Monday, April 18th, 2005 12:02 pm
Someone asked about my kitties. [LJ-CUT TEXT="Background info, eminently skippable"]

In order of seniority in the household:

1) [livejournal.com profile] jackiecat, snob, accepts scritches on HER terms thankyouverymuch. Long-haired black w/ yellow eyes. Adopted from the Humane Society. 9 years old or so. Used to be much more congenial before she became indoor-only. I still wistfully think back on this decision; there might come a day when I'd reverse it in her case, although probably not.

I lost an all-black longhair under suspicious circumstances around Halloween one year. He was sweet and trusting... probably too trusting. We'd found him in a hotel parking lot, under our car, a palm-sized ball of fur eating a discarded Dorito. He was ours from that moment (although it took us a day or so to figure that out). When he went missing I was heartbroken. For months I went to the Humane Society every other day, looking for him in the "stray" section. Alas it was not to be. However, one day I arrived and saw a kitten that was the spitting image of him in his youth. I had the volunteer put a note on the cage indicating that there was an interested party hoping to adopt, so that when the moment the kitten passed the time limit waiting for her owner to claim her, she would be health-checked for adoptability. By this time everyone at the place knew me and I probably would have been considered responsible enough to take her even if she had some horrible disease, but she didn't, she was fine but for a bad case of fleas. I was first in line when the doors opened that morning, and she purred up a storm as I held her while doing the paperwork. Her personality isn't very like that of the tom I was missing, but she filled a hole in my heart just the same. She rules the house.

2) Duchess (no LJ), long-haired gray and white, extra large, extra affectionate. Also about nine years old. Found on an airport in the grassy area between the runways. (Named, therefore, for a largish and sort of slow airplane.) She'll stand up on her hind legs and head-butt any hand that's dangling enticingly close.

We suspect Duchess was abandoned. She was clearly an indoor cat -- knew the sound of a can opener, had a scar from spaying, showed no interest in going outside even if we left the door open by mistake. I won't say what I think of people who abandon animals they've taken on responsibility for. I'm glad Duchess is happy with us. [livejournal.com profile] jackiecat tries to boss her around, but she is supremely immune to that: she simply doesn't care! She goes somewhere else and starts purring again.

3) Little Girl (no LJ), shorthair, gray-stripey and white. Inherited from a LJ-friend's grandma who passed away. Probably about eleven years old. Craves human affection. Follows me into the bathroom. Tangles herself in my ankles all the time. Sits in the window waiting for us to come home. Total purr factory. Little Girl is the only cat in the house who does not know her own name, but it hardly matters -- she'll come to you whether you call her or not.

I was nervous about adopting Little Girl because she hadn't shared a household with other cats before. I wasn't sure how she or my other two would react. I really didn't want to turn the house into a territory battleground. The smells! But it turned out to be easy. She's comfortable being third on the totem pole in terms of territory as long as she can be first in terms of cuddling up with the human. She is the sweetest cat in the world, and while I can't ask her whether she misses her human, I'm sure she's happy in her new home. [/LJ-CUT]

I am *totally* sentimental about my cats. I bond with cats. I am a Cat Person.
Monday, April 18th, 2005 07:14 pm (UTC)
I must meet your kitties some day.
Monday, April 18th, 2005 07:48 pm (UTC)
If you're ever in the area I hope we can arrange it so you can drop by. You might enjoy meeting the hot tub, too.
Monday, April 18th, 2005 07:51 pm (UTC)
You might enjoy meeting the hot tub, too.

So I've been told. ;-) You're enticing me, you know.
Monday, April 18th, 2005 10:19 pm (UTC)
I'm just hospitable. I mean, these kitties are just sittin' here, ready to be all cute at you, and that hot tub is just sittin' there out back...
Monday, April 18th, 2005 11:04 pm (UTC)
I'm just hospitable.

You say "tomato"... ;-)

Since I'm not working the crummy-job-with-no-flexibility-for-time-off, I should make plans to come out to the area again. It's been way too long.
Monday, April 18th, 2005 11:13 pm (UTC)
You're certainly welcome to stop by my place if you do. The invitation's also good for Toni and/or Al if they're free.
Monday, April 18th, 2005 11:15 pm (UTC)
Thanks! :-) I was hoping we could get together. You're on the A-List of folks I want to see when I do get out there again.
Tuesday, April 19th, 2005 12:21 am (UTC)
He just wants to get into your hot tub, you know ;-)
Tuesday, April 19th, 2005 05:21 am (UTC)
I presume this is out of perversity, because you said it wasn't worth it and he shouldn't bother. ;-)
Tuesday, April 19th, 2005 12:52 pm (UTC)
*LOL*
Monday, April 18th, 2005 07:15 pm (UTC)
It's a good thing [livejournal.com profile] jackiecat isn't a cuddlebug, or I think she and Little Girl would be at odds with each other.

