Conference misery::feline_v1

I have two: Chiun, a handsome and friendly (if not too bright)
seal-point Balinese, called the Bionic Cat by his friends due to
the steel plates in his back (resulting from an unfortunate
encounter with a car three years ago); and Abigail, a long-haired
black-and-white Manx with an inch-long tail. She's the prima
donna, pretending to be terrified of strangers until they offer
her something good to eat. Since she appears in front of people 
so rarely, she has them convinced that it is a privilege to see 
her, and when she does make an entrance all activity stops until 
she does her disappearing act again.

For those who care about such things, I do not really believe 
that cats are "little people in fur coats"; for one thing, it's 
an insult to the cats. But I staunchly defend my right to become 
emotional over them, talk to and about them, spend money on them, 
and appreciate them for themselves.

I share my home with two kittys:

	Whiskers has been with us for about four years now. He's a big
	cat, looks a lot like Sylvester the cartoon cat. He's not very
	friendly, except when he chooses to be. When we first got him,
	we lived in an apartment and Whiskers was forced to remain indoors
	all the time. As a result, he basically went stir-crazy and was
	*very* mean to strangers. He'd scratch the furniture and run around
	like a nut. When we moved into our house, we let Whiskers go outside
	all he wanted and as a result he has settled down *a lot* and is
	much more friendly, although he is still not nice with strangers.

	Cuddles is a gray female that we picked up at the pound a couple
	years ago. She is very friendly (hence the name). She also spends
	a lot of time outdoors and I think that helps her temperament.

	Both cats tend to get a bit itchy in the winter when their
	outdoor activities are curtailed.

PS: We also have a dog. All the animals get along just fine (particularly
Cuddles and the dog, since they grew up together).

-- Bill

We have 3 cats --

ZEUS   -- also referred to as "The King"; he's a 13 lb., long-haired
          gold cat that we acuse of flying around the house when we're
          not looking.  He has a unique way of showing up in all different
          rooms without anyone seeing it happen.  We too, believe (like
          WOODIE::PRIGOT) that Zeus is from another planet named "Friskee" and
          that one day, all cats will congregate together to be picked up
          by the Mothership (a giant cat food can).  We believe Morris is
          the "head" cat.

SHADOW -- he's a silky long-haired black cat and he's afraid of EVERYTHING!
          Shadow has a favorite toy that he always leaves, face up, in his
          crunchie bowl.  No matter where we put the toy in the house, we
          will always find it back in the crunchie bowl (usually face up).
          This, of course, is highly annoying to our other two cats since
          they have to eat around Shadow's toy.

HERA   -- she's petite, silky, and very feminine.  Her picture was up on
          the MKO bulletin board in the cafeteria because she had a hurt
          leg and needed a home.  She's a wonderful addition to our house.
          Her rowdy personality keeps all of us on our toes.
          

DEFINITION OF A CAT:  Freedom wrapped in a beautiful package.

     I better get this in quick so I can have the first entry containing
a Tigger.

TIGGER   - Tigger is a tiger-striped mutt.  She is one of the prettiest
(6 years   cats I've seen with a white chest, white sox and black and
    old)   brown stripes with a hint of orange.  Her eyes are green.
           She may not be as beautiful as all cats, but she likes to
           pose and always appears somewhat majestic.  All I have to
           do is pull out a camera and that cat is all over it.  She
           loves to have her picture taken.  She is very social outside
           the house and there are usually several "friends" hanging
           around.  I got another cat to keep her company and the
           adjustment to another "live-in" cat has been a little rough
           but things are pretty good now.  She's been getting along
           with the kitten for months, but even after they became friends,
           she would growl at me and bite.  We have made up.  She waits
           for my car and when I come home, runs out to greet me.  We
           are good friends.  She's a bit of a snob at times, but she
           and I are a lot alike and she's about the best feline company
           anyone could ask for.


EINSTEIN - Einstein is a purebred Maine Coon Cat.  I named him because 
(9 months  of the reputation this breed has for intelligence.  If I
     old)  was to name him based on actual intelligence, I might call
           him Ferd.  This may be the stupidest cat I have ever seen.
           I love him dearly, but not for his brains.  He is a black
           and white cat.  His body lower body, chest and legs are
           white.  The upper body is black with white whisps and
           his face is white on the left side and black with a white
           splotch on the right side.  He has a line separating the
           two straight down his nose.  His ears are very pink and he
           has copper colored eyes.  He is almost so ugly that he is cute.
           He is allowed out, but rarely ventures farther than the window.
           Entry and exit from my apartment is via a second floor window.
           Each cat has to climb up or down.  Tigger, all the neighborhood
           cats and one raccoon seem to have no trouble doing this.
           Einstein climbed off the roof once and got stuck.  I don't think
           he has ventured off the roof since then (I still have marks from
           the rescue to remine me of the event).  Einstein has endeared
           himself to everyone that rents apartments in the house (I rent
           an apartment in a big house on an estate).  He is a peeping Tom.
           He has scared everyone at one time or another by catching them
           by surprise.  Everyone seems to love him once they get used to
           him.  He usually hides when people visit.  He was in the Cattery
           until he was 6 months old and has some trouble understanding the
           human species (except that humans make good pets).  He will
           timidly eye visitors until finally one pat is rendered.  Then
           you can't get rid of him.  He loves attention.  He thinks that
           the best way to show he loves you is to give you a little nip.
           It is rude to wake up semi-ignoring a cat licking your face when
           you are suddenly bitten on the chin or nose.  The nose is the
           worst.  The little guy bites in and hangs on and smiles.  I gently
           pry him off, but how can you hate such a cute face?  yesterday he
           woke me up with a nip to the thigh (it works every time).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The cats are both very different but lovable in their own ways.  I wouldn't
give up either one.  I will only give dissertations on my two here.  I could
go on about the 3 visitors or the raccoon, but I'll save those details
for later.

Denise

If there were such a thing as too many cats...

Rega is a "mutt" masquerading as a Korat (or maybe a Russian Blue), with
very short, very thick, very soft fur.  Like deep-pile velvet.  He is
very cuddly, and is king of the house about half the time.  The other
half, it's run by...

Bernard, who is the closest thing to a panther uner 15 pounds I've ever 
seen, if you ignore his huge and very round eyes.  He's quite an athlete
(can chin himself up about 4 feet!).

Screech, named for her tendency to burn rubber as she takes off after 
another cat, is silky and all black.  She's distinquishable from Bernard
because she's about half the size all the way around.

T.K., the little tiger, is the butt of all the other cats' practical 
jokes.  She screams bloody murder, but is actually perfectly capable of 
defending herself.

Asmodeus is our seal-point Siamese.  We picked him up, starving to death 
with all ribs showing and covered with fleas, one cold winter.  I'm 
afraid his brain didn't survive very well.  He's scared of ALL other 
cats, eats last, and misses things when he tries to jump on them.  But 
he's healthy now, and admittedly very entertaining.

This is great.  Thanks for the notes file!

Kathrin

  
Merriadoc Brandybuck-  aka Merry, Mer, Clutz, Bozo, "The Stomach", and the 
bear.  I got Merry and his pal Pippin(maybe his brother) from the shelter when
they were 8 weeks old.  Merry is a real clown.  Not too bright.  Clumsy.  
He's a beautiful cat!  Black spotted tabby.  He's got a classic cat body.  
Most would not know that he was a mutt.  He's huge.  16lbs.  Partly he's big
but lately he's been getting fat too.  He's a very tolerant kitty.  I can do
anything to him and gett away with it.  He spends a lot a time on the floor
laying on his back with Gar and I rubbing his belly saying "look at this belly!"
HE's very friendly.  Talks with his tail.  I never seen a cat constantly whip 
its tail around like that.  He walks around with his tail in a question mark.

Peregrin Took- aka Pippin, Pip, The Snot, the Cougar, The ferocious one, the
vet shredder.  Pipin is a black Mackeral tabby.  He's slender.  He's the 
smartest one of the bunch.He was the first one to learn how to open the kitchen
cabinets and the only to figure out how to open drawers.  He's more independent 
than the other kitties.  He's got more of the classic feline attitude of I'll
sit on your lap when I want to only when I want to and even if you don't want 
me to.  He loves going for walks.  (When I got the kitties I was living in 
an apartment in town. So they walk on the leash.)  When we are outside he makes
a beeline for any peolple he sees and rubs against them (whether they want him
too or not).  His biggest fault is vet shredding.  When I take him to the vet,
as soon as he gets in the door, he starts growling and hissing and no one but 
me (and sometimes Gary) can touch him without taking a risk of losing some 
skin.  Once he's Being examined,  No one but me can touch him.  It's a 
frightening sight.  A while back Pip's tail got caught in the door and I left
him at the vet's in the morning.  The doc said that the end of his tail would 
have to be removed.  At lunchtime I got a call from them asking me to come in
and help get him anasthetized.  When I got the there the vet told me he had
never seen so many claws and teeth on one cat in his life.  They don't keep 
overnight there any more cause he gets so bad that he's almost more than I can
handle. 

Samwise Gamgee-  aka Sam, Sammy, the sweetheart, the cutie, the Squirrel.
Sam is a red classic(swirl) tabby.  He is very thin.  Looks almost like an
oreintal tabby.  Has a triangular head and big nose like a siamese.  I got
him a month after the other two when he was about 8 weeks old.  I don't like
red or yellow kitties.  I think they are ugly (as much as a cat can be ugly).
But I couldn't resist this one.  I noticed him when from 5 feet away over the 
noise of the other kitties I could hear him purring.  I told him out and he 
snuggled up to my ear and nibbled.  The rest is history.  ^__oops "took"
He is very attached to me (The feeling is very much mutual).  He follows me 
around the house almost all the time.  Sleeps snuggled up between my shoulder 
and head and purrs in my ear.  He will always be held.  If I look at him he
almost always purrs.  If I talk to him always purrs (unless I'm yelling at him).
If I pick him up he purrs and goes into Bliss mode. (leans back with his eyes 
shut and PURRS)  He can't stand to be in my bad graces.  If yell at him he 
wraps himself around my ankles and squeaks at me until I stop or he decides 
it's time to go to plan two which is rolling around on his back on my feet or 
right in front of them.  He's a real talker and comes out with some wild sounds.
He's the most daring of the group.

 
   Some other time I'll tell you about Gandalf and Cinnamon who lived with us 
until their pet Gary could move to an apartment that allowed pets.  
   All of the kitties are people lovers.  (In fact I don't think they really 
realize that a person could hurt them.)  Sammy in particular trusts me enough
that he will stand on my hands!  He'll even step down from high places onto 
them if I hold them out for him.(!!!)  They are all friendly to the point of 
being obnoxious.  They all sit in the window to watch me go to work and are
waiting there for me when I get home then they run to greet me a the door.
(Sam is most faithful at this.)  They are all indoor cats excpet for supervised
and/or leashed trips outside.  (I'll think I'll enter a note on that subject.)

Enough doting, back to work.

tlh

  BTW Chiun (co resident with Beth Ravan) is a beautiful cat!  I met him when 
I was up in Bedford in March.  Abigail was playing shy in the basement so I
didn't get a chance to see much more than a glimpse of her.

tlh

	My two "kitty brats" are C'mell and Apollo.

	C'mell is an indescribable breed, ex-lady. She spent the early part of 
her life as a foundling in a dog shelter, and experience that has resulted in 
her exceptional hatred of "those animals".
	She appears to be a tabby, heavily overlaid with shiny black. The
black markings on her face give her a constant look of disdain. She tends to
stay very aloof. However, whenever I emerge from the shower, she is in the
bathroom (the door doesn't always latch), giving me looks that are VERY
steamy. Because of this, we imagine that in her former life, she was the madam
in a "house of ill repute" which burnt down, taking her with it. Her name is
taken from another Cordwainer Smith story (see next note), "The Ballad of Lost
C'mell". 

	Apollo is a gold, mackerel tabby, ex-male. He is distinguished by his 
having a set of "thumbs" and a pronounced muzzle, giving him the appearances 
of: a). a little kid in a cat suit, or b)., a miniature cougar. His genetic 
background appears to include some Siamese, as he is quite talkative. He used 
to be quite afraid of strangers, but now, if I stay with someone for more than 
5 minutes, Apollo will decide that they are safe, and will turn on the charm.

	They are both caring in their own ways, and I adore them both.

We have two cats:

Wellington is a 7-year old black-and-white American shorthair male.  He
is also quite large and very affectionate to us (though he generally stays
away from strangers).  He was given to us by a woman in the apartment
building we used to live in, with a sob story of how he was a stray that had
been wandering around the building playing with the children.  He grew up
into a very handsome and very intelligent cat.  He knows how to open cabinet
doors, and does so frequently.  He loves to put his paws around your neck and
lick your ear, purring loudly.  He is also somewhat of a bully towards our
other cat, but the fights never seem to be very serious.

Tabitha is a 6-year old grey tabby female.  She was the runt of the litter
at a pet store.  When we brought her home, we were afraid how Wellington
would take it.  She poked her head out of the box and gave Wellington
a ferocious hiss.  Well, they are just like typical siblings, frequently
fighting, but they have been known to curl up together and lick each other.
Tabitha is still quite small, and not really as bright as Wellington.  She
is, however, a better mouser (lucky we don't find this out very often), and
is also good at swatting hornets out of the air.  Tabitha loves jumping on
laps, and seeks affection somewhat more than Wellington.

Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention the origin of Wellington's name.  It's because
of his coloring.  He's mostly black, with a white chin and large white "boots".
					Steve

    We have 3 cats.  Nimbus and Scamp are brother and sister, 7 years old,
half Persian and half whatever.  Nimbus is the "boy" (ex-boy?).  He is gray
with white on his face, chest, and paws.  He weighs 12 pounds or so.  He is
the designated alarm clock and dinner reminder.  I have often had people ask
me if a baby is crying when he talks to me while I'm talking on the phone.
He is also te official door opener (cupboard doors, mostly, but he can open any
door that isn't latched and swings toward him - it is interesting to watch him
firmly SHUT a door that he could have opened by pushing it.  He is very
affectionate to everybody (especially to those few people I know who
don't particularly like cats).  Scamp is a 7-pound ex-girl.  She is a gray,
orange and white calico with a very elegant manner.  She is quite shy around
strangers, especially those that are less than 10 years old (in fact, none of
the cats like to be anywhere near children).
    Snoopy is a black and white whatever.  He is also known as "the devil" (my
mother's name for him ever since he stole a piece of steak off my grandmother's
plate one day) and "the Famous Arctic Explorer", because he used to go out in
the middle of raging blizzards and stand on top of a snowdrift with his ears
and all his fur blown back against his body - honest!  He is the only real
hunter of the three - he brings home field mice and chipmunks pretty often.
    The three of them have a definite pecking order.  I hoped that when we got
Snoopy he would be below Scamp, since every time Nimbus got embarrassed or
disciplined he would attack her.  Unfortunately, Snoopy has wound up at the
top of the pecking order rather than the bottom, and Scamp still has the worst
of it.

	ch

	Last summer we found a lost cat and named him "Bill" - just like in
Bloom County.  I guess he didn't like the name; he ran away.  Ack!
	Then we got a beautiful fluffy grey cat named Pooky.  She's female
and wild.
		<_Jym_>

Seeing as my last entry was so informative, it's going to be tough to top it.
-:)  My cat's name is very original "Kittyface".  He actually changed names
about 8 times, and he was getting so confused, we just called him the easist
thing.  He is a real hunter - always bringing home moles, squirrels, birds,
you name it.  We had a parakeet for a while but had to get rid of it cause
the cat go so possessed on having it for dessert, he was jumping on top of
the refrigerator to get him! (determined little bugger!)  He is about a year
and a half old, black with green eyes, slim, and "has a macho cat bod" - real
muscley.  He greets me at night when I come home from work - God knows where
he comes from.  If I sit in the driveway in my car or anyone elses, he jumps
all over the car, climbs on the windshield, and balances on the side windows
to find a way in to me.  He loves to stay outside in the "wilderness".  He
is probably the finickyist (sp?) cat I have ever seen.  When he doesn't like
what you give him for dinner, he will attack you.  He'll jump at your hip,
or nibble on your ankle, or wrap his little front feet around your foot so you
can't go away till he gets what he wants.  He's very fresh, but we all know
who's the boss (especially the cats, right?)

Nichole

Well, I don't any cats of my very own, but there are currently three cats in
the household I live in.

Pamela owns two cats, Macheath and Suky Tawdry. Macheath is a seal-point Siamese
with various nicknames, the most common one being "Weasel". He's not extremely
friendly, though he's been known to purr once in a while when he gets desperate
for affection. Suky is a manic-depressive white cat. Sometimes she'll come up
to you, purr, and shed all over you. Other times, she'll run like hell if you
so much as look at her wrongly. Her most common nickname is "Spook".

Jack owns a seal-point Siamese that we suspect is half Burmese because of his
wonderful disposition and his round eyes. Cisco always acts like he's ben beaten
and starved, and cries to be picked up and held at the most inopportune times.
Though he's lost weight in the last few months, his nickname from when he was
chubby --- "Blimp" --- has stuck with him, although since he *has* lost weight
and is only a little blimp, we refer to him as the Taco Blimpito. Jack used to
have a tabby named Angus, but, unfortunately, Angus died of feline leukemia last
December (fortunately, the other cats did not catch it). Because of his mis-
chievous nature, Angus was "The Fiend". In fact, we still have up on our front
door a sign that Jack had made up at my suggestion that reads:

	"Weasel, Fiend, Spook, and Blimp  Attorneys-at-Law"

My ladyfriend also owns half a cat (her apartment building doesn't allow pets,
so a house-owning friend keeps the cat at her place, and Karen helps pay "child
support". Nyssa is just a tad over a year old, but is still pretty small (not
quite a hand cat any more, but still small). She's a half-Siamese/half-Burmese
(the similarities between her and Cisco, contribute to our thinking that Cisco
is the same combination) demon. She doesn't like to be held, but she does like
to perch on shoulders.

