"Alex really loves being around people more so than any other cat I have ever had in my life." – remarked Chris when we asked him and his wife Sarah to introduce Alex to us, their tiger cat from the picture above. The core of his home’s soul and the leading hunter in the family, Alex daily treats his humans with tons of love, kitty head butts and chipmunks. He never fails to charm with his noble, dog-like behavior whilst never losing a snippet of his feline grace. Ladies and gents, please meet Basepaws cat Alex and his hoomans Sarah and Chris.
"When a cat flatters… he is not insincere: you may safely take it for real kindness." – Walter Savage Landor, Imaginary Conversations.
Chris and Sarah are loving fur parents of three. Their hearts are owned by two cats, Alex and Jeffrey, and a dog named Annie. Alex, the oldest of the three, was adopted by Chris 7 years ago. "He was dumped as a kitten." - explained Chris to us - "When I learned about him, I really wanted to take him in. I lived with my mother at the time and she wasn’t against the idea, but she was still in her mourning stage as we had just tragically lost a cat we had before. So, initially, Alex was really just my cat."
Basepaws cat Alex
When Chris and Sarah met, it didn’t take Alex very long to become fond of the new family member. Soon enough, he started bringing her gifts, as all the good and loyal kitties do. "At the time when my wife and I first met I was working midnights and on one occasion Sarah stayed home alone while I was at work. And Alex brought her a grackle! So, she had to take care of it, even though Alex’s catches are usually something I deal with." – laughed Chris. "And the bird was still alive!" – added Sarah through laughter.
Alex’s family decided to join the Basepaws’ mission in hopes for a better comprehension of their cat’s mysterious background, ancestry and potential health concerns. " We had already tested our dog before. We loved finding out what breeds she had in her." - explained Sarah. Charming Alex returned as a mix of Persian, American Shorthair and Tennessee Rex. But his family was even more excited to learn about his wild background - "We liked seeing that he shared a lot of the DNA with the lynx. That was pretty cool!". How fierce!
Because he suffers from periodic rashes, Chris is hoping that something about cat allergies will come up in one of the report updates in the future. Other than this, Alex is a strong and healthy cat with mighty hunting skills. He is quite a generous hunter too and often, oh so kindly, treats his hoomans with fresh kills. While many cats like to chase after birds or bees, Alex’s favorite prey is a chipmunk!
Basepaws cat Alex: "Did I just hear 'chipmunk'?!"
Aside from hunting, Alex enthuses in knocking things off the tables and snuggling with his best friends. He doesn’t like to be held and likes to be pet just the right way, but absolutely loves crawling on top of people and treating them with head butts. "When he becomes affectionate, he starts to salivate. Then he rubs his wet nose against my face and my neck. And I have a beard and a slight cat allergy so I get really itchy from it." - explained Chris.
He also loves his pup sister, Annie. He lovingly rubs and bumps against her, even though the sweet-natured dog isn’t quite sure what to do with that. But he cherishes these canine snuggles and often naps in Annie’s bed. Annie is a beagle mix and has a typical snoopy face and floppy ears.
She won’t chase Alex, but loves chasing Jeffrey, the third fur baby and the racoon of the family. "Jeffrey pines his way in all cupboards and the trash can and he even figured out the way into the oven. He will steal any food you leave out – regardless of whether you think a cat would eat it or not – he will sample it." – laughed the couple - "He’s an indoor cat so he may practice his guerilla warfare on you too.".
Basepaws cat Alex taking a nap with his dog sister Annie
What makes this cat specifically special and unique is his noble dog-like nature. He will come to you if you clap your fingers together and he likes to stay close to his people. On an occasion, he followed the couple on their walk in the woods just like the loyal canine companion would. Whether you’re inside or outside, have you earned Alex’s trust, he will stay by your side.
Basepaws cat Alex
We genuinely enjoyed talking to Alex’s loving family and getting to know them a little better. Alex is a breath of fresh air and brings joy and happiness wherever he paws his way in. Sarah and Chris, we hereby thank you for joining us on our mission, trusting us with Alex and sharing your story with the whole Basepaws community! We hope to cherish you with some pawsome updates in the near future. Meow!