I still remember sitting on the floor in the living room, playing with Duchess with the string, and [livejournal.com profile] jackiecat looking at the whole thing like we were weird. Not that she was above playing, too, when the string got towards her, of course ;-)

Monday, April 18th, 2005 07:48 pm (UTC)
Oh yes. She has the above-all-that attitude until she gets involved herself. :-)
Monday, April 18th, 2005 08:13 pm (UTC)
I am *totally* sentimental about my cats. I bond with cats. I am a Cat Person.

Oh, yes. Quite! What you said. Some of us are just that way. =^..^=

It's so lovely to get to visit your cats, and "talk cats" with you!

I sure wouldn't call discussion of cats "eminently skippable"! Definitely not to me. Thanx for giving more background details on your kitties.
Monday, April 18th, 2005 10:18 pm (UTC)
Ah, but you could have skipped it because you already know that stuff! :-) I mean, you've visited, you've met them, you know their personalities. (Except Little Girl I suppose -- she's too new yet.)

[whisper] fonduuuuue [/whisper]
Tuesday, April 19th, 2005 10:44 am (UTC)
But I love to hear your cat stories over and over! I wouldn't skip them! And I needed to hear more about Little Girl, of course!

[whisper] fonduuuuue [/whisper]

Yesssss! I've gotta start making plans for a Fabulous Fondue Fvisit. Excellent point!
Tuesday, April 19th, 2005 01:54 am (UTC)
I am enormously happy that the three of them have worked out their system. Thank you again for giving Little Girl a wonderful home.
Tuesday, April 19th, 2005 05:16 am (UTC)
You're welcome -- and thank you for entrusting her to us. She's been a joy.
Tuesday, April 19th, 2005 04:15 am (UTC)
Kitties are the bestest!

*Spike and Sheckie send purrs and furballs*
Tuesday, April 19th, 2005 05:19 am (UTC)
Kitties are wonnnnnnderful. :)

*Jackie swishes her tail while Duchess and Little Girl sniff inquiringly*
Tuesday, April 19th, 2005 04:16 am (UTC)
"I am a Cat Person."

The finest kind of people! *grin* Now, where are the pics?
Tuesday, April 19th, 2005 05:18 am (UTC)
From background (top) to foreground (bottom), Duchess, Jackie, and Little Girl.

I don't have many online! I'll have to change that.
Tuesday, April 19th, 2005 12:53 pm (UTC)
When I finally get off my you-know-what and come back out there, I was going to see if you and/or [livejournal.com profile] rfrench would be subjects for some nice pictures. Guess I should remember to add the cats to the list. :-)
Tuesday, April 19th, 2005 04:24 am (UTC)
Aww!

I've had three kitties in my life; Boots, Gussy and Buzzer. Boots died due to heart disease, Gussy was abducted similar to your tomcat, and [livejournal.com profile] buzzy_mcbuzzer is currently the only kitty in my life.

Little Buzzy was an abused kitty too, initially taken from the humane shelter. She lived with a friend who had to move and couldn't take little Buzzer with her. I'm so glad she's part of our home now... I can't imagine a life without her!
Tuesday, April 19th, 2005 05:16 am (UTC)
Rescuing a cat is a wonderful feeling. I wish I could rescue them all...
Tuesday, April 19th, 2005 08:25 am (UTC)
You have great cats...
Tuesday, April 19th, 2005 09:20 pm (UTC)
Thank you! As do you. :)
Friday, April 22nd, 2005 04:47 pm (UTC)
Three cats? Wow, I don't know if I could handle that. I've never considered myself a cat person (at all!) and only live with the one I do now because I was told in no uncertain terms he had seniority in the house. :) So the fact that his personality won me over is a secret that only he and I know. ;)
Thursday, April 28th, 2005 04:52 am (UTC)
A friend pointed me at this entry of yours because they thought I might like it.
They were right.
I like the fact that your kitties are all rescued.
Thanks for sharing their stories.
Thursday, April 28th, 2005 05:10 am (UTC)
Aw, thanks! :-) I take it you are a kitty person too. I am greatly amused by your icon. Cats and planes, what's not to like?