And then there is my mother's cat, Mitsu Thai, (yet another) seal-point. She's
even more paranoid than Suky Tawdry. My mother had another cat, a Blue Persian
(and something else, since he had some distinctly un-Persian features) named
Patrick O'Hair (most common nickname: Pasha). He adopted us some ten years ago
by showing up at our door for a couple of weeks. My mother advertised in the
paper to try and find the owner (Pasha had a collar, but no ownership tags),
but got no replies, so we kept him. He was the most magnificent, friendly cat
it has been my pleasure to know. Unfortunately, he had to be put to sleep last
October when some circulatory troubles developed in his hindquarters that
basicly paralyzed his back legs.

Now that Pasha's gone, Cisco is my favorite cat. Even though he's Jack, he
more often cuddles up we me on the bed when I sleep. I keep threatening to
kidnap him if I ever move out of the house.

--- jerry

Re: 14

I'm glad I'm not the only one who had a cat with the nickname "Blimp".
Thanks - I feel better now......

Nichole

I just found out about this file...!

I have but one cat at the moment:  spayed female, calico-ish (gray, tan, and
white), declawed front paws (not my doing), rather neurotic but extremely
affectionate once she gets to know people.  Her name is Chayna (pronounced
"shayna"); don't ask me where it comes from.  I "inherited" her from a friend
who was in the midst of a divorce and moving and didn't have anyplace to keep
her.  Somehow, she ended up staying with me permanently, and I don't mind a
bit.  My friend had Chayna's front paws declawed because she lived in an
apartment.  It's a good thing she doesn't have claws because she kneads 
everything, especially human flesh (stomachs, arms, etc.).  Perhaps this
compulsion to knead is a result of her having been declawed; I don't know.
She's very talkative, which leads me to suspect that she may be part Siamese.
She's not really an outdoor cat (having no front claws); however, when it's
nice (and daytime), I let her out on the balcony of our apartment, and 
sometimes she wanders to the bottom of the stairs that come up to the balcony.
She almost always comes when called, trilling all the way.  She's quite sleek
and athletic, despite the fact that she doesn't get a whole lot of exercise.
Periodically she charges up and down the hall from the living room to the
bedroom of our apartment, and makes flying, balletic leaps onto the couch or
bed.  She often leaps on or across my stomach when I'm in bed, just about to
fall asleep.  She is by far the most affectionate cat I've ever had (and
they've all been pretty affectionate).  She's always pushing her head into
my hand or rubbing around my legs.  She refutes entirely the notion that cats
are independent, aloof snobs!
						-- Nina

I guess it's my turn now...I've been monitoring this file for sometime, but 
just barely got a kitten of our own.  A male 'mutt' cat -- white with orange-
tan blotches all over him.  We named him "Scotchie" because he looks like some-
one dipped in butterscotch topping at an Ice Cream Shop.  I wanted to name him
"Spazz" because he has a tendency to spazz out over anything within ten feet of
him (especially when my daughter chases him around).  He guards the townhouse
while we're at work and he keeps my daughter occupied at night when I'm trying
to cook supper.

A very playful thing, Scotchie runs rampant everywhere at night; especially on
our bed.  He has a tendency to high-tail it off the card table (disguised as a
computer terminal table) and attack us at 2 in the morning.  He also likes to
take showers with my husband and I.  And, like most cats/kittens, he attacks
anything that goes by the couch...I think that's his favorite pasttime.  The
nice thing about him is when he's playing/attacking you, he doesn't use his
claws -- yet! -- he just bats you one with those double paws of his.  He's a
real cutie!

			^_^
		       (@@ )
			--
		       <><>
		      (    )
		      {\\//}
		       

		"Scotchie, beam us up!"

					*** Kristy ***

At last I can brag about our kitties - we just got them from the Nashua
Humane Society.  How could such tiny cute kitties be strays!?!  One is
10 weeks old, and has beautiful long black fur and baby blue eyes.  She
is quite demanding when she's hungry, and is always looking for something
to get into.  The kitties are going to be indoor kitties, but Jim took
black kittie out to see how she'd react.  She stood there on the grass,
picking up her feet and shaking them, and cried to be picked up.  A real
princess!  but a devil too.

The other kittie is about 6-7 weeks old and has brown tiger fur and hazel
eyes.  Black kittie is quite a monster to the little one, but tiger is
learning how to thwart her by squeezing under things that black kittie
can't fit under.  Tiger kittie is a sweetie.  She is good at climbing up
legs and falling asleep on laps and waits for things, instead of demanding
them.  She is really cute.

Neither kittie has a name yet.  I'm thinking of Teena for the tiger and
Princess for the black kittie, but suggestions are welcome - maybe they
should go in the 'name that kittie' note.

Oh dear!!! The kitties went to the vet's today and the black one is not
a "she"!  The people at the humane society blew this one.  I wanted 2
females, but now I like them both.

You said that the black cat is 10 weeks old?  The Humane Society should be
able to tell by then if the cat is male or female.  Our kitten is only 8
weeks old and he is *very* definitely a male.

				A veterinarian's daughter,


					*** Kristy ***

Having recently found "NOTES" I am enjoying the feline column.  Three cats
rule our lives at the moment (a fourth passed away two years ago - a strange
story I'll tell some day).  The elder today is SUTI (it means cotton).
SUTI is an eight year old gray, white and pink female.  She weighs about 16
pounds but is not what she would call fat.  

Next is Pandora (a bundle of trouble as a kitten) who is six, very small and

a tiger.  

The younger is the male, Jasper, who is one, weighs 10 pounds, is orange
and white and very very dumb!

SUTI, with her long flowing hair, is a model of royalty.  She is above
everything and everyone, except me.  Take out a camera and she will follow
you around, striking very dignified poses.  SUTI lets us sleep in her
queen size bed, but only if we don't take more than half of it.

Pandora was the runt of her litter and has a chip on her shoulder as big
as the house.  She is patted when she wants to be patted, sleeps on top 
of a human form, wakes up the entire house when she determines it is time
to wake up, will show no affection to the other cats if a human can see
her (she is extremely affectionate with us and a few of our friends),
is not at all tolerant of any other animal in the neighborhood (she lays
claim to all the land for about a 1/4 of a mile - even though she has
never won a fight, and is an excellent huntress.

Jasper is big and dumb and very very loving.  The cat who died was also
a male.  I wonder if male cats are simply dumber than female cats or
so smart that we inferior humans see there aloofness as dumbness?

All three of our cats dislike children and except very few humans as
being worthy of their time (unless they don't like cats of course or
are wearing dark clothing during the shedding season [eleven months
of the year?]).

I've got two.  And you know what, I think it must be a trait of the yellow
(I mean orange- argh) and white males to be dumb. Because Chaucer as got
to be the dumbest, clumsiest cat I know (except he can bat a fly out of the air
most times).  He's a year and a quarter and I think a tabby except the
markings aren't strong enough.  Someone said he had white in him (explaining
the blue eyes that lasted longer than the rest of the litter).
Shadow is a grey kitten with white feet, a white belly, and white throat.
His momma was a long haired calico, but who knows what dad was. Out of a
litter of five, no two were the same- shadow, a black, to black and brown
striped but one had white markings like shadow, and an orange and white.
None of them had long hair.  Shadow loves to climb into your lap
crawl up your chest, and walk back and forth under your chin.  Chaucer
just climbs up like you are his bed to sleep on whenever he likes.
Of course, Chaucer lost it for a while when I got Shadow.  He would
lie all tense, and hiss and growl alot.  But nowadays, they two of them
play like the best of friends.  Except Shadow has more energy and is
known to pounce on Chaucer's head while sleeping.

	There's a cat I call "Mary" who occasionally frequents my apartment.
	Mary is mildly grateful for the fact that I feed her from time to time,
	but she wants me to know that she can just as easily head off into
	the woods nearby and make her own way in the world. She enjoys the
	indoor life for a few days, but then she's sorry, but she has to go on
	a cat-business trip. She may be gone a couple of days, or a week, or
	a month... but she'll be back. Sorry, buddy, but I've got cat-business
	to take care of. There's mice out there that have to be chased, and
	they won't chase themselves, you know. So hang in there, and I'll see
	ya when I see ya, know what I mean? And she packs her cat-suitcases
	and heads out on her mission.

	Physically, she's got black medium length fur, with white on the feet
	and chest. She's very strong, and you can see the muscles move as she
	walks. Touch her stomach one time too many, and she'll be happy to
	demonstrate. The ears and neck are always OK, but mind the stomach,
	chump.

	Mary is rather laid-back, in a California existentialist kind of way.
	She sleeps on the shag rug in the sun, and as the sun moves across the
	sky, so does Mary across the rug - but you'll never see her move.

	Her sports and hobbies are somewhat limited. She's a business-cat,
	after all. But on occasion, she'll sit on the piano as I play and
	chase my fingers with a paw. She likes ties, especially when they move
	like a snake around a corner. But hey, only for ten minutes. She's
	always has cat-business on her mind, and even when she's on vacation
	at my place, she'll spend most of her time wistfully looking out the
	window at the forest. There's a cat-fortune to be made, out there.

What a relief to see so many cat lovers.  Most of my family thinks
I am nuts.  Anyway, here goes.

The kids and I are servants to three cats right now. (That number has been
known to vary).  Bit is the eldest.  She is a silver part siamese 
masquerading as a black tiger. (What, you say -- she looks like a black
tiger until you brush her fur backwards and discover the silver underneath,
rather strange).  She is a fairly aloof cat who always gets what she
wants (but then what cat doesn't).  She loves to chase her tail, talks
up a storm, especially in the morning, and is a great hunter.  She also
loves to climb into drawers, closets, etc.  More than once I have found
her behind a closed closet door, most indignant at having been locked in
and forgotten.

Julliette is a mixed calico and white (called a money-cat in these parts).
She is only slightly crazy.  She, too, is a great hunter, but rather than
devouring her prey like Bit, she prefers to bring it home for me.  This 
has included such delicacies as the usual mice, moles, and rats, as well
as snakes and bats.  Her 7-toed paws are a great help in this endeavor.
She is very friendly and loves a lap for her evening nap.  Otherwise, she 
prefers to sleep on the steps, for which she has earned the nickname of
"Yep" (for you Dr. Suess buffs).  When not inside, she can be found right
in the middle of the flower garden, proudly perusing her domain.

Stanley is a yellow male (and, yes, dumb) who adopted us about a year
ago.  He was a great fighter when he was a total male.  Since he was
"broken" (I never understood the term "fixed" since he worked perfectly
before), he has pretty much given up fighting and prefers to steal
food.  He is the most laid-back cat I have ever heard of.  He even
falls asleep on the Vet's examining table.  When the evening meal
is put on for the three, he usually must be carried to it, not being
inclined to get there himself.  However, leave some food an the counter
unattended and watch it disappear.  He and my mother (who was here for
a visit) have had their share of arguments about this. (Guess who wins)
He also loves people and will sit in the middle of a party just waiting
to be admired.

I have two cats. I told myself long ago that as soon as I owned my
own home I would get a cat. We moved into our house on a Sunday and I
got my first cat on the following Friday. My husband grew up in NYC, so
he never had a pet, but was pretty agreeable to humoring me. We went to
the animal shelter think we wanted a female. Of course, the kitten that
picked us out happened to be a male. I have no regrets. Charles is now
a year and a half old and he is perfect (as we tell anyone who asks).
He is a tiger, but has white markings on his face, feet and chest. He's
not a special breed, but people have asked if he is, because he has
such nice markings. My husband not only adapted to having a cat, he is
completely smitten with the little dears. Our second cat is Thomas, who
is only five months old. Again, we thought we should get a female, since
two males sometime don't mix. And again, a male zeroed in on us the minute
we walked through the door. At first, I was terrified that Charles would eat
Thomas, since he sure acted like he might. After two weeks of gradually
exposing them to one another, they became best of friends. My husband, who
really couldn't understand why we needed two cats, now loves Thomas to pieces
too - it's safe to say that he is a converted cat-lover. Thomas is also
a tiger, but with no other markings. He sometimes looks "worried", but he is
very cute...and SOOO lovable. He purrs constantly, loud enough that it
sounds like a helicopter is landing in your lap. 

Mark Twain said, "If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve
man but deteriorate the cat."

I agree. This is a great notesfile!

Marlene

  Those of you who read some of the other notes files know that I am getting 
married in Jan.  Well, there are two additions to household besides my future 
husband.  Their names are Cinnamon and Gandalf.  Actually this won't be the 
first time that they have lived with me.  After I got my 3 cats, I talked 
Gary into going to the shelter "just to look".  Well Gandalf staked a claim.
Gary was living in a no pets place at the time so I said I would take him.
Then about a month later,  I picked up a stray.  I was not going to keep him.
(You can tell that we didn't intend to because the cats are called
;oops!
Samwise Gamgee, MEridoc Brandybuck, Peregrin Took, Gandalf the gray and 
Cinnamon.  He doesn't quite fit in.)  Well I kept Cinnamon and Gandalf for about
6 months and then Gary moved and took them with him. This last Sun, 7 months
later, we moved the crew back together again.  Perhaps I'll put the story of 
that great reunion in the Cat vs cat note but for now...

    Gandalf is blue gray cat that looks like a cross between a siamese and a
russian blue.  He is sleek and has a triangular head like a siamese but has
the coloring of a russian blue.  He's also got the voice of a siamese.  He 
positively screams when he wants attention.  (Fortunately both Gary and I 
like the overbearing siamese personality.)  He's very friendly.  He likes me 
but *adores* Gary.  He will throw his body at Gary in an effort to be petted
(it's something that has to be seen to be believed).  He talks all the time.
Int he mornings he gets this really wild look on his face and goes ripping
from one end of the house to the other with his green eyes open to wide that
you expect them to glow like head lights.  His ears are so large that when he
shakes his head you can hear them flapping two rooms away.  He's a spoiled
brat and almost doggie in his quest for attention.  We suspect brain damage
from sliding of the table into the wall one to many times. :-)  He's a
beautiful cat (even if he is stupid)  and even when we move to the country we'l
probably keep him inside to keep him from being stolen.

     Cinnamon is the quietest of the bunch.  He is a yellow mackeral tabby with
white cheeks, white socks and a white bib.  He has unusual cream and red stripes
near the end of his tail (not typical tabby markings.)  Something about the way
his large round eyes are set make him always look as if he is worried.  He's
gentle and you need to be gentle with him since he is the most skittish of the 
bunch. (I suspect he was mistreated in the months before we adopted him.  He 
is terrified of sticks.  They other cats will play with them but he runs away.)
He's still freindly in a gentle stay on the outskirts kind of way.

     All 5 of the cats love people and converge on any guests we have.  This
make it difficult for those who are allergic but those who aren't, love it.
My kitties are personally responsible for converting several indifferent people
into cat lovers or at least cat owners.

Enough rambling for now...

tlh

I have two cats, PUNKIN alias Chubinski, and MAGIC alias Mouser.  Although
they are brothers, you wouldn't know unless somebody told you.  Punkin is sort
of a cross between Morris (looks-orange stripes) and Garfield (size and
shape).  Magic is smaller, only 12 pounds, and black (also striped-black and
blacker.  Only visible in direct strong sunlight.) 

They tend to be house cats, although not by their choice.  My wife gets rather 
upset when she can't find them.  She loves them as much if not more than our
kid.  We let them outside when we can keep an eye on them; even then they will
manage to disappear.  Half the time when they do, it's because they've found
an interesting hiding place in the house, and we've lost track of if they're
in or not. 

Punkin has a favorite toy, an old piece of sofa upholstery sewed together and 
filled with catnip.  No matter where it might be, it usually turns up in the 
morning in our bedroom (frequently on the bed).

Being brothers, they fight two or three times a day.  They take turns during 
the day as to who is the aggressor and who's the defender.  In the morning,
Punkin does the attacking, while in the evening Magic starts is.  It's usually
either preceded with washing, with one finding a cootie, or followed by washing
after collapsing on the floor. 

Hooray for cats!

	- Shel

Erick T. Blue, like all other Birman cats, was a Buddhist monk in his previous
life, and before he goes to Nirvana he gets to go around once as a cat. In
this life, he is the president of Handcrafted Software, and gets more junk
mail than some people. His favorite letter is one from the government of
Panama, suggesting that he build his next factory there. He goes by many
names, some of which he does not like, including Mr. Fur, White Cat, and Pussy
Lips. 

Zorro is an all-black Maine Coon cat, and at 1-1/2 years he is still too young 
and silly to be a software executive. His present occupation is chasing Erick 
around the house, to keep him from getting too serious.

Val and Jon

Our "only child" is a 7 year old black long hair named Rocky, a.k.a., "the 
beef" . He is *very* affectionate, esp. in the morning, but tends to drool
uncontrollably whenever he purrs.  My wife and I have learned to adjust to this
indiscretion.  Like many sibling-less offspring, he is extremely spoiled, and
very demanding when hungry, which is almost all the time.  His favorite snack is
Nabisco Wheat Thins and he also has an intense interest in playing with dental
floss.

My two "kids" came home from the Northeast Animal Shelter Saturday
afternoon.  They're both gray tiger striped DHCs (Domestic House Cats,
breed indeterminate).

The nine-week old is named Loiosh (pronounced 'LOY-osh'), after a character
in Steven Brust's JHEREG.  Though he was skittish when first brought home,
Loiosh and I are now the best of friends after playing with a broken
shoelace together for an hour last night.  Putting on my shoes this morning
was interesting with a manic kitten standing on my feet attacking the laces!

