they knew each other's habits. It was a grand time. Until.... (begin sinister music)

... Jackie Chan. One day when it was raining (and had been all night) I got a call at work. It was my husband saying the apartment manager had just found a little kitten in the sewers, and would we take her in? We knew there were several black cats that had the run of that section of sewer pipes. There are lots more stray cats in the apartment complex, and we had been trying to tame some of them, but the blacks are the wildest. This little one had apparently been left behind or washed away.

So we went to take a look at her. She seemed okay, but we knew we'd have to be careful until we could get her to the vet. We kitten proofed the computer sitting room and let her have the run of it. Kenda and Thai Foon were quite curious, but not exactly happy. Each day we would let them into the room to sniff around, but would keep the kitten on our lap. Growls and glares and hissing came quick after searching the room and spotting the little black furball. But these were mild reactions compared to others we had witnessed. Hopes were high.

Then we took her to the vet, and she became a he. Well, he certainly had us fooled. Another surprise followed. He was completely healthy except for a mild case of fleas. So we started letting the cats get close. One week later, he was wandering the house freely. The other two still occasionally hiss, but they mostly keep their distance. He on the other hand chases them around. He's determined to take over the house, or spend his life choosing his next attack victim. He's growing up quickly and climbing into trouble all the time.

After two weeks of bouncing names around (Gizmo, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Michael "I'm not that kind of angel", Hacker, and Screech) we finally settled on Jackie Chan. He's hyperactive and he attacks everything from toes to pillows, but he's so comical when he does it, he's almost a clown. He can be quite cuddly, but we find we're having to teach him not to bite certain things. He has this strange affinity for plastics.

But now he's grown up. A sleek, handsome devil who pretends to be innocent and guileless. He's playful, then he's a silent watcher, then he's cuddly, then he's attentive, then he's an explorer, then he's a practical joker, then he's a challenger seeking to prove himself in battle .... the list goes on. He's an actor, as all cats are, but one who does it for the enjoyment of acting. His affection is not demonstrative, though it's frequently expressed. And despite our foibles and basic human deficiencies his friendliness and love is unwavering, especially towards 'momma'. A definite keeper.