Day 71. Purr-fectly Picturesque

 

Miss Kitty in the Sweet Alyssum Patch

Miss Kitty, you've met in previous postings. Here she sits like a princess in the flower patch. She came into the family as a little stray. My mom found her hiding in among the irises in her garden. Day by day she coaxed the kitten to come nearer by leaving food closer to the house. Eventually she was tame enough to hold her.

As Mom couldn't keep her, I brought her home with me one day so I could find a good home for her. I found one ... she's been with us ever since! She's now 13.

 Gilbert loved baby's breath and could sniff it out at a hundred paces

Gilbert and his sibling, Sullivan, came to us when they were six weeks old. Gilbert used to sing when he was a kitten. So we named the pair of them 'Gilbert and Sullivan'.

Even at an early age, Sullivan seemed quite sure of his place in the world, but our lovable Mr. Gilly, being the tiniest of the litter, always seemed just a little behind when it came to learning about life. He was the sweetest kitty cat, and I loved him dearly, even when he was too small to find his way down to the litter box, and I'd wake up at night wondering what that warm wet spot was by my feet.

 

Sullivan in the Summer Grass

Sullivan, or Sully, as I used to call him, was a beautiful grey medium hair cat. He was more aloof than Gilbert, still loving, but he didn't care to be picked up and cuddled. However, he absolutely adored being petted while he ate, especially with a glove that had tiny nubs on it.

He'd sit on the back of the couch and purr delightedly into your ear when you sat there, but he wasn't one for lap snuggling. He was quite masterful at keeping the yard free of what he considered 'undesirables'. Although he had asthma, that never stopped him from hurtling down the driveway to chase off any other feline intruders. I think Kitty really missed his protection when he got sick.

 

Miss Roxy, the gal who had her own feline mind

and wasn't afraid to use it

I'll never forget the very first time I went to Rick's house shortly after we met. He had a self-assured tabby named Roxy.

On this particular day, Miss Roxy went outside and when he called her to come in, she turned and started towards him, as if in total obedience. I was impressed -- my cats didn't do that. She sauntered along the sidewalk, until she reached the front door, at which point, without missing a beat, marched right past and flopped herself into the flower bed for a roll in the dirt. She made it quite clear who was boss in that house!

Our neighbour cat, Casper, visits our garden

Casper was the only cat Sullivan allowed to visit our yard. He'd come often to visit and sometimes he'd saunter into the house, where we'd find him curled up on our dryer having a snooze. Or he'd stand in front of the closet door asking for the catnip he knew was stored inside. He was such an amiable neighbour, I loved having him visit. And our own cats never minded him.

***

I thought of that old song by Willie Nelson, To All the Girls I Know. If you change some of the words, it sings just as nicely for our kittycats (maybe even better) -- To All the Cats I Know. So here's to all our cats. Meow! Meow!

To all the puddycats I know

Who traveled in and out my door

I'm glad they came along

I dedicate this song

To all the cats I loved before.

To all the cats I once caressed

And may I say I've held the best

For helping me to grow

I owe a lot I know

To all the cats I've loved before....

 ***

Wishing you a beautiful day,

Brenda