The second new member of the menagerie is a five-month old former "barn cat"
named Ada Lovelace, after Charles Babbage's assistant, the 19th century
programmer and venture capitalist.  Ada's spent the last 24 hours under my
bed, only coming out to eat and relieve herself when she thinks I'm
distracted.  I'll enter a note on her distress elsewhere in this NOTESfile.

					Feeling domestic,

					  -  o
					 - -/-->
					-  @~\_

					Roger

I have recently become a cat owner again, after moving into a house in the 
Northboro area about two years ago.  My wife Lynne and I have had four cats in 
that time.  

The first pair we got while visiting my parents in Ohio.  We were walking by a 
Doktor Pet center in a mall, and noticed a cage with 3 kittens in it, and a 
sign saying "FREE CATS".  Intrigued, I went up to the counter and asked what 
was wrong with the kittens.  The man behind the counter said, "Well, they're
getting too old to sell, and any that are left when we close the store tonight 
are going to be put to sleep.  I'm the one that gets to administer the coup de
grace, so I'm trying to get rid of them so I won't have to kill them."

Appalled, I asked him when the store closed.  The reply was, "Fifteen 
minutes."  Another sympathetic soul was listening to this spiel.  She took one 
of the kittens.  I took the other two.  Hurrah for that nameless assistant 
store manager of the Doktor Pet center in Springfield, Ohio!!

Well, we had to name one of the cats Freebie, of course.  He is a white 
shorthair, with a patch of grey between his ears, and a patch of cream on his 
face.  Lynne wouldn't let me name the other cat The Bean, so we named him 
Tanstaafl, because he had a sniffle when we got him, so he immediately cost 
us $35 at the vets.  (For those who don't know, Tanstaafl is NOT German.  It 
is an acronym for There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.)  

Believe me, it was fun traveling 14 hours in a 1978 Chevette from Ohio to 
Northboro with two terrified kittens crying in the back seat.  Smelly, too. 
Nothing quite like opening the windows at 60 MPH with the outside temperature 
somewhere near 20 degrees because one of the kittens just used the litter box 
behind your chair...

Anyway, Tanstaafl was a classic orange tiger stripe.  Looked just like 
Morris, except he was always in hunting trim and never looked arrogant.  He 
was too busy kneading your chest, or chasing a mole, to be arrogant.  

I say was, because Tanstaafl was killed on I-290 a few months back.  This was 
quite a shock, because Tanstaafl was simply the best cat in the whole 
universe.  After spending two weeks in shock, we decided to get a kitten as a
replacement. 

Of course, kittens are like potato chips.  You can never get just one.  We 
ended up with Empress Star, a beautifully sleek black long hair with liquid
golden eyes, and Oscar Gordon, a gray and cream tiger.  Freebie was not
thrilled, but after disappearing for a week and finding out that life on your
own ain't no gravy train, he came back to us and settled down. 

Unfortunately, after the domestic scene got settled, Oscar got sick.  We had
to have him put to sleep six weeks after we got him due to epilepsy, which is 
a vet's code word for "we don't know what he's got, but there's something 
wrong with the central nervous system."

So, we currently have the two most dissimilar cats I've ever seen paired up.  
Freebie, a large placid semi-adult short-haired white ex-male who would love
to run to fat, and Star, who is none of the above, proud of it, and willing to
tell Freebie about it at any time of the day or night.  They get along fine, 
except when Freebie comes in looking like he's got a hangover, and Star wants 
to frisk...  

- Chris Walsh

	I still live with mother so I am only allowed to have one cat.
	My cat is a beautiful jet black cat named Alexander the Great
	Gremlin.  I decided that I didn't want to call him that long
	of a name all the time so he has various nicknames.  The most
	common one is puddy tat.  He usually gets another nickname for
	every month/season.  He's Baby in Jan., Valentine in Feb., Leprachaun
	in March, Bunny Rabbit in April, Flowercat in May, Sunshine in
	June, Patriot in July, Bonehead in August/Sept., Ghoulie, Gremlin or
	Goblin in Oct., Turkey in Nov., and Rudolph in Dec.  He probably
	couldn't care less what I call him because he knows it'll always
	end up back to puddy tat.  He's very lovable and will only give
	others attention when I'm not around.  He's also very spoiled.
	When I yell at him and point my finger, he'll come and lick or
	nuzzle against my finger while I am yelling.  He knows I can't
	stay mad at him.  My mother thinks that I adore him too much.
	How could anyone possible adore a cat too much?  That's what
	they are made for!

	patti

I never had a cat until I got married
three years ago, now I/we have two. They
are named
Norman--after my wifes father--He's a long hair
cat with a mask over his face. A very well behaved cat
Pearl--after my wifes mother- a little kitten and
always full of mischef. She's a tiger cat with all
kinds of colors in her. She is only 8 months old.

	I have two housemates, both tigers. Reje, short for Reject, was a
rejected cat.  He had been dumped at a riding stable and was begging tidbits
from anyone who would feed him.  The owners were threatening to have him
put down unless someone took him (they already had 2 barn cats). His head
tilts permanently to the left, he can't jump very high, he's not street
smart. He chases dogs, loves to ride in the car and hates fish. he talks
a steady stream when he wants something, and when I don't get out of bed
when he thinks I should, perfume bottles start getting pushed off the
dresser.  He's fascinated with water, both still and running and cries
when the bathwater goes down the drain and won't come back. He gets to the
door before I do when the doorbell rings.  I have trouble convincing people
that he is indeed a cat.
	Last Fall, we moved to Nashua from Connecticut.  He left all his
friends and was very lonely. He doesn't like snow or rain and spent most
of the winter inside.  I decided we needed another cat.
	Ned was residing at the Nashua humane society, tagged as being not
good with children. He is 3 and the least likely of the ones there at the
time to get adopted...so home we went.  Reje took to him immediately, but
Ned wasn't at all sure he wanted anything to do with either of us.  He is
very like most cats I know, aloof,serene,superior.  He spent most of that
first evening huddled on one of the dining room chairs under the table. I
watched in amazement as Reje brought every single toy he had and dropped
it at the foot of the chair.  All he wanted was to play.
	It took Ned about 5 days to accept us.  Since then, they are almost
inseparable. I call Ned "Mr. Ned" because he doesn't talk, he leaves that
to Reje.  

Our house is run by two cats. We got them both about the same time last
July and they are both about a year old.

First in everything (including age) is Kimi (aka Jestarnae Jarnta) who is
really full of himself these days because just became a premier at the
last cat show. He's an ex male ruddy Abyssinian with a lovely orange tummy
that he loves to have rubbed. He lies back with his eyes half closed and
waves his front paws in the air. This is most undignified, and is never
done in front of anyone not in the immediate family, for poise and style
are the general rule for Kimi. He loves to chase a bell on a string and I
have seen him do the most graceful leaps. Once casually did a backwards flip
and landed on his climbing frame, it looked good all through the manoeuvre.
He likes to ride around on my shoulder, especially when I'm washing dishes,
when he can point out bits of grease I've missed. He is a little gourmet.
Loves Chinese food and anything different. I've seen him pull the onion out
of a stew so he can eat it first!

Sura (aka Jayasura Doi) is a seal Burmese (also ex male) who talks a lot
and is VERY clumsy. When Kimi lets him play with the aforesaid bell-on-string
he usually crashes into the bookcase in his enthusiasm. He has been impeccably
brought up by his mother. He NEVER claws humans, he ALWAYS covers his droppings
carefully (I have seen Kimi standing on one leg(?!) waiting to use the dirt
box while Sura methodically builds a little mountain of sawdust in there -
he takes AGES). He also always faces the wall while he's using it, very modest.
Like most Burmese he loves everyone and purrs like a chainsaw. He's also
greedy and can demolish large bowls of food in an alarmingly short time.
In contrast to Kimi he doesn't care much what he eats, as long as there is
plenty, and not too fancy. 

They are very fond of each other and usually cuddle up together on the couch
in the evening. When they were little we kept them inside, but one evening
Sura got out an open window. Kimi kicked up a frantic racket until we realised
and got Sura in. There are lots of games of 'chasey', usually Sura chases Kimi.
But Kimi can always outsmart Sura by jumping onto the back of the couch. Sura
tries to follow but, in his excitement, he often misses his footing and falls
down behind.

Roger

Believe it or not, this is the first time I have read this notes file, and the 
first time I have ever even written in one!  This is a story about the "almost"
cat.  I finally convinced my husband back in February that our new house needed
a small addition, in the form of a graceful feline.  My preference was toward
the Siamese, since, when I was a little girl, I had two of them, and loved them
very much- Ta Shara-Te (aka Shara or Ta Tee) and Raja.  Another consideration
was my allergies to longer-haired cats, which left me sneezing, bleary-eyed,
and red with the hives.  It's not that I didn't like them; I mean, how else
would I have found out my allergies if I hadn't liked them enough to pet them?
:-)

Anyway, it just so happened that one of my friends was having kittens, well..
not him, his cat!  You know what I mean...  And they happened to be Saimese.
They were born on February 19th, and a week later I came over to see them.
And the week after... and the week after...  And each week, this one particular
one would always come over to me, sit on my lap, and fight off everyone else,
as if she were making it known that I was hers!  She went to bite me once, and
I said "No" very sharply and touched her on the nose.  She looked up at me with
her beautiful blue eyes as if to say "I'm sorry!  I promise I wont do it a
anymore..."  How could I resist her?  Much less the fact that she was the only
female in the litter, and my husband had insisted upon a female.

I was to take her home last Tuesday, but the owner told me the day before that
the kittens still weren't eating on their own.  I was told that it was best
to wait until they did.  Two days later, Nyssa (I had named her already) and
one of her brothers died.  The owner said that the vet suspected that it was
feline leukemia, but wasn't sure because of lack of testing (due to lack of
money on the owner's part).  The owner also said that I could have first
choice of either of the survivors.  Unfortunately, my husband said "no".

I can understand his decision, as I have heard that a house can retain the
virus up to two years after a diseased or carrier cat has left it.  And we
had intended on getting another cat, too, in the not too distant future.  If
we did, would it be anything less than pre-meditated murder if the new cat
should catch the disease and die from it?  My heart would break if that
happened, and I doubt that I could forgive myself.  I only wish that I could
have had that little kitten.

DROPOPOP7ex

OP7
ex

Please forgive the ending of my last note.  I couldn't figure out how to end
it.  I finally got it- Control Z.

You might want to check out note 62, about a vaccine for felv... 

Seems to me if you can get a kitten somewhere's, and get it vaccinated, there
shouldn't be any problems about passing out unintentional death sentences.

- Chris

-1

Unfortunately, that's not entirely true. If the kitten is already 
infected, the shot will be useless and the kitten will carry the 
contamination to other unvaccinated animals.

-nn

My mistook - I thought the previous note was talking about getting a new,
non-infected animal and bringing it into a household were there had been a
carrier. 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you got a new kitten immunized, you can take 
it anywhere?  Otherwise, what's the use of the shots?  You might have to keep 
the kitten somewhere else while the vaccine takes, but then you shouldn't have 
any problem...

- Chris

Thank you for your concern.  I should have thought about the vaccine.  That
might have helped to convince my husband.  Next time I'll think of it right
away, promise!  Anyway, I should have thought about that last week.  The 
other kittens are given away already.  Ah well, there will always be others,
and I can always try the animal shelters, right?

	Time for an update.  My Reply #11 wasn't very informative...

	Pooky is still grey and fluffy.  She tends to hang around indoors for\
the most part, while we cajole her:  "G'wan outside!  Get some fresh air!"  She
isn't all that wild anymore, except when it comes to wrestling with our other
cat.
	Yes, we have another cat now.  But more about that later.
	Pooky's main interest is food.  Not necessarily eating it, just making
sure there's some in her dish!  I guess she's a bit insecure.  She also likes
to plop down and sleep on whatever you're reading.  This includes NOTESfiles.
She actually knows how to climb down from trees, and she's taught our other cat\
how to!  I've never seen any cat who could do this.  (I've never seen a dog who
could do it either, but I used to have one who could climb up trees.)\

	The other cat was introduced in this file as "Scotchie" (Reply #17).
Kristy's landlady/landlord isn't into cats, so the cat had to find a new home.
And he did.
	When we first got him home, Pooky wasn't all that thrilled.  She never
got along with other cats.  But he was persistent, and never belligerent, and
befriended her.  So we redubbed him Kemosabe, on the permise that Kemosabe meant\
"faithful friend" or something like that.
	(I inquired about the spelling of `kemosabe' in the ASKENET NOTESfile.
Nobody was exactly sure, so we went with `kemosabe'.  We're still not all that
sure what it means, but it doesn't really matter too much.  Our veterinarian
spells it without the `O'; but since we generally call him "Kemo", I haven't
bothered to ask her if that's the correct spelling.)
	Like Kristy says, he's got double paws.  We call these "thumbs."  He
also has "elbows," and he looks rather anthropomorphic when he sits down, lean-
ing on his elbows and twiddling his thumbs.
	He likes to hang around outside.  He doesn't bully other cats, but at
the same time, he's very fearless.  He'll walk up to a growling German Shephard
as if to say, "What's your problem, anyways?" - and the German Shephard will
just walk away.
	On the other hand, he does like to hunt insects.

	Kemo befriended a white cat named Crystal who lives in the basement\
apartment of our house with two ULowell students.  I don't know too much about
her except that she likes to hang around when people work on cars and motorcyc-
les (and remember, this is a white cat).  Pooky hasn't taught her how to climb
down trees, so yours truly gets to rescue her from time to time.

	Outside our bedroom window is a back roof, as shown in the following
diagram:

(0ooopqrs                                    opqrs     opqrs     x	x
       opqrs                                 x  opqrs     opqrsx	x
   	    opwrs                        rwpo opwr   opqrs       TREE   x
	      x                           x     x         opqrs         x
	      x                           x lqk x              x        x
	     lj                          qvqvqvqvq             x        x
	     x                           BIRDHOUSE             x	x
             x                                                 x        x
             x WINDOW                                          x        x
             x                   ^-^                           x        x
             x                  (@@ )                          x        x
             mk                  --                            x        x
	      x                 <><> KEMO                      x        x
	      x                (    )                          x        x
              mqr(B              {\\//}                          (0x        x
                             BACK ROOF                   x     x	x(B
                                                         (0x     x	x(B
                                                         (0x     x	x(B

(Actually, Kemo doesn't look quite like that.  He's grown a bit since Reply #17,
when Kristy drew him.)  This back roof has become the three cats' sun deck.  (It
also serves as a refuge from the many neighborhood dogs.)  Of course, it comes
with its own private entrance (our bedroom window).
	I put a birdhouse up on a branch where the cats could never reach.  They
sit beneath it, waiting, while the birds drop birdseed on their heads.
#6	<_Jym_>\

I got a kitty!  She's about one and a half years old, grey and orange (I know
it doesn't sound so appetizing, but it really blends in very well to look very
attractive.) and lovable.  My husband decided that we couldn't very well name
her Nyssa, as this was reserved for the kitten (may she rest in Kitty Heaven). 
He suggested Jasmine, and we tried that for about a day, and found that she
didn't like it.  She'd simply ignore us when we called her that.  I had been
reading the tales of King Arthur as of late, and slipped and called her
Niniane, and boy! did she respond!  It was almost as that had really been her
name before we had her, and we had just guessed it!

She wasn't too happy with us at first.  The lady who had her just couldn't
keep her, and heard that I was looking for a cat.  We went down to see her,
and (of course) it was love at first sight.  She just climbed up on our laps
and rubbed her head against our hands as if to say "I like you".   Well, she
felt that way up until we were about to put her in the car!  Then it was more
like, "Whoa!  Wait a sec here!  You want me to go in THAT?!?"  Granted, the
car doesn't look like much, but it's no Frankenstein.  Well, she just upped and
jumped out of my arms and hid.  We couldn't find her anywhere.

The lady that was keeping her promised to bring her over the next day, if she
ever came home.  Well, she did, and she did, in a box.  We opened the box in
our kitchen, and there was no sound at all.  She didn't even move to get out.
Finally, she made up her mind to get out.  She stopped and looked at the box
that she had just been trapped in for the last half an hour, and let out a
pitiful little "Me Ow!"  Then, she took off like at bat out of #@&*, up the
stairs.

The lady who had had her before left, and we were left to try and find the
kitty.  We looked for her everywhere, and it was if she had disappeared.  We
have two rooms upstairs, one finished, except for electricity, and one unun-
finished, but that one has electricity.  We have an electric piano in the
finished one, and run a power cord from the unfinished bedroom to the finished
one, leaving the doors slightly ajar.

It was as if Niniane had known already that there was a place up there for her
to hide.  She had gone into the unfinished room, back behind the walls of the
finished room, and then, underneath the floorboards.  She stayed there for
six hours!  We finally had to frighten her out, which didn't help any, because
she was just as scared as could be.  Poor thing.  

I then took her downstairs, put her in our bedroom on the bed, held her and 
petted her until she calmed down.  Her breathing seemed terribly fast, but at
last she calmed down.

Since then, she has been just wonderful.  Sure, she scratches a little, but
that's to be expected.  But the best part is when she comes over to me at night,
snuggles up close and falls asleep.

She tells you when she wants to be petted, too (almost always).  She puts her
head down as if she were about to do a somersault.  And then to play she'll bat
at your hand with her paws, minus the claws out.  She is really wonderful, and

Presently two cats in the Balsian household:

Pucker: (Full name : Little Pucker Upper Even Kisses Fishes). Breed:
Very mixed, appears to has been stitched together from the parts of
seven other cats (a Frankenstein cat!). Lifestyle: Totally indoors.
Personality: A real lover, kisses everyone upon meeting (thus, the
name), can be a noodge when she's not getting enough attention. Age: 9.

