At least every couple of years, I travel to my native Brazil to visit family and friends. On my last trip, I was eager to meet Gërtrude, the stray tuxedo kitten my good friend Eduardo and his wife, Bruna, had recently adopted. The cat showed up at their vacation house in the mountains looking for a family.

Gërtrude and me, playing on the floor the day we met. (Photo courtesy of Eduardo)

I arrived bearing supplies for my feline niece — a pink collar with an engraved tag, a wired bag for her to hide inside, cleaning products and a myriad of cat toys.

I bought everything I could think of to please Gërtrude and enhance Eduardo’s and Bruna’s experience as first-time cat owners.

While in America pet superstores offer an incredible variety of cat products for every need and taste, in Brazil you’re lucky to find anything in the first pet shop you visit.

“Ger” (her nickname now) greeted me at the door. I tried to shower her with love, but she was more interested in the toys.

So I spent most of the day on the floor with her, enticing her with a snake-like toy while she stalked it, jumped on it and rolled over it, determined to get it from me at any cost. Read more.