Speedy Tomato: Breed: Mixed, seems to be mostly Persian, beautiful flag
of a tail. Bright orange. Lifestyle: adapting to indoors. Personality:
Hellion. Age: 19 months. Also, Speedy has a nursing//suckling problem
that we're trying to break. For details and advice (help!) see WE GOT
A SUCKLER in this file.

Gone but not forgotten (R.I.P): Priscillia, lost to massive kidney failure
last February. With me for 8 years (was 10-11) when she died, and my best
friend. And Grace, a 1-year old gotten as Priscillia's replacement in Feb.
'84. Lost 3 months later to cogentital feline leukemia. She was a good cat,
and I was happy to give her a home from the shelter, if only for 3 months.

Fred

RE .14

There is a new addition to the household that Jerry described. His name is
Malcolm Growltiger MacIan. Though I can't replace Angus I did decide to run
Scottish names for the tabbies, if it seemed right. The Growltiger is one
of the cats T.S.Eliot wrote about who was forced to walk the plank by an
army of Siamese. Both Cisco and Mack Heath would love to march this feisty
bite your ears as quick as look at you kitten. He is a Maine Coon Tabby
with only a little white on his face. The his tail is already getting plumey
and his paws are those of a full grown cat (he is 14 weeks). I am quite glad
that I waited to get him and amlooking with some trepidation at how big he
is getting.


							.wIx.

While out searching for Loiosh with friends (see note #98), the most adorable
little money cat followed us home.  She was all skin and bones, but very
affectionate, and she immediately understood what the litterbox was for.  She
appears to have been abandoned.  I thought she was perhaps 3 or 4 months old,
but the vet has told me she had the physical development of an 8 or 9 month
old cat, but has doubtless been outside starving for a couple of months.

Lady Evaine MacRorie (for that's what I named her) took to her indoor life
immediately.  The single exception is my remaining cat, Ada.  For the most
part, Evaine has wanted nothing to do with her, moaning and hissing whenever
Ada comes near her.  It didn't help matters when she appropriated Ada's
favorite blanket, either.

In the last few days, the situation has gotten a bit better.  Evaine eyes Ada
suspiciously whenever she gets too close, but she doesn't always make a lot of
noise about it anymore.  Ada, for her part, started out extremely jealous of
any attention I paid to Evaine, but is slowly becoming more willing to share
me.

If and when Loiosh comes home, I will need to find a good home for this sweet
little money cat with the big eyes.  In the meantime, if she agrees to put up
with Ada, and vice versa, she's welcome to stay and put some meat on her
bones.

					-- Roger

   Oh my god, here we go again...  Or the tale of how we went from 5 to 6 
cats.
   We had a black kitten dumped on our porch.  (Look Mac, a house with 5 cats,
there's a place to dump this baby if ever I saw one.)  WE've been keeping him
segregated from the other kitties til we get the FeLV test back.  He's a hoot.
He's about 6 weeks old.  And has voice like I've never heard on a cat.  
I used to think that Gandalf had the biggest mouth in the world, but this kitty
who is about 1/20th his size can yowl him out of the house.  A real talker.
He even talks when he eats.  (You haven't heard weird sounds until you hear a 
cat try to talk and swallow at the same time!)
   We are trying to find a home for him since we already have 4 indoor and one 
indoor/outdoor cats. However we have not been successful yet and since it's 
peak season at the shelter, I don't hold out much hope.  I think we've got an
addition to the family.                    ^
   If we do keep him, he will be named Nazgul.  (that carat is supposed to sit 
over the "u" there).  Tolkien fans will remember the Black riders also known
as the Nazgul that were minions of the equivalent of the devil in the Lord
of the Rings trilogy.  Well Nazgul is solid black with eyes that are probably
going to be vivid green (hard to tell at this age) and he's definately a hell
cat so I think the name will fit him.
   I'll fill you in on more as we find out what our landlady says, what the vet 
says and whether or not we find a sucker..er..uh.. I mean a good home for him.

tlh

Ours is a 2 cat household. Orion is a beautiful orange-red tabby with a fluffy
coat.  He was a pathetic kitten but has grown into a nice cat.  We picked him 
up at a shelter.  I really wanted a kitten that color (I had recently lost an 
orange tabby) and Orion was the only one that fit the bill.  I obviously didn't 
look at him too closely, since the next day I finally noticed that his nose was 
scarred and that he was thin and listless with a lousy coat.  Needless to say, 
a quick visit to the vet ensued, along with nosedropper medication and special 
food.  Lots of fun.  I found out from the shelter that Orion had been picked up 
the week before by a family and then brought back several days before I got him
.  This family had other pets, so I guessed that my little kitty had been 
through a rough time, which is probably why he was so sick.  Orion stayed 
skinny and scared until about 6 months when he really porked out (his nickname 
at that time was Wide Load).  He was still scared but a lot healthier.  Finally 
at close to a year, he became a "normal" cat.  Actually, he's turned into a 
real lover.  His big thing now is to lay on his back with all 4 paws in the air 
and meow pitifully until someone pats him.  His only remaining problem is that 
when he's really happy, he drools.  This often causes my husband to throw him 
out of the bed - nothing like waking up at 4:00 am with cat spit...  He has 
also, unfortunately for the birds, started living up to his name.  It was when 
he brought home the snake that I really objected!

Our other cat is a character called Pearson.  Pearson always has and always 
will be a character.  He is a sleek black cat with 4 white paws and white 
mustache.  We got him at the shelter the same time as Orion.  Pearson was 1 
week younger but, up until the last year, has always had the upper hand.  
Pearson's problem is that he thinks he's a dog.  He loves to fetch and is 
always bringing his cat toys over to be thrown.  He has decided that the 
plastic caps that cover the bolts on the base of the toilet seat make perfect 
toys.  Other favorites are a plastic star, plastic drapery pulls, shiny foil 
and wine corks (a true California kitty!).  He's also a talker (as is Orion) 
and it often sounds like we have birds in the house due to their chirps.  
Pearson would dearly love to catch a bird - do all cats chatter and twitch when 
they see flying objects?  Pearson's other game is ambush the people.  It's 
amazing what your heart can do when you see a cat jump out at you, do a 180 
degree turn 3 feet up and take off in the other direction.  Like Orion, Pearson 
has a problem when he gets feeling happy - he suckles.  I've been following the 
discussion about Speedy Tomatoe with great interest!  We've gotten Pearson's 
frantic suckling act down to a dull roar.  He usually only tries to get away 
with it when we first let him into the bedroom in the morning.  His first act 
is to go roaring up onto the bed and attack my husband's chin.

All in all, we wouldn't trade them for the world.  

Lynne

ps:  I've really been enjoying this file!

Re .47
	I suspect that you've gotten a part Siamese cat from your brief 
description! I've seen a number of black (and I mean BLACK) part Siamese cats 
that had most of the traits of the Siamese (often including the LOUD voice and 
talkativeness [is that a word?]). From what I've seen; they make good cats!

	/s/	Bob

Just discovered this wonderful notes file, and would like to tell you
about my four close encounters with nature's noblest creature:

GINGER was the large orange tiger who raised me (from age 4 to age 17).
We got him when he was 6 weeks old. I don't recall much of his kitten-
hood, except that he was shaken around by several dogs, probably using
4 or 5 of his 9 lives before he was a year old. Nevertheless, he was
a fine healthy cat who loved to explore, sleep, and bring us mice.

My favorite memories of Ginger are two: I recall seeing a very large
part-boxer dog streaking through our back field, and I feared the
worst; but there came Ginger in hot pursuit! Secondly, Ginger was
completely at ease indoors, and liked to flop down for a snooze in
the middle of a hall, rug, or sofa, always choosing the spot most
likely to make us go out of our way.

When I was 17, Ginger simply left one day. My mother, who was ill
with spreading cancer, and had grown up with cats in Nova Scotia, took
this as a very bad omen. She died several months later. I hope they
are re-united in a better world.

(Sorry for the sad ending ... actually, my memories of both Ginger
and my mother are very happy.)

		=*=	=*=	=*=	=*=

In my second year of graduate school, I lived with my roomates on the
first floor of a three-family whose second floor and surroundings were
the home of SQUEAK, a magnificent chocolate-point Siamese, the largest
I have seen.

Squeak was simply a wonderful companion. He greeted us when we came home
with loud meowing; if you interrupted him, he tried to shout you down.
He was very athletic, easily jumping onto the high places where we had
set out some chicken or meat to thaw for dinner; but who could ever be
angry with Squeak? As you see, he had run of the house, and came in
through open windows for frequent visits.

Squeak was one of the last friends to whom I said good-bye before going
to the induction center (this was 1969, and they were drafting graduate
students).

		=*=	=*=	=*=	=*=

Returning whole after 2 years in the Army, I moved back with the same
roomates (mostly), and we decided to get our own cat (Squeak wasn't
there any longer, having relocated with his roomates). A friend of
a friend of a friend ... had a litter, and were chosen by MANDU
(named after Katmandu, the formerly peacable capitol of Nepal),
a pretty little female multi-color.

Mandu (alias Manduck, Duck, Ducky, Mandrake, Duck-man, inter alia)
remained small and slim. She had a very fine, mosty dark coat, with
overall mixtures of orange and cream; but basically she was very
dark. In fact, we claimed that she had a negative albedo (albedo =
proportion of incident light reflected by an object) because all
attempts at photography resulted in something that looked like a
negative -- light background, with a cat-shaped "black hole" in the
middle.

Mandu unfortunately lost a fight not long after we had her spayed;
we didn't notice the abcess on her back almost at the tail until
it gave her serious pain. She stayed with a vet almost three weeks,
apparently in a noisy environment with many whining dogs nearby.
I think her personality was permanently changed towards the neurotic,
but she had many good affectionate moments left in her.

When we all moved in various directions, we managed to find a great
home for Mandu -- my professor's secretary lived on a farm, loved
all animals, and had a vet for a boyfriend. Last I heard, Mandu
was still a little standoffish to the other cats, but had secured
a pile of hay at the top of the barn and had become a competent
mouser.

		=*=	=*=	=*=	=*=

Now I note the untimely passing of PUDDING, the cat our neighbors
shared with all of us in the set of townhouses where I now live (back
in Cambridge again). Since both my wife and I travel fairly often,
we don't think we can keep cats, but Pudding supplied our minimal
quota of cat-contact. Pudding was a beautiful cat -- a female, a
true calico with large patches of black, white, and orange in a very
thick healthy coat. She greeted everyone with languid stretches and
much rubbing and purring, and loved to visit in strange houses.

Pudding always had a well-developed fear of cars, so we were surprised
to hear that she was found dead at the side of busy Kirkland Street
just around the corner. Somehow tha front steps seem a little drab
without her perching there.       ^---that's an "e" -- ed.

		=*=	=*=	=*=	=*=

I find this file and your accounts of your feline friends very
entertaining ... keep it up!

		-- Bruce Gelin

   RE: 49  Yes I believe that Nazgul (who is a permanent member of the house-
hold now) must have some Siamese in him.  We think that of Gandalf too(the 
formerly loudest cat in the world)  which gives you an idea of how loud this
little guy is.  
    For the record...  Nazgul has been accepted by everyone from my husband to 
the other cats, to our landlady.  (Truly remarkable woman!  how many land-
ladies do you know that would allow their tenants to have *6* cats???)
     He's growing fast and is doing remarkably well considering how young he 
is.  (My estimate of 6-8 weeks was too old.  The vet said that he was more 
like 4 1/2 or 5 weeks old.)  Considering his age I thought that we might have 
to do a little litter box training, but he's been a real champ using the box!
Not a single accident!

tlh

	And now, Reply #42, continued . . .

	In the summer of 1981, my friend Dan and I both decided to spend the
summer in Worcester, where we were both students at Worcester Polytechnic
Institute.  The year before, I (and other students) fought a battle with the
school administration to save a peaceful piece of land from being turned into a
parking lot.  We won.
	Dan wasn't around that year, but in 1981 he decided to reap some of the
benefits of that victory.  He got a beach towel, headed out to the lawn, and
went to sleep in the sun.
	He woke up when he felt something sucking on his earlobe.  It turned out
to be a very tiny kitten, who fit in the palm of his hand.  It was scrawny and
obviously very hungry.
	He brought her home and fed her some milk from an eyedropper.  I came to
visit and we set up his apartment to accomodate a cat:  lots of warm spots, etc.
	We were activists at the time (still are), and we were aware of our 60's
heritage.  We read Abbie Hoffman books and spelled things with a "k" instead of
a "c."  He named the cat Kat.\
	With a lot of milk and warmth and TLC and kitty vitamins, Kat managed to
survive and thrive.  She's still a bit neurotic, though; as I said before, I'm
no cat psychologist, but perhaps she's suffering from having been abandoned as a
kitten.  She also appears to have an oral fixation (obviously from being weaned
much too early (-:)), because she still sucks on earlobes, fingers, nipples,
toes, etc.
	Dan and I have a mutual friend who is predictably unpredictable.  She
goes out of her way to be unpredictable, and makes sure you know it (-:).  You
know the type . . .
	Anyways, about a year later, this friend was driving along and saw a
sign that said "free kittens."  Spotting another opportunity to be unpredictable
and impulsive, she pulled over and bought one.  Then she drove to Dan's house
and gave it to him!
	This cat has long black and white hair.  They named her Tux.\
	Kat wasn't too thrilled about the new addition, but Dan's roommates
were.  Most everyone but Dan and I (and his then-girlfriend) had given up on
Kat as a playmate because of her neurosis.  They played with Tux like there was
no tomorrow.  They taught her how to sit on shoulders, roll over, the whole
works.  She's still playful.

	Dan's joined B.E.N.S (Business Executives for Nuclear Security, or some-
thing to that effect) and moved to Colorado.  His new significant other has done
the same.  Between the long haul and her lack of delight with a neurotic kat,
they decided not to bring the cats with them.
	So now they live with me!  And, fortunately, my significant other is
very good with neurotic cats.  I'm happy to report that Kat is affectionate with
both of us.  Even our earlobes (-:) . . .

		<_Jym_>

                     ******************
                     S  Q  U  E  E   **
                     ******************

HARTLINE PENNY LANE OF ARABEL IS A BLUE CORNISH REX, ALIAS THE POONA,
THE BLUE BITCH, POONA TUNA, THE SNOB.  SHE THINKS SHE'S A PERSON, AND
WILL HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE OTHERS.  THEY ARE FAR BENEATH HER.
SHE SITS AND POSES WITH HER TAIL WRAPPED AROUND HER FEET, LOOKING DOWN
HER NOSE, SNEERING WITH HER ENORMOUS GOLD EYES AT ALL THE PEON CAT
POPULATION OF THE HOUSEHOLD.  HOWEVER, SHE FEELING AS THOUGH SHE IS A
PERSON HAS TO CONSTANTLY BE ON A LAP, (DOESN'T MATTER WHOSE) AND TRY
TO PUSH HER OFF, SHE'LL GO THROUGH CONTORTIONS TO REMAIN IN YOUR LAP.
VERY LOVING TO OTHER HUMANS, BUT WILL HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH HER OWN
KIND.

ARABEL'S KING'S KID, RED POINT SIAMESE, ALIAS K.K., THE RED PANTHER,
THE SLOB, PROBABLY THE SWEETEST TEMPERAMENT YOU COULD ASK FOR. 
ANYBODY COMING IN THE HOUSE IS GUARANTEED A K.K. BATH BECAUSE HE LIKES
ANY NEW SMELL, AND LOVES NEW PURSES TO INVESTIGATE.  HE'S THE TYPE OF
CAT THAT WHEN YOU PUT HIM IN YOUR LAP HE JUST MELTS TO THE FORM OF YOUR
BODY.  THE ONLY COMPLAINT IS WHEN HE COMPLAINS; WHAT A MOUTH!  FIRST
THING IN THE MORNING, SCREAMING FOR HIS FOOD, YOU JUST WANT TO CHOKE
HIM!!

ARABEL'S MIDDLETON MAZE, A LILAC LYNX-POINT CORNISH REX, ALIAS  LITTLE
MIDDLE, THE BRAT.  BEING THE ONLY KITTEN OF HIS LITTER, HE RELIES ON
HUMAN COMPANIONSHIP AND EXPECTS IT.  HOWEVER, HE LOVES ROMPING THROUGH
THE HOUSE, DESTROYING EVERYTHING IN HIS PATH, BEATING UP ON THE OTHER
CATS IS ONE OF HIS FAVORITE PASTTIMES.  AND EAT??!!  THIS GUY IS A TUB!!
HE COULDN'T BE SHOWN NOW UNLESS HE LOST ABOUT 6 POUNDS!  HE SITS AT THE
DINNER PLATE AND GORGES HIMSELF, AND KICKS EVERYBODY ELSE OUT OF THEIR
PLACES.  BEING THE ONLY KITTEN, HE'S TAKEN A LIKING FOR CHEWING UP MU
BABY'S TOYS, DESTROYING STUFFED ANIMALS.  HE'S **SO** MUCH FUN!!

HARTLINE'S WATERBUG OF ARABEL, A WHITE CORNISH REX.  ALIAS WATER B,
BUGABOO, THE BLIMP, BIG MOMMA (SHE'S MIDDLETON'S MOMMA), THE BUG, ETC.
THE BEST MOMMA CAT I'VE EVER SEEN.  THE MATERNAL INSTINCT WAS THE
STRONGEST OF ANY QUEEN I'VE EVER HAD THE PLEASURE OF BREEDING.  SHE'S
ALWAYS SO WONDERFUL WITH HER BABIES, AND THAT WAS DEFINITELY HER FORTE
IN LIFE, EVEN WHEN SHE DIDN'T HAVE BABIES SHE' CARRY AROUND TOY MICE
AND CRY.  SHE'D DO THIS EVEN WHEN HER BABIES WERE PARTIALLY GROWN TO
TRY TO MAKE THEM JEALOUS, BUT IT NEVER WORKED, THEY NEVER GOT SMALLER
AGAIN.  ONE OF THE SADDEST DAYS OF MY LIFE WAS HAVING HER SPAYED, AT
THE RIPE OLD AGE OF 10, JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.  THE SOFTEST, MOST
ELEGANT COAT YOU'D EVER WANT TO FEEL.

ARABEL'S ANDROMEDA'S DREAM, RED POINT SIAMESE, (K.K.'S SISTER).  ALIAS
ANDY, ANDYMUFFIE, AND THE MUFF.  A SWEET LITTLE QUEEN, HALF K.K.'S
SIZE.  VERY TIMID, EXCEPT WITH ME, OR WITH PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN OVER
SEVERAL TIMES.  WILL COME TO HER NAME ONLY WHEN I CALL HER, NO ONE ELSE.
SHE'S GOING TO BE THE PRIMA DONNA OF THE HOUSE NOW, BEING THE ONLY ACTIV
QUEEN LEFT.  DUE TO HAVE HER FIRST LITTER THE FIRST PART OF OCTOBER.
THE ONLY REAL LADY OF THE HOUSEHOLD, SHE NEVER DOES ANYTHING BAD.
SHE'S A REAL PLEASURE TO OWN, AND MY HUSBAND'S FAVORITE.

THIS IS A VERY SMALL HOME-ORIENTED CATTERY, AND WE DO SHOW ONCE OR
TWICE A YEAR.  ALL OF THESE CATS ARE CHAMPIONS, BUT THAT DOESN'T MATTER
ONE WAY OR THE OTHER TO US BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL SPECIAL TO US IN SPITE
OF WHAT'S WRITTEN UP IN BREEDING BOOKS.

  ^_^
( @ @ )
  __
 <><>
(     )/
 {} {}     ****The Amazing MR. HUNTER****

Beloved kitty!
LOVES......
shrimp
cuddleing
teasing our German Shepherd
exploring
HATES......
raisens
fur rubbed the wrong way
firecrackers
and the cat next door

A gift from my boss which explains his authoritative manner.

He truely is a hunter! He has stalked, captured, killed, and usually
eaten every type of yucky, crawley bug to be found in New Mexico.

He's a fantasy cat in his long haired, white silky fur coat, there
are splashes of black in the most interesting shapes on his ears,
his back, and his tail.

He lives outdoors, and my husband has built him his own condo
which we painted sky blue. We painted on a back door, and
decorated the rest of the outside with trees, flowers, and a
big bay window. There is a sign at the back door that says
"Mice Only".

He's still just a baby at 7 months old, but he captured our
hearts from the moment we saw him. Kitty's have a way of doing
that ya know! 

As Rod McKuen once said...
"I have never known a cat that couldn't calm me down by walking
slowly past my legs...." (Listen to the Warm  #13)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------**** El Gato ****

     I have a black and white manx cat, named Shadow.  We named her
     Shadow because when we bought her home at 6 weeks of age, she
     wouldn't let us (my husband and I) out of her sight.  She is
     still pretty much the same way.  She seems to want to stay at
     least in the same room with us.  She is also a pretty smart 
     cat.  She is learning quite a few trick like riding around on
     shoulders, and jumping to the top of the cupboards in the
     kitchen from the shoulder.  She is also learning to jump from
     a table or chair onto our shoulder.  She does this consistently
     also.  Maybe one of these days, we will get an invitation to
     David Lettermans'   "Stupid Pet Tricks".   
     Are there any Manx kitten lovers or owners out there?  I am
     looking for a gray and cream tortoishell.(Sp?) I once had a
     beautiful gray and cream tortoishell, that unfortunately got
     out one day and was attacked by a dog.  Even though we took
     her to the emergency hospital for pets (this happened on a
     Sunday) and they said that there were no internal injuries,
     no broken bones, and no torn muscles she died anyway.  She
     was 8 years old and very healthy, but I guess her little
     heart just couldn't take the stress.  It really broke my
     heart because I had picked her out from the moment she was
     born (which I saw) and she really had my heart.  So although
     I know I will never be able to replace her, I would still like
     to be able to find another kitty that would be similar to her
     at least in color.

     Sarah

We share our home with Gray, aka Little Gray Lady (old-time name for Nantucket
where I was living at the time); she's a mongrel masquerading as a Russian
Blue (hence the name....)

She has always been an indoor cat, and has had her front claws removed. She's
not terribly vocal (except on trips to the vet - then she tries her best
to out-decibel Twisted Sister), and she is reasonably affectionate.
She has always been "my" cat, refusing to sit on anyone else's lap - a fact
that my wife finds occasionally frustrating ("Great! I feed you, pet you,
give you treats, and you sit on HIS lap!").

I enjoy this notes files tremendously, and feel a special warmth for people
who feel as I do about these wonderful creatures. I also have to say that
I think 'Nazgul' is an outrageously delightful name for a cat! (All I can
think of is the Orc repeating 'Nazgul, Nazgul' as if he had something
bad-tasting in his mouth...)

/Harry Sutton

>I also have to say that
>I think 'Nazgul' is an outrageously delightful name for a cat! (All I can
>think of is the Orc repeating 'Nazgul, Nazgul' as if he had something
>bad-tasting in his mouth...)                                             
 
   Thanks, we like it.  Nazzie fits the name quite well. His nicknames are
Little Demon, the Evil one, etc.  He can be a real sweet heart (and is most
of the time), but when he wants to he sure can look *evil*.  He has the nastiest
"mean-face" I've ever seen on a cat!

tlh

We aquired Antar one year ago when he was already 12 years old.  He had
belonged to my husband's sister who had to get rid of her cats when she
married a man who was alergic to them.  We took Antar and my husband's
brother took Monongahela (Antar's mother).  Antar is all black except for
about 10 white hairs in a spot on his chest.  He is about the longest cat
I have ever seen.  He's only 10 lbs., and has a long thin body, long legs,
and a long tail.  When he sits up tall, he looks very much like those
classic cat statues.

Antar is pretty much an indoor cat, which is just as well since we live in
a third floor apartment.  He didn't used to be an indoor cat, but since his
move to our apartment he is very frightened of the outdoors and doesn't ask
to go out very often.  He does enjoy being outside with us while we work in
the garden, but wants to come in when we go inside.

He is also a lap cat, so much so that I nicknamed him Napkin because he sits
in your lap while you're eating and gets crumbs all over his fur.  He is also
very playful for a cat his age.  He just loves his catnip mouse and likes us
to toss it up in the air so he can jump up and catch it.

-Mary

	I've been reading this file for altogether too long without having 
	introduced my cat so, and eveytime I see something I want to reply
	to I think twice, cause I haven't...  Be forwarned this is a bit long.

	Caro, named by a 7 and 8 year old who carefully explained this was 
	after the Christmas carol NOT caro syrup, joined us when she was about 
	4, she is now around 8 or 9.  She is a money cat with white chest and 
	forepaws.  The only sound she makes, except in the car or around other
	cats is:  a very soft 'merp' (with kind of an up intonation).

	We adopted her after a friend of ours added two more cats to her family
	and Caro promplty went into a decline.  She is unusual, in that once 
	she became an only cat she developed a PASSIONATE HATRED for other CATS
	Doesn't mind dogs at all (at this time of year she often naps curled up
	against Chris, our 75+ pound dog).

	One of her great adventures (and our nightmare) was about a year after 
	she joined us.  Not realizing how she felt about cats, we took her to 
	stay at her old home for a weekend while my mother-in-law (terrified of
	cats) was with us.  She promptly ran away from home.  Six agonizing 
	weeks later (to the day) after I had finaly given up any hope of her 
	being found or returning, and had decided to adopt another adult cat:

	Our friend drove out of her street and she saw a flash of money cat in 
	the bushes.  She got out of her car, not daring to believe it wasn't 
	one of hers, and said Debit, Credit?...and heard a soft 'merp.'  There 
	was Caro happy as a clam to see a person.

	Caro then joined our friend for a day of shopping (I was out) and had 
	great fun at the archery store, etc. with much cosseting and loving 
	from all who met her.  Our friend stopped by the house, neither of us 
	had gotten home so she headed back to her place.  She took Caro out of 
	the car and into her house where immediately the hair on Caro's back 
	went up and the hissing and growling started again.  Needless to say 
	Caro has never gone visiting again.

	Several years later Caro developed an abcess which had to be drained.  
	I never even thought about the fact that Jeff, our vet, might have cats
	there.  When I arrived that evening to pick her up there was one angry 
	cat waiting for me.  She was so mad that Jeff couldn't even get her out
	of the cage in full gauntlets to move her during the day and he wasn't 
	too sure I'ld have much more success that he had had (he suggested that
	maybe we should move the other four cats and let her calm down).  
	Luckily she trusts me and I had her out of the cage and room quickly.  
	Her records now carry instructions to cage her with the dogs or in 
	isolation, but NOT WITH OTHER CATS.

	Her major talent is her hunting skills (I'm very sure she didn't go 
	hungry during that six weeks).  I have had her in drag birds that 
	weighed darned near as much as she does through her cat door for later 
	consumption (eccch, I have never liked stepping on dead things in the
	middle of the night).  The house we now live in has the cat door about
	10/15 feet off the ground with a birch tree (dead and delimbed) leaning
	against her perch to get to the door.  This has radically reduced the
	number of large animals dragged in, though I still get moles, etc.  
	I've never been able to convince I don't appreciate these presents at 
	all, but she has figured out that, if I don't hear her, under the bed
	doesn't produce quite as much reaction from me.  (I keep a close eye
	on that particular space in the house (~: !!)

	I could go on and on, but this is already turning into a monstor!  

	Looking forward to getting to know you all,

						     Audrey

Well, I might as well ...

Right now I have *7* cats, six indoor, and one outdoor.  My dear landlords 
ordered a STOP at 5 but I can't seem to control myself.

MERLIN is a fat, black, beautiful, cat with a temperment of an angel.  Nothing
makes him happier than food and cuddles.  He demands to sleep under the covers
with me, head on pillow.  He's got garbage scow breath but simply refuses to
use Scope.

MOON is a somewhat slimmer, black and white, saucer-eyed, brother to MERL.  
Vibrantly intelligent, he beckons conversation whilst sitting next to me
on his dining room chair.  God forbid I turn my back to him, he'll stretch
out a paw and tap me lightly on the shoulder as if to say "HEY YOU...WHAT
DO YOU THINK I AM, CHOPPED LIVER??"

TASHA is a glorious, long-haired, petite, darling of a martriarch.  She
stumbled upon me, shivering in the cold, November rain, beseeching me 
for shelter from the storm.  Some louse must have dumped her as she was
starving and pest-ridden.  She dominates the current entourage and simply
MUST sit on my shoulders whenever I *ahem* am going tinkle.

PSYCHO and MAGIC are brothers from a stray named CLEO which I was taking
care of in an old barn where I used to live.  Dear CLEO loved cavorting and 
displaying herself to the hungry, local Toms and got herself in trouble
before I could get her neutered.  Two other children from the litter,
and CLEO were given to lovely homes.  P and M were too spacy for the
normal cat lover.  They do look terribly disturbed and hidden under all
that neurotic exterior is more neurotic behaviour BUT they love me.  I
am graced with their drool and warm gentleness.

PANDEMONIUM is a lunatic.  The only other female of the bunch and she's
an aggressive, trouble-maker but so absolutely adorable one couldn't
possibly get annoyed.  Though, I ain't too thrilled when she tries to
find silk clothing in my closet for the sheer amusement of scaling it.

WHINER is a black and white love that wouldn't leave my porch.  Last Spring 
he came by with just a crackling of a voice.  Skinny as could be and 
terrified of people, all he wanted was some food.  I'd feed him and he'd
disappear for days.  Then, he disappeared for three months.  I feared the
worst but then, on his return, looking worse off due to wear and tear,
he decided to drop at my feet and let me touch him and take care of him.
Neutered, shots, 2 wormings, 3 bouts of blockage (cystitis) and treatment,
he is finally beautiful, healthy, and full of charm and charisma.  He's
my vets favorite kitty.  He is the perfect combination of all my other
cats' behaviours, temperments, and personalities.  I would love to make
him my next indoor kid but my landlords said "IF YOU DO THAT, DEATH WOULD
BE TOO GOOD FOR YOU!!!"  

So, for WHINER, he gets a house on the porch but I worry in this frigid
weather.  I'd hate to lose him but if someone could give him the indoor
life he'd probably be better off.  Rest assured, I WOULD cry buckets
though.

Adios Cat Lover,
Lydia

    We are owned by two lovely cats, Tanya Sekmut Golden Dawn, called
    Tanya or Tiny Tanya Terrorist Cat, and Sulkitt Cast In Silver, called
    Sulkitt, Sulky, or Kitty-kitty (Kitty-kitty is the only thing she
    comes to).
    
    Tanya is a ruddy Abbysinian, and TINY, about four lbs.  She has
    brown ticky fur, big yellow eyes, and is a daughter of a double
    grand champion sire.  He never made triple champion; she removed
    a piece of his ear when she was a kitten.  The lady at the cattery
    sold her cheap! (She was not amused by Tanya's mode of expressing
    affection for her dad.)  Tanya is seven, and is called Tanya because
    Patty Hearst was no longer using the name.  She hates going outside,
    and carrying her out causes her to urinate immediately ( a real
    problem if you're carrying her!)
    
    Sulkitt is half silver Abysinian, half Egyptian Mau, the result
    of an illegitimate cattery romance.  She is bigger than Tanya, but
    still tiny (8 lbs.)  She is silver ticky with gray striped socks
    and a pink nose and tail.  She looks like a pencil sketch!  She
    was given to me by the cattery lady, who wanted her out immediately!
    She was attacking the $400 Korat kittens and the prize winning Korat
    stud.  She likes to eat raw green beans better than anything else,
    and will carry off anything kitten-sized and white (socks, my little
    stuffed unicorn, pieces of plastic.)
    
    Tanya and Sulkitt both had bad cattery manners, and didn't get along
    with other cats.  They like each other, though, so the arrangement
    has worked out.  Sulkitt likes to try to get outside, but is very
    stupid about the outdoors.  Last time she snuck out she licked a
    gray squirrel, and I had to spend half a weeks pay getting her sewn
    back together at the vets!
    
    I also have a 10-year-old boa constrictor, and an African Grey parrot.
    The cats ignore the snake.  The bird meows, is almost as big as
    the cats, and thus they think she is top cat.  She heads for them,
    they run away.  If they get near her at all, it is to (cautiously)
    sniff at her tail.  They know the business end is the one with the
    beak!  The bird knows, too, and teases them mercilessly.  Meow,
    Tanya, Here Kitty-kitty, she says.  And if we scold the bird for
    misbehavior, she dive-bombs Tiny Tanya, who hides for hours behind
    the stove!
    
    /rita
    
    

    Hullo...
    
    I have just been acquired by a cat.  I didn't really mean to, but
    it just sort of happened that way.
    
    Lorraine and I had been talking about the possibility of getting a cat
    for a while.  (Well, actually, she had been talking about getting one,
    and I had been talking about not getting one.)  
    
    We had Easter dinner with my landlady yesterday and she had this white
    cat named Joe that she had to get rid of.  She's allergic to it, it
    seems.  While she was telling me about all this, Joe came over to me
    and looked at me with those big green eyes and tried to climb my leg.
    Lorraine never said a word.  Now he lives with us. 

    Since yesterday afternoon, he has acquired a nickname or two.  "The
    91-mile-per-hour wonder" was the first.  For about 20 minutes after we
    got him, we wondered why he's so thin.  Now we know.  He got more
    exercise last night than I got last year.  He's not yet a year old, and
    still very much a kitten.  
    
    He's very playful and *very* affectionate.  He hopped into my lap
    while I was working last night and decided to chase the little blinking
    bug on the screen.  Of course, he had to step across the keyboard
    to do it.  Later he tried entering a note (not terribly coherent,
    though).  I'm starting him on BASIC next week.  (I should be ok
    as long as he doesn't figure out how to type a ^B.  The phone bills
    could get expensive.)

    I woke up this morning to find Joe curled up next to the bed.  I 
    looked down, he looked up, and then after he and I and Lorraine said 
    our good-mornings, he decided it was breakfast time.  
    
    I've never had a pet before.  Lorraine assures me she knows what to do
    to take care of him.  Why didn't I do this a long time ago?  

    						Ralph

    MEOW...
    I had never owned a cat, it was my philosophy that if I couldn't
    own a Siberian Tiger I didn't want a cat. OOPS! My mistake! I was
    looking through the Dog and Cat pet shop when I was chosen. Reggie
    jumped up on the branch in his cage and gave me one of the biggest
    silent meows I'd ever seen. I went home $12.75 poorer and 1 cat
    richer. My friend, a pronounced cat-hater was non to thrilled! TOUGH!
    It's been two years now and I am a cat person through and through!
    Anyway, Reggie is your basic gray tiger in looks. In size he's closer
    to a mountain lion. Though he's never been weighed I guess he's
    around 20 lbs. he measures 22" from head to butt and his waist is
    also svelt 22". Needless to say he scares people! I love it!!
    His appetite knows no bounds, (although he now stays away from picante
    sauce!)one of his favorite food/toys is stuffed green olives. Being
    terribly proper as all cats are he carefully skewers the pimento
    with one claw and sets it aside. He then engages in a wonderful
    game of olive hockey. When the olive gets to fuzzy to roll really
    good, he eats it!
    I didn't realize how much he deserved his name until he was grown.
    I was doing my nails one day and Reg was very curious. I extended
    one freshly polished nail for him to examine. He wound up and bopped
    me with all his might. I was truly surprised with his strength,
    no doubt he'd be awesome with a bat. He is really a interesting
    cat, as all cats are! He went through the stage of playing Tarzan 
    on the drapes, pouncing on me from atop the kitchen cupboards and
    chasing himself in the window reflections. He's matured ever so
    slighty, but he's still a giant kitten which is fine with me!
    
    This is a late addition to this file and I hope that all the cats
    that have kept me entertained are all alive and well!

    ANOTHER LATE ENTRY... SINCE I JUST FOUND THIS FILE AND LOVE IT!
    
    LET ME INTRODUCE TO YOU; ROVER,FIFI AND PEANUT.
    
    ROVER IS SO NAMED BECAUSE WHEN HE WAS SMALL HE WOULD 'FETCH' A BALL
    BACK TO YOU. HE LOOKS AND ACTS A LOT LIKE MORRIS. VERY LAID BACK
    AND KING OF THE TURF. (ACTUALLY, ROVER IS A SHE, I FORGET SOMETIMES
    BECAUSE SHE REMINDS ME OF A BIG OLE LAZY TOM).  SHE JUST LOVES
    ATTENTION, SO MUCH THAT SHE CAN BE A PAIN ONES IN A WHILE. ROVER
    IS 6 YEARS YOUNG.
    
    FIFI, IS MY BABY. ALTHOUGH SHE IS JUST A LITTLE OVER A YEAR OLD,
    SHE STILL LOOKS LIKE A KITTEN. SHE IS A TIGER WITH WHITE PAWS. VERY
    SKITTISH AND DOESN'T COME OUT IN THE OPEN MUCH. I AM HOPING TO HAVE
    A LITTER OF KITTENS BY HER, IF ONLY SHE WOULD CO-OPERATE, AND GET
    PREGNANT.  THAT BRINGS ME TO...
    
    PEANUT. HE IS MY TOM.  A LITTLE YOUNGER THAN FIFI, I HOPE HE WILL
    SOMEDAY MAKE ME A PROUD 'GRANDMA'.  PEANUT IS YELLOW AND WHITE.
    HIM AND FIFI ARE INSEPERABLE, WHICH IS JUST FINE WITH ROVER.  WHEN
    I GOT FIFI AND PEANUT AS KITTENS, ROVER SAID "KEEP THOSE BRATS
    AWAY FROM ME!!"
    
    ALL THREE OF MY CATS STAY OUTSIDE.  THEY HAVE THE RUN OF AN OLD
    SETTLEMENT HOUSE ON OUR 16+ ACRES, SO THEY THINK THEY'RE IN CAT
    HEAVEN.  I WOULD LIKE ABOUT 5 MORE CATS IN MY FAMILY.  I JUST HOPE
    FIFI LIKES BEING A MOTHER.

    Our Clowder:
    
    Hazel -- Fourteen years and a few months. He got his name from
    Steinbeck's _Cannery Row_: ``Hazel's mind was like wandering alone
    in a deserted museum.... He never forgot anything but he never bothered
    to arrange his memories.'' Yellow and white with frost-bitten ears.
    
    Samantha -- Four year old tortoise-shell. She came to us three years
    ago. Our best hunter, she hurt her foot last winter and has brought
    us only one bird this spring.
    
    Caleb -- Four year old white and muscular. Some brand of Siamese,
    we guess. He lived for six weeks in our cellar, only coming out
    at night. Still borderline psychotic. He now joins us on our nightly
    walks with the dog; a mile or two through woods and neighborhoods.
    
    Christa -- A 6 month old calico, rescued from a tree by a friend
    and given to us on the day of the shuttle explosion.
    
    We lost a sixteen year old last fall. We also a very well-tempered
    black Lab. All of our animals are used.
    
    kh
                                   -30-

    Here's ours:
    
    TC - Female long hair gray Tiger. Mother was house cat, father was wild.
         About six years old. Still very playfull.
    
    Midnight - Male, all black, short hair. Born in the wild in N.H.
               He is about 5 years old. The meanest of the two.
    
    Both are indoor cats and both have been altered and declawed.

    We have:
    
    Raven - My personal favorite.  (There are only 3 human beings on
            this planet dearer to me than this cat!)  He is a little
            over a year old, solid black, with long fluffy fur, a
            plume like tail, huge double paws, big round orange eyes
            and the sweetest personality I've ever encountered.  I
            found him in a pet shop in Shrewsbury last year and it was
            love at first sight.
    
    Jade -  Tiny blue point Siamese, 8 yrs. old (she was 6 wks. when
            I got her, the size of a mouse).
    
            She is the most intelligent of our cats.
    
    Frodo - Jade's son (before she was spayed, an accident) half blue
            point Siames, half alley-cat, dark gray & white with green
            eyes, pink nose, Siamese voice and build, 3 times the size
            of his mother.  Always comes running to his name.
    
    Nova -  Pure white, long hair, gold eyes, spayed female.  Loves
            people.  Detests other cats.
    
    Sylvester - Large black cat, with white on throat, gold eyes,
                most mischievous of the group.
    
    Striped Kitty - Grey tiger cat.  Your basic model cat.
    
    These cats are all sweethearts and probably get more love and
    attention than many people.
    

    I've recently found this file and I'd like to introduce my cat family.
    We currently have five cats (also five children, 2 dogs, 2 ponys,
    7 goats....but this conference is about cats.
    
    My oldest is Mo. He is 15 years old and does a lot of sleeping these
    days. He is solid black with six toes on his front paws and can
    open doors using his "thumb". He was one ofa litter from my first
    cat a black female named Sooty. It was an arranged mating - the
    father was also solid black with double toes on the front and back
    paws. He was born in February 15 years ago. Sooty went into labor
    in bed next to me - her waters broke, and I had to get up and sit
    with her to make her stay in the birthing box we'd prepaired.
    
    Next in age is Inky she is also all black and came to us as a stray
    about five years ago this spring. We had four cats at the time (my
    husband has insisted on a limit of four), and it was a while before
    we all noticed that we had an extra black cat. She is a very tiny
    cat and more friendly with my thirteenyear old son than anyone else.
    We found a home for one of our other cats a gray persian which had
    adopted us the previous fall because she kept getting her fur knotted
    up when she went outside. (she is now very happy as an indoor cat.)
    Inky is quite a huntress and helps keep down the rodent population
    around our property.
    
    NUmber three is Dusty. He moved in with us three years ago. I am
    still not quite sure how he originally got into the house. I was
    kind of a case of who let that cat in? and noone had. I think he
    was getting in through the basement bulkhead which wasn't quite
    tight. We returned him to his "owner" and they kept him in for two
    weeks. 15 days later he was back in our house and we gave in. At
    first he was not very friendly but I started petting him when he
    was asleep and he has learned to enjoy it. He loves milk - especially
    the leavings after we filter the goat milk but he is allergic to
    it - gave him excema and diarreia (sp? for both). Once we stopped
    letting him get milk he has gained a lot of weight - my son is trying
    to change his name to Boar Slayer.
    
    Number four is Christmas. We lost a cat to breast cancer at Christmas
    and got Chrissie at that time. Chrissie is now nine months old very
    cute and very bright. He is also black with double front toes. (I'd
    been hoping to get a manx or calico but fell in love with Chrissie.)
    He has learned how to get into the walls of our old house and pops
    up in the oddest places. He has found that he can get under the
    upstairs bathtub and come out in the living room next to the
    chimney.(That is an odd sight to see a cat come climbing out of
    the wall next to the chimney!) He also learned to get into and out
    of the house by using an opening left from an electric switch box
    behind our stove and crawling down through the walls and out under
    the back poarch. He is a very affectionate cat and loves to jump
    up on laps at night for a cuddle. He also likes to sleep with people.
    
    Number five is a recent addition which has bent but not broken the
    four cat rule. About a month ago I heard a cat crying up a tree.
    We went to look and, seeing a gray cat, assumed it was Dusty. We
    managed to coax it down and found that we had a strange gray and
    white female! She was starving so I fed her and my husband announced
    that noone was to let her come inside - if she stayed it would be
    as an outdoor cat. About four hours later - during which time she
    sat at the door and cried to be let in - my husband decided to let
    her come in. We have named her Boots because she looks like the
    cat in Puss'n'Boots - white bib and paws - except that she is gray
    not black. Boots is very affectionate, the first cat I've had since
    Sooty that likes to lick people, and has made her peace with the
    rest of the cats, although she's still not sure that the meals are
    going to come on time. I still have to becareful when I'm around
    her with food or she'll grab my hand with her claws but she is
    learning. She also likes to sleep with people. I suspect that she
    was dumped by our house by someone since noone in the neighborhood
    recognizes her.
    
    (As you may notice in reading this a lot of our cats have come to
    us as strays. Out of a total of nine over 17 years, we've had three
    arrive as chosen kittens, one we were keeping for someone while
    she got a divorce (that one stayed 16 years and just died this winter),
    and five that came as partially or fully grown stray cats.)

    I'd like to introduce, "Rickie, the elder of my two, and "Stosh",
    the younger one. Rickie is a yellow tabby that looks almost exactly
    like the "old" Morris on Nine Lives commercials. He was named after
    Rickie Lee Jones. Stosh, who is part Burmese, was the UGLIEST baby
    you've ever seen. He's the Polish kitty, hence the name.
    
    Both boys came from the Anti-cruelty shelter in Chicago, and the
    whole family emigrated to Colorado Springs in 1980. They are both
    neutered males, Rickie is seven and Stosh is about six months younger.
    
    Rickie is exceptionally talented, and can open doors and drawers
    with his paws. He also likes to play "mechanic", and lay under the
    cabinets upside-down while "inspecting" the unit.
    
    Stosh is exceptionally obnoxious, but he's also very lovable. He
    likes to be the "alarm cat" every morning (we'll NEVER be late to
    work with him around). 
    
    We feed these two the CD food, wet and dry (cookies). They get bottled
    water, which is what I use for myself.

    The queen who rules our roost is named Chablis.
    
    I got her in 1974 when I was in college and saw an add on our apartment
    complex billboard for 2 Siamese kittens for sale.   When I met her,
    her owners were moving, the house was in turmoil and she was one
    scared kitty.  I picked her up, she cuddled into my neck and the
    owner gave her to me for free because I was only one she'd responded
    to.
    
    She's a gorgeous Sealpoint, with uncrossed china blue eyes, a dark,
    sleek, taffy-colored coat, shiny black face, sox and tail, and lots to
    say about everything! Unfortunately, she was always getting beaten up 
    by neighborhood cats, and for the first couple of years I was giving
    a lot of my money to the local vet.  I was supporting myself in
    college with one part-time job!  One particularly expensive vet
    session cost me $75.  When I came home from school the very next
    day and found her problem had returned, I had tearfully decided
    that I just couldn't afford her.  I bundled her right back to the
    vet and demanded that he euthanize her, (I hear gasps of horror!).
    He tried to talk me out of it, but I told him I just didn't have
    the money to keep her.  I insisted that he destroy her and I handed
    him the $7 it cost to do it.  Well, that wonderful doctor said he 
    would treat her for free and he did.  He didn't even want the $7!
    
    That was 10 years ago and she has been the light of my life since
    then!  She's sweet, smart and loving, and now that I'm out of college 
    and gainfully employed, she gets the best of everything!
    
    She gets a check-up (and shots) every June and at every crisis, and she 
    even gets wet-food any time she wants it!
    
    Oh yeah - I don't move so much anymore now that I'm out of college
    and Chablis is no longer the new kid on the block.  She's acquired
    a sense of territory and runs off any interlopers she sees!
       
    That great Vet, by the way, is in Amherst, Mass and his name is
    Dr. Katz, (of course!).  I think of him and thank him often.
    
    Sandy - Chablis' human.

And now, let me introduce my pride ...

Five years ago, when I got married, my wife and I had a few agreements. 
I'd learn ballroom dancing if she'd learn square dancing; I'd tolerate 
the dog if we could have cats too.  Sounds reasonable

Well we went down to the local SPCA and rescued two kittens, as cats come 
in pairs.  My choice was Rocky, after the ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, a 
six week old brown classic and white tabby shorthair.  My wife picked 
Roxanne, a dilute tortoiseshell smoke shorthair kitten.

Well, we took them home and after some effort, all got settled.  Roxanne 
wasn't actually old enough to be away from her mother; she couldn't eat 
solid food.  But we all pulled through, we got used to their quirks (of 
which there are many), and they got used to ours.

A few years passed.  I had always wanted to show cats and finally managed 
to get my wife to go to the Houston Charity Cat Show, one of the nations 
largest. Maine Coons were what I wanted, and I got her hooked on the idea 
of a black and white maine cat.  Fortunately, there was one available.  
Enter Lovabacon's Cap'n Crunch of McAlli (our cattery name, for Maine 
Coons and Alley cats), a huge lovable black and white bi-color who does 
well in shows.  After introducing them, and so forth, we had a hurricane 
down here. On returning, there was a very hungry cat around, who I had to 
feed.  We called him Flash, 'cause at suppertime, you'd just see a black 
flash. 

Let's see.  Some time later (6 months) we acquired two female Maine coon 
kiitens.  The first, Kreidcats Tigrrlily of McAlli  (Yes, with two 'R's) 
is a brown mackeral tabby and white with the most gorgeous coat around.  
The other was a Tortie (tortoiseshell with stripes) named Chaimelle's 
Nicht Weiss of McAlli  (her name is because she has a white locket, a 
disqualifying marking in shows, but most people think it is cream in 
color.  We went 55 rings through 9 shows before any judge ever saw it.

well, we went to a show in Albuquerque N.M. and met some Abyssinian 
breeders. That being our favorite shorthair, we were planning to acquire 
one when we were offered a female breeder for free. We took it and thusly 
acquired Von Becknell's Basrah of McAlli. For those unenlightened on 
Abys, Abys rule households. Basrah promptly took over and still 
remains the dominant cat.

after umpteen kittens, we finally kept two. McAlli's Callista, a 
Tortoiseshell and white female, and McAlli's Doctor Who, a Brown Classic 
tabby and white male.  In the meantime, numerous cat's come and go from 
the garage, but two have remained; Lady, a black smoke female and "Sing 
for your supper" Red, a red and white tabby.

Stories?  I got a million of them.  Maybe I'll enter a few on occasion.

Dave

    How is this for a house full?
    
    1)Sebastian, white with grey markings, male. A real lover in his
    time, unfortunately had to be out down at age 14. He had developed
    some kind of muscle disorder and had no muscle left to help him
    even walk correctly. 
    At the same time as Seby, we also had these cat: with the fun names
    for any railroad buffs out there:
    2) Amtrak, pure black, pain in the ---. We still loved her.
    3) Hotrail, pure black, different litter, and another real lover.
    Watch your face when trying to sleep, she loves to purr on your
    nose.
    4) Katy (MKT), pure black, still another litter (none from the same
    parents even), another pistol. Good hunter, of my three caged birds,
    if they were out forget it, she was scared silly.
    5) Santa Fe, a lovable little tortie, who didn't know when she was
    in trouble, she purred through everything.
    6) Chessie, ready for this one? a silver/grey, tiger/tabby 
    Chinchilla/Angora/Persian who has what looks and feels like rabbit
    fur. She is 2 1/2 and her voice still sounds like she is 6 wks.
    A real pest too!!!!!
    7) Spot and Groucho, a couple of stray babies, about 5 wks. old
    who found their way to our house, I swear there is a sign in our
    yard that says "BELFORTE CATHOUSE". 
    
    All these loved ones lived together, in peace and harmony, most
    of the time. Sometimes we had riots, but mostly they were just a
    riot to watch. Unfortunately we had to leave Colorado, and had to
    find homes for most of them: living with in-laws for an indefinate
    length of time was not good for any of us. I must say we did very
    well by them all........ I know ever family who took my "children"
    and I am in constant contact with them.......... so I get reports
    of their lives all the time. It's not the same as having them with
    me, but I know they are all happy, healthy, and loved.
    
    We also had 2 dogs at the same time, WHAT A HOUSEHOLD!!!!!!!!!!!
    We still have Hotrail, Chessie and the dog Casey Jones. We could
    not ever think of finding a home for Casey, he is Chessie's dog.
    She cleans him, and makes sure he doesn't get into trouble......
    and he is about 40# of muscle compared to about 7#. Oh well, to
    each his own!
    
    Mary-Lynn

I have three cats. George, who is thirteen, was born before I was. My parents 
got him when he was about 6 weeks old. He is a beige-tan colored cat with one
tan cheek and one white cheek. He very fat and likes to eat.
Mickey, who is nine years old, is the same color as George except his cheeks 
are tan.
Rocky, who is three years old, has no relation to Rocky Balboa. We found him 
stray as a kitten and very hungry. (If you saw him now, you`d never know it!) 
He is black with four white spots.

I have made up many names for my cats. For instance, George was Fekamumbudleadl,
Jeej, and now I call him Fleajums. Mickey is Tig, or Tig-e-wiggy. Rocky was
Little Rock, Little Rock Arkansas, Uler, and Ules. We called him Uler and Ules
because he used to, (and still does), like to MEOW! Now we call him Noozie,
Nooz, Dusie (catch the name you oldies??), Dooz, and Doozer. 
In case you are wondering where all these weird names are coming from, don`t 
ask, because I don`t know either!

                                       Chris DeVries, age 12
    
    

    We have two cats known collectively as "the terrors" , "the horrors"
    or , when they behave themsevles , "the boys"
    
    Singularly , they are Sooty and Sweep
    
    Sooty is jet black , grumpy and hungry
    Sweep is a ginger/tabby , very loving and very hungry
    
    We have had the boys since feb 86 . We got them from a cat rescue
    centre after ou previous feline encounter was knocked down in the
    lane behind our house . The Boys were in a pretty poor condition
    when we got them , they had been deserted by their previous owner
    and were lonely and looking decidedly under nourished (they were
    6 monthes old and weighed under 3lbs each) .
    When we got them home , one dissappeared behind the sofa , the
    other behind the washing machine   and would only come out when
    plied the full cream and tuna
    We slowly gained their trust so that now they lead fairly normal
    cat lives , endangering wildlife near & far , sleeping , eating
    and generally being bundles of fun .
    
    Sooty tends to be the more adventurous of the two , especially
    after dark , while Sweep stays close to home (or his food bowl)
    

    OK, now it's my turn...I/we have two cats...brother and sister,
    the female being name B.C. (short for Basket Case) due to the fact
    that she would run around and play with invisible things nearly
    all the time.  Her older brother Cosworth Wellington III (Cosmo
    for short) is more on the mellow side.  He would prefer to lounge
    inside the windowsill and scope out the street below.  B.C. has
    this bizarre habit of tussling my hair if she chooses to bother
    me while I'm sleeping.  She tries to knead my hair and then stick
    her face into it.  She does this for about a half hour and due to
    her claws, it gets a little annoying after awhile.  OH well, that's
    cats for ya!
    
    
    					Phil
    

    
    My Kitty's name is Noodles.  She's about 8 weeks old.  I got her
    2 weeks ago and she's like part of the family already.  I say she
    but I really don't know which sex it is. (I haven't mastered the
    art of telling the difference yet)  Any hints out there?  It's the
    cutest little thing around.  It's constantly in trouble.  It loves
    sticking it's cold nose on my face or batting me with it's paws
    when I'm trying to sleep.  She never lets me out of her sight when
    I'm home.  Her bad habits are: Not covering her messes in the kitty
    box, then stepping in it and leaving little footprints on the kitchen
    floor. (pretty grouse) Climbing up my leg when she wants me to hold
    her.  (that's okay when I have pants on,  but when I have shorts
    on, OUCH!)  scratching furniture and climbing on everything is her
    favorite thing to do.  Her good habits are: falling asleep in my
    arms or on my lap.  Watching T.V. on my lap.  Playing. Being my
    best buddy.  Trying to catch things that no one can see but her.
                     
    
            All in all, she's the greatest friend A pet owner could
    ask for!
                  Selena
    

        for hints on determining a cat's sex.

    Also, she should go to the vets for a general checkup (worm/FeLV
    testing etc) and the vet should be able to tell you if she's a he.
    
    --L

As I was growing up, my family always had dogs.  When I married I got
    my first cat.  We call her "Whisky,The Whisk and Fwisk."
    She surprized us one day by retrieving her favorite toy-a rolled
    up Popsicle wrapped.  She has been doing that ever since.
    
    Whisky was getting lonely in our small, one bedroom condo not to
    mention very obnoxious.  So we got Brandy.  Whisky didn't like us
    for weeks but became friends with Brandy.  Brandy is a "fraidy cat."
    Whisky beats on her every so often just to make sure that she doesn't
    feel neglected.
    
    2 weeks before we were planning our move to a real house, someone
    left a kitten in my mothers yard.  It was starved and hurt.  We
    naturally couldn't refuse to take the kitten in. (Mom has 3 dogs
    & 3 birds)  He doesn't answer to anything so we call him Tipsy.
    
    Those are our only 3.  They all have their own distinct personality.
    Tipsy doesn't care about anything, he even likes to ride in the
    car.
    
    	                	CATS ARE GREAT!

    I have been reading all the notes, and I'm glad to see so many cat
    lovers at DEC.  I have two 14-year-old Siamese.  The male, Munchkin,
    is a Chocolate Point, weighs about 14 pounds, and is diabetic. 
    His mother and grandmother were diabetic, so he is too!  He reminds
    everyone of a toasted marshmallow, and it's like having alive teddy
    bear.  He sleeps on my pillow when its summer, and under the covers
    with his head resting on the pillow in winter.  He also goes out
    on patrol during the nights and comes back to warm his feet up against
    me!  He's a real, good cat, well behaved, and very lovable.
    
    My female, Kali Mutu, is 7 pounds and a very dark Seal Point.  Her
    name is in Tamal, an Indian language.  Kali is the Goddess of
    Destruction - remember "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom"? 
    Well Kali is an outlawed goddess in India because she demands human
    blood sacrifice.  Those who worshipped her were called "thugees"
    and strangled people!  Mutu means "black faced", and her points
    are very dark.  Her mother was a grand-champion Seal Point and her
    father was a grand-champion Blue Point weighin in at 22 pounds!
    She was vaccinated with a phonograph needle, and has a vocabulary
    of purrs, squeaks, grunts, etc., and if looks could kill...She used
    to be quite a hunter, and loved to bring me snakes.
    
    They are both "apple cheeked" Siamese - no long, Greyhound-like
    noses for us.  My in-laws have two daughters from one of our litters,
    and they are the last in a line that my mother-in-law started over
    25 years ago when they were living in India.  
    
    

I just recently started reading this file, and this is the first
note I have ever written! (Hope it turns out).

My two loving kittens (7 months old) are named Brandy and 
Magellan. They are (neutered) sister and brother, and
both orange tabbies with maybe some Siamese in them because
they have triangular faces and strange sounds come out of
their mouths on occasion (usually around 5 am).

Magellan was named for his personality which expressed itself
the first day we got him at 6 wks (he crawled all around
the car). We couldn't think of a name for Brandy for several
days and finally named her after her color (I wanted
to name her Amaretto but that got vetoed).

They are both very sweet and affectionate and good company.

Just two antics:

Magellan used to race into the bathroom and jump on the toilet
lid when I opened the bathroom door until one day the
lid was up and he jumped right in! He's never jumped on the
lid since.

Brandy loves to jump from the bed to the spider plant hanging
up by a hook near the bed. She jumps up about 3 feet and 
right through the macrame hanger! (The plant is just about dead 
so I think I'm going to get rid of it).

So far I've gotten some valuable info from this file - keep
it up!

    Hi there!  I have been reading this file for quite a while but I
    have never entered anything, kind of shy. . .  Anyway here's the
    scoop on my family.
    
    OMAR - Omar is a large 11 pound black long hair mutt.  I got him
           at the animal shelter here in Albuquerque.  I was looking
           for a kitten at the time, but found him instead.  How could
           I resist him?  He was laying on his back looking at me and
           purring very loudly.  He's very vocal but kind of stand-offish.
           The only time he wants to be best friends is at 3:00 in the
           morning when your sleeping.  He purrs constantly, whether
           your paying attention to him or not and his favorite word
           in the English language is milk.  The boy will come out of
           a dead sleep if you even utter the word.  He will also be
           your best friend if he thinks there's milk in the near future 
           for him.
    
    SKEETERS:  Skeeters is a small gray tiger striped mutt.  I got him
               a friend who had kittens.  Rather than ask my husband
               if I could have him, I just stuck him in my purse and
               let him figure it out for himself.  Skeeters is definately
               the boss in the house.  We've had him for about a year
               and from day one he has asserted his authority over both
               us and Omar.  His favorite food is potatoe chips.  He
               will stop whatever trouble he is getting into if he hears
               you rustle a potatoe chip bag. (Comes in very handy when
               he gets out of hand!)  
    
               It took a long time to name him (he spent the first 3
               months of his life with various names), then became Skeeters
               because he was meaner than a mosquito when he was a kid.
               His nickname is "Skeeter Eater"
    
    Anyway, I've really enjoyed this conference, and received lots of
    good information.  You people have also ripped my heart out at times.
    It's nice to know that there are people out there who don't feel
    it is silly to REALLY care about your pets!!!!!!!  Keep it coming!
    
     Vicki

    
    Let me introduce my kitty to you.  Her name is SELINA and she is
    a 7 month Seal Point Siamese. My father gave her to me as a birthday
    present.  In the 3 short months that we have been together, we have
    spoiled her rotten.  I recently went to a cat show in Marlboro.
    There I noticed a woman feeding as a treat to her cat some Gerber
    meat baby food.  I thought, there's an idea.  So I purchased some
    chicken baby food for her.  Low and behold she loves it!  Now she
    will only eat her meal with some added baby food.  I think I have
    spoiled her too much.
    
    Selina also loves to play fetch.  She is just incredible.  Her favorite
    toy is "MR MOUSE".  The further I toss Mr. Mouse, the better she
    likes it.  She runs, get its, and brings it right back to my hand.
    She will only fetch, though, with certain people.  She constantly
    amazes us.  She's better than any dog.  I wonder, will she catch
    small frisbees?
    
    From the start I noticed Selina loves the toilet.  She has learned
    to flush the toilet and watch the water go around and around.  When
    the water stops, she presses the lever again and around and around
    it goes.  I have to keep the door closed during the day. My water
    bill is growing by leaps and bounds. She would be a great candidate
    to toilet train.  I'm thinking about it.
    
    Even though she has been with us a very short time, I can't imagine
    our lives without her.  Thank heaven for these incredible lovable
    animals.
    
    

    I guess it is my turn to introduce my brood.
    
    Winston Churchill is a blue classic tabby with white paws.  He has the same
    body type as a Maine Coon.  We adopted him from the Santa Clara
    humane society for a friend who lived alone and wanted a cat.  She
    ended up not being a very good mother/companion for him so we took
    him back from her.  He has been an absolute joy (as an adult, that
    is... as a kitten he was a holy terror).  He is very active and
    playful, very people oriented, and very loving.  Sometimes too smart
    for his own good, he has a repertoire of tricks that he performs
    for all who will watch.
    
    Jesse James was a stray cat.  He chose our bay window to crawl under
    to die.  Although at the time we didn't need anymore cats, we couldn't
    let him just hide there and die.  Into the vet we went with him
    and after about six months of treatment and quarantine from the
    others he emerged as a gentle, loving, and very tolerant cat.  He
    is about 14 or 15 years old now.  We named him Jesse James because
    he had to be tough to survive the various illnesses that he had
    when he found us.  He was quite wild we he showed up and didn't
    know how to be a "cat".  A recent addition of a kitten to our household
    has had a curious effect on him... he is learning how to play!
    Jesse is also a Maine Coon type, but he is shaded silver with 
    gorgeous green eyes.
    
    Monroe is a shaded cameo mackerel tabby shorthair.  He has a very
    regal look about him and a friend once remarked that if he could
    talk he would have a British accent.  He is very large, about 17
    pounds but he is also very wimpy.  He lets the others pick on him
    sometimes and won't defend himself.  He is very unhappy about the
    addition of the new kitten and I think its because he senses that
    now there is another cat who will pick on him.  Monroe loves people
    and is always the first to greet any visitors that come over.  The
    standard greeting is to walk over meowing, flop at their feet with
    all four paws up in the air, and roll around on his back looking
    cute until they break down and scratch his belly.  Quite a character.
    
    Sacrechat's Jouissance de MySinhs (name still pending with CFA
    actually) is a purebred sealpoint Birman.  She is a show kitten
    and will (hopefully) be our first breeder also.  She is a sweetheart
    of a cat.  Very confident, calm and lovable.  She purrs if you so
    much as look at her.  We have only had her for five days but she
    has stolen our hearts.  And she doesn't even walk on our faces at
    night!
    
    JoAnn
    
    

    
    Okay, at my wife's insistance I'm going to enter a bio on our little
    beastie.
    
    His name is Mr. Maximillian von Rattenhiemer (aka Max, aka "Six
    Finga Looie").  He's a Mackeral tabby about 12 weeks old.
    
    Aside from being the most maniacal, crazy critter I've ever laid
    eyes on he is something of a genetic experiment gone awry.  Seems
    the little guy was born with 6 fingers on each front paw.  He looks
    like he's got a pair of catcher's mitts on each paw and he can actually
    pick up and hold things with them.  It may be my imagination but
    he also seems to be growing very fast.  At 12 weeks he appears to
    be almost as large as alot of full grown cats (he weighs 4 pounds).
    
    Personality wise he affectionate as hell.  I think he thinks he's
    human.  He enjoys human company tremendously (I've given up trying
    to get him to not sleep in our bed with us).
    
    Must admit that being a dog owner all my life I didn't think I'd
    like cats.  But seeing as how our apartment is much to small for
    a German Shepard I had no choice.  I really do like the little guy.
    
    							-Sal 

    My new kitten arrived Monday, Dec. 9th.  She's about 13 weeks old,
    with long, creamy beige fur.  
    
    Her name is Snuggles (she reminds me of the snuggles bear on the
    commercial).  When I brought her home, after she checked everything
    out, all she wanted to do was snuggle next me.  
    
    She's been a perfect little kitten (so far).  She sleeps in bed
    with me and my husband.  She's a real charmer.  I wasn't
    sure how my husband was going to like her, but they get along great.
    Though, my husband will probably never admit it. 
    
    She loves newspapers.  She wraps herself up in them.  If you wave
    them in the air she'll jump all over trying to get them.  I think
    she likes them better than rope or yarn.
    
    She talks a little too.  When you call her into a room she'll come
    in and kind of growl and purr at the same time.  It really sounds
    cute, or she'll just meow.  Sometimes she reminds me of a little
    lioness.
    
    Well, I could go on and on.  I guess that's enough for now.  It's
    lunch time and already I'm dying to go home and see her.
    
    Kathy :-)

    Allow me to introduce my cat to you. His name is Pewter. He's just
    the color of his name, with the exception of white paws, chest,
    and stomach. He's part Persian and part Tiger. He's 19 years old
    (human years) and still quite active. Pewter is a nocturnal cat,
    opting to sleep all day so he can hunt outside at night. His intrests
    include sleeping under the christmas tree, newspaper, looking out
    the picture window, and classical music. He's also quite large in
    size; weighing in at 15 lbs and measuring 25" from his head to his
    hind. 
    
    - William j.

    Since my sister has introduced her cats, I guess I should introduce
    mine.  Actually, she's the reason I have my cats.
    
    Bailey's Irish Cream:  A blue cream shorthair...I believe she has
    some Oriental Shorthair in her because her ears seem too large for
    her and her face resembles the Oriental Shorthair.  She is my first
    cat and has the dubious honor of being experimented on as far as
    cat care goes.  I got her from Miller's Pet Adoption Center at the
    local flea market.  Actually, I wasn't anywhere near the flea market
    and had no intention of going there until my sister called and told
    me there were some Maine Coon type kittens there I had to see. 
    Before I looked at them she showed me Bailey...I wouldn't even look
    at the others after I saw this little doll (at least she was a doll
    as a kitten, now she's a rowdy little lady).  So, I took my first
    cat home to an apartment that doesn't allow cats.
    
    I began to take Bailey to cat shows and she did quite well.  Then
    at one of the cat shows someone showed me this adorable little ball
    of white fluff with tabby markings on her back.  They said she had
    a little earmite problem but they would pay for medication if I
    would take her home.  They kept telling me how wonderful she was
    and how I should take her home and how she was so lovable you could
    do anything with her and it was okay, even turn her upside down...
    
    Amelia Earhart:  My second cat in a no-pets apartment.  The little
    white ball of fluff with tabby markings.  I really didn't want this
    cat.  I already had one.  I wouldn't give her up if you paid me
    a million dollars (well, maybe...).  I found out why you could turn
    her upside down and she didn't care--she had a very high fever and
    was too weak to fight.  Yes, I learned quite a bit about health
    care through Amelia.  Amelia is a wonderful young lady now, very
    sweet.  She has won a Morris award and will be competing in the
    regional semi-finals in Washington, DC at the end of January.
    
    P.S. I still live in the no-pets apartment.  I've been here 9 years
    and see no reason to move until they ask me to.  I'd sooner move
    than give up my sweet girls.
    
    Jan
    

I have acquired a new cat from the Nashua Humane Society.  Growltiger is an
8-month-old brown tabby longhair.  He looks very much like Jennyanydots,
my other cat, except his coat is darker than hers.

The two cats couldn't be more different when it comes to personality.
Jennyanydots is an "admire me from a distance" cat--very aloof.  Growltiger
isn't happy unless he's sitting on, lying on, or draped over a person.

--PSW

    I do believe it's time to introduce my little darlings.
    
    "Kitty" was brought home to me by my son a little over three years
    ago. She's a black and white fluff ball. Very independant, very
    spoiled and she rules the roost.
    
    "Acorn" adopted me when I bought my home two years ago. She arrived
    on my front lawn laying around the acorns. By far the most lovable
    of the three. 
    
    "Tigga" is Acorns son. This was definetely an accident. The vet
    told me that Acorn had a problem and wouldn"t get pregnant. So
    four months later I had a litter of little acorns and decided to
    keep Tigga. Glad I did, the "girls" pick on him all the time, and
    he sure keeps the fur flying.
    
    kathie

    HI...
    
    I've been reading this Notes for awhile, but just found this topic,
    so I've already put notes in about these two. But here is the formal
    introduction.
    
    RASCAL -  is about 5 years old and we've been told he looks like a
    Maine Coon cat. He is a gorgeous golden brown and white (Morris-like
    coloring) weighing anywhere from 12 - 16 pounds. He was a rescue case
    and when we first got him he had certain interesting personality
    habits, like hating females (human females that is)!  That was due to
    his background. He was originally owned by a guy who got married and
    the wife just barely tolerated the cat. When she (the wife) became
    pregnant - the cat "...had to go for the health of the baby..." So, her
    folks took him. Again he was in a situation where the husband and the
    wife HATES cats. Wouldn't even touch him, except with a broom
    .....(grumble, grumble,no comment). The cat was only allowed in the
    cellar and outside! Then, horror of horrors, the wife found a *flea* in
    her house - and either the cat had to go or she would (I know which one
    I would have chosen!). Anyway, the man was heartbroken. I happened to
    be home visiting and since Jeff and I had been talking about maybe
    getting a cat, it was an easy decision. The poor thing (all 16 lbs of
    him) was not pleased and hid for two days once I got him home (another
    story - since it was a four hour drive from NJ to Maryland), finally
    coming out for food. Well, as all things seem to do, everything
    eventually worked out - it's be about 2 1/2 years and Rascal is as
    happy with us and we are with him. But it took almost 1 yr. before
    we got him to stop walking up to any female in the room and biting
    their leg! He still is "Jeff's" cat, more than mine. I'm tolerated.

    MERLIN - on the other hand, is definately "my" kitty. He was another
    rescue job. A co-worker had gotten him from someone who had rescued
    him from someone whose cat had had kittens and didn't want kittens
    so was letting them starve (god I HATE people like that....). Anyway
    the co-worker was talking about this cute long-haired, orange colored
    female kitty that they had rescued but couldn't keep and I thought
    it sounded so much like RASCAL that it would work out well (not
    to mention I'm a soft touch for kitties). So, the next day, he brings
    "her" in - a gray/brown/white cat, definately not long hair and
    definately not female - but, once again, I had already lost my heart.
    So, Merlin came home (of course we still thought he was female,
    so his name at the time was Samantha) and has been quite an addition
    to the household. He just celebrated his 2nd birthday and he and
    Rascal are great friends. When he first came home he weighed no
    more than 1 - 2 lbs and with Rascal weighing in at 16 lbs and still
    very fierce we were really worried. But, they got along great, with
    Merlin "attacking" Rascal, like any other kitten. When Rascal would
    finally have enough, and it took him ages to reach this point, he
    would just sit on Merlin. We'd hear a little "ooof" and see a tip
    of a grey tail and have to rescue the little one. But he would always
    come up bounding right back at Rascal.
    
    And now, I can't imagine what our lives were like without these
    two crazies! Sorry for the long dissertation .... I just can't seem
    to stop talking about my "kids"!

    A Very Entertaining and Informative Notes File!!!
    
    My kitty since 1975 has been "Shadow", rumoured to be Burmese, at
    least she fits the descriptions. She was the "new kid" then, being
    VERY disrepectful to humans and getting all the love and attention
    from Tyger (1972-80). You couldn't get NEAR her until Tyger passed
    on, then she gradually started to be "my" kitty. Still very
    standoff-ish, but when she curls up next to me at night, purring
    her brains out-it's neat!
    
    But Shadow has a hissy-fit when "Tabby" (Tabs) shows his face. I
    fear they may never hit it off. Tabby is the poor unfortunate trapped
    under the porch for an unknown length of time in very wintery
    conditions. So he's apparently very healthy, although I think he'll
    never get over being starved for at least 4 days, maybe as long as
    8 or 9, he's into everything! Constantly begging, poor Shadow used
    to be a nibbler, but Tabby cleans up ALL the scraps. Well Shadow
    needs to loose a few pounds anyway.
    
    .mike. (anticipating feline-harmony, but not expecting it)
    

    
    I suppose I should register . . . .
    
    I used to hate cats.  I was strictly a dog person.  I looked in
    on this file once, and nearly gagged.  All this fuss over cats.
    Be real.
    
    After awhile, I decided to get a dog.  But since we lived in a no-pets
    apartment, we got a cat.  Cats aren't really pets, right?  And maybe
    we could teach her to act like a dog.
    
    We got Cinder a year ago August.  Cinder is a small, grey, long-haired 
    cat, with Maine-Coon-like markings (at least that's what she looked 
    most like in the Encyclopedia Americana).
    
    So now I'm reading this file faithfully, and sometimes even writing
    to it.  And I hardly ever gag.
    
    -Jim

    I have some hairball paste that would help that gag.  My cat seems
    to think it's pretty good stuff.
    
    I suppose I should introduce us.  I'm fairly new to this file. 
    I work with DEC in Houston.  My roommate's name is Corkie.  She's
    a 6 year old (7 on March 28th) shaded silver Persian.  She's named
    after an old kids show from when I was little.  When I first got
    her, her favorite place to sleep was inside a kleenex box with just
    a few kleenex left in it.  It was heck trying to find her at first
    until I figured out what was going on.  She still isn't very big.
    She weighs in at a crashing 7 pounds and has beautiful hazel eyes.
    Needless to say she's quite the spoiled prima donna.  
    
    We've been fighting some health problems lately, but things are
    looking up. 
    
    Looking forward to communicating with all you purrrrsons.
    
    Pat
    

    I too just found this file. I currently have 4 cats, all of which
    were from shelters or "found". Lady bird is a silver Persian, declawed
    (she came that way) who is very afraid of people. I think she had
    been somewhat abused as the person who took her to the Dog pound
    said "I have decided I don't want a cat put her to sleep".
    
    Skeeter and Fiver are brothers that were to be drowned.Skeeter is
    a tuxcedo cat.He was named Skeeter because he was so small but now
    he looks like a linebacker for the Greenbay packers. Fiver is
    a tabby orange somewhat dreamy hence the name.
    
    The last member is Punky who is a small (3 pound) calico female
    who was leaning against the doorpost one night when I came home
    from work (it was -10 below that night).
    
    I used to raise show Manx but strays have been the cat family for
    the last 10 years.
    

    I'm new to this conference but thought I'd add my cat's name. He
    is a black and white (quote from vet) "North American Long Hair"
    that was left outside to die with his sister last Halloween nite.
    I think he's got some persian genes in him 'cause he's so cute.
    We found a home for his sister with a neighbor and kept him.
    His name was given by our five year old daughter who called him
    PEPPER. He's being raised as an I/O cat (Indoor/Outdoor..my wife's
    idea).
    
    Have enjoyed this forum so far.
    
    Dave
    

    I've finally decided to add my cats to this file!
    
    Charlie is a strangely colored black and white cat. He's mostly
    black, with a white belly. His face is quite unusual. It's all black
    except for around his nose, and right under his left eye. It's white,
    but extending from the nostril is a small patch of black -- almost
    as iff someone had painted a black spot there! He's about 1-1/2
    years -- got him at the SPCA when he was 4 months. He's quite
    ballistic, and LOVES to ride in the car!
    
    Shanti I've only had for about 2 months, and also got her at the
    SPCA. She's also about 1-1/2 yrs. She's a calico, and as sweet as
    can be! She's very 'vocal', meaning, she will talk to you when you
    talk to her! She also loves to beat up Charlie, even though she's
    only HALF the size he is (he's 11 lbs, she's almost 6). 
    
    BOTH cats think they own the house -- and they're more than welcome
    to pay the mortgage if they'd like! They're GREAT 'watch' cats --
    they watch for every cat and dog in the neighborhood so they can
    fight each other as to "who" will defend the house this time...
    
    

I have been following this file for a while, but haven't introduced my two 
cats yet, so here goes . . .

o   SLY

    Sly is 8 months old and weighs in at about 8 pounds. He is black with 
    white paws, white underbelly, and white muzzle. He's a big kitty, 
    large-boned and muscular. He is, however, a real baby; he sleeps with me 
    at night, with his front legs wrapped around my arm. 

o   ADRIENNE

    Adrienne is 8 months old and weighs in at about 4 pounds. She is a grey 
    tiger cat. She's a delicate kitty, small-boned, slender, and very sweet. 
    She spends her nights cuddled up to my husband's leg -- under the blanket, 
    but over the top sheet.

I love them both dearly, and don't know what I'd do without them. After a busy 
day at work, it's comforting to come home to welcoming meows and funny cat 
antics. 

Fortunately, my husband understands when I greet the cats first, and him 
second. He's been around cats his whole life. His parents still have three 
cats: Buffy (23 years old), Tiger (19 years old), and Oodles (13 years old). 
Makes it easier, being married to someone who is also a cat person!

Marleen

    I've been reading this file on and off for almost a year, since I lost
    my dear 11-year old companion, Sparagus, to feline leukemia (about this
    time last year).  My new cat companion is Crystal, she came to live with me
    last September.  She is a Burmese kitty, 11 months now,  with a very
    interesting family background, mother from California, and father from
    England.  She is cream-and-silver colored, officially called a
    "platinum tortie", not brown like most of the Burmese cats in the
    US.  I think she's just beautiful...  I decided to get a Burmese
    cat when I met a Burmese cat who came to live with a friend of mine,
    he was the FRIENDLIEST cat I had ever met!  I have since found out
    this is a trait of the breed, well Crystal is the same, since she
    was 3 months she has been making friends with everyone who visits
    me, jumping up and purring constantly, almost cat-napped a couple
    of times...
    
    Her favorite place is sitting on my shoulders, she will wrap herself
    around and make herself comfortable while I'm doing most anything,
    watching TV, reading or working on bills or the terminal, talking
    on the phone... she has even jumped up on my shoulders while I've
    been standing up !  She seems to think she's just a small sized
    person sometimes, she likes to sleep with me just like a little
    person, with her body under the covers and head out, cuddled up
    next to me.
    
    Her only bad habit, at least so far, is biting -- she seems to think
    biting is a sign on affection and so the more she likes you, the more
    she bites...I am trying to teach her that we people would just prefer
    she purr, small progress I think.  At least she hasn't destroyed all my
    furniture clawing it (she has her own furniture to claw), I was
    worried about that with a new indoors cat.

    diane
    

      Well, I too have been reading this file for awhile, and should
    now introduce my two boys, Frank and Jack.
    
       Frank and Jack look very similiar, both black and white, with
    slightly different patterns. But that's where the similarities end.
    Frank is very outgoing and friendly, he'd probably go home with
    anyone (for shame, no morals!) he purrs alot and likes to be around
    people. He also likes to be up high, like on your shoulders or even
    on top of the cabinets...likes to view his kingdom I guess.
     Jack is very skittish and shy...almost to a "scaredy-cat" extent.
    I'm pretty convinced he was treated badly in his earlier kittenhood,
    and is just now starting to ease up a little. He does like to be
    petted, actually "caressed", but not picked up, and he only wants
    the attention when "he" wants it, not when you do. He like attention
    when you're busy, like on the phone, or during the 3rd period of
    an exciting basketball game.
    
      Though they are both different, I love them both. They keep me
    sane in this crazy world. I love going home at the end of a day,
    and relaxing with "the boys". oops, I guess I mean "its", since
    they are fixed!.
    
        Kathy (kat for short, of course!)
    
    

    My name is Dawwne and I have a small calico named Kitty.  We found 
    kitty one warm night last September.  She was hidding under our car.
    And even though we live in an apartment where we're not supposed to 
    have pets, we took her in.  She was very shook up, and would barely 
    even eat.  We had to stand five feet away before she would go near 
    the bowl.  We made her a bed of blankets, pillow, and a couple of 
    my old suffed animal in an old dresser we had.  She spent the first 
    two days straight just sleeping in there.  At the time she was about 
    two and one-half years old.  After she got accustomed to us, she 
    finally came out, but she wouldn't go near anyone else for a month.  
    
    She became very affectionate, loved to watch tv, and wake us up
    real early in the morning, about 3 am.  Her favorite programs were
    on the Discovery channel.  She loved the shows about animals.  After
    seeing one on Cats, and how they mate, she suddenly wanted!  At
    only three 1/2 months old!  Then she decided she liked to chew on
    plants!  And she loved to play!  I'd come home after work and the
    house would be recked.  The plants tipped over; everything that
    was on the coffee table was now on the floor.  But she was just
    playing.  She also was jealous.  Of anything.  You could not play
    a gave of cards when she was around, because she would sit on them.
    She has come a long was since those first few weeks of living with
    us.
    
    She is missing now.  She went outside one night three weeks ago
    and has not come back.  We have called everywhere, and noone has
    seen her.  But I haven't given up hope.  I know she loves us and
    if it is possible for her to come home, she will.  
    

    I have a cat too.  A Russian Blue.  She is 8 months old and full
    of the joys of spring.  I am her slave and she (with no comment
    or misery from me) is my master!  Her name is W.O.F.A.M. which stands
    for Waste of Food and Milk which is just a little joke between she
    and me.
    
    NIKI OF DEC MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
    

    We have two cats - both mutts!
    
    Spiffy used to be a male and is white with orange spots, and orange
    tail, and orange eyes.  We rescued him from some *BIMBO* in college
    that was keeping him and his brother in her dorm room.  They were
    about 5 wks. old and she only fed them what she could steal from
    the cafeteria.  Spiffy's brother was stronger and therefore got
    most of the food.  When we first met him he was a pathetic little
    bag of bones who could barely lift his head off the floor.  We decided
    to steal him to give him a good place to live until he died.  (Someone
    else stole the brother.)
    
    Well, the little guy hung on.  Soon after we adopted him, we noticed
    the scabs all over his face and neck - RINGWORM!.  (We didn't catch
    it but I hope the BIMBO did!).  As soon as we got rid of the ringworm,
    Spiffy exploded in size.  He now weighs 15 1/2 pounds and has a
    belly that wobbles when he runs.  Our vet believes that he is just
    making up for his traumatic kittenhood.  Spiffy is now a very
    affectionate, trusting cat (friends say he acts more like a dog
    than a cat) - but slightly on the *unintelligent* side.
    
    Shamu used to be a female.  She is black with white markings and
    BIG,round yellow eyes.  She was named by my sister after she visited
    Sea World.  She is very petite, very smart, and loves to cuddle.
    Although she had a much happier kittenhood, she is not as affectionate 
    with strangers. 
    
    Shamu had one litter of kittens before she was  de-sexed.  She went
    into heat at about 11 months.  All the tom-cats were lined up on
    the porch, but we thought she was too young for that stuff, so we
    kept her inside.  She spent 2 days crying and scratching at the
    door.  Finally I couldn't take it anymore so I let her out.  She
    walked right to the middle of the assembled gang of tom-cats, layed
    down, and lifted up her tail!  Talk about easy.  They were at it
    for a couple of days - didn't even break for a meal.  We decided
    right then that she was getting fixed ASAP.

    Hello.  My name is Michael McGovern.  Pretty Kitty and Aloysious
    F. Domesticus own myself and my fiancee Susan.   Aloysious is 7
    weeks old today, and his name is longer than he is.  Pretty is 2 years
    old, spayed, and a gift from a friend.  Both cats are mixed mutts;
    Pretty is almost calico, but the colors are wrong.  she is mostly
    light brown raccoon with tan splotches.  Aloysious is almost all
    black except for his gloves and a bit of white aroung his nose.
    
    Talk to you later!
    
    Michael
    
    

    Hi,
    
    	My wife and I have two cats. Chester, I got from a lady that
    use to work for DEC in Chicago but transferred to Ohio. It's my
    understanding that Chester never purred until he meet me. Anyway
    he is around 25 pounds; not fat just big; all black with a little
    white spot on his chest. Kind of like a tie. He has yellow eyes
    that sometimes appear to be green. He is declawed front and back
    and neutered. He came that way. Chester loves Italian food and sunning
    in the yard. He is a perfect gentleman and always greets us at the
    door. If I'm in the house and sitting down he is on my lap. He likes
    to sleep with us. Chester perfers heavy metal music but doesn't
    care for TV. He is the most affectionate cat I have ever had the
    pleasure of knowing. As for age he is somewhere between 7 and 9
    years old. He is lovingly referred to as old uncle Chester because
    he is the rock steady type of family member.
    
    	Lester is our other cat. I got him as a Christmas present 1
    1/2 years ago but he is more attached to my wife. He is identical
    to Chester in every way except for his size. Lester is only 15 pounds.
    He also is a gentleman but being younger he plays alittle more than
    Chester does. Lester also goes by the nickname, pook, pookster,
    pooker, or pookie. He perfers to sleep on top of or next to my
    daughters guinea pig cage. Maybe he is suffering from a identity
    crisis. 
    
    	The two boys get along just great. Uncle Chez and little Pook.
    I can't imagine them not being around, they provide us with so much!
    
    Scott

    Greetings fellow cat lovers,

    I have two cats at this point in time.  Actually they belong to the
    whole family but they are not as close to my parents and are separated
    from my sister as she is currently living in another country.

    Sandy and SNOBOL4 are both about ten years old.  They are sisters from
    the same litter though you would never guess it by looking.  Sandy is
    a short haired thin and streamlined orange tiger kitty while Snowy is
    a long haired big fat white haired beauty (she is not completely white
    but has a small gray spot on her forehead but you can hardly see it at
    all.)

    The kitties have personalities as different as their looks.  Sandy is
    our hunter kitty and is forever presenting us with gifts of birds,
    mice, and an occasional lizard.  She is very cautious and aloof and
    almost never licks you.  Snowy on the other hand is completely the
    opposite.  Practically the only kind of creature that Snowy kills is
    moths (which, by the way Sandy loves also).  Snowy will sit around the
    house all day and if anyone happens by she will throw herself at them
    and begin to give them a thorough washing, all the while purring fit to
    shake the house down.

    We recently relocated from the States to France and the kitties took it
    fine.  Although they hated the plane ride they almost immediately
    settled into our new house.  The area we live in is dog country.
    Everywhere you look there are dogs (ugh!) and hardly any cats.  As a
    result it is also mouse country and the kitties are living it up.

    Other names which our kitties go by:

	SANDY: fierce hunter kitty

	SNOBOL4: snowy
		 snuffy
		 beefy
		 wuffy

	BOTH: silly
	      doodums
	      schnookums
	      beepy
	      stoopid

	and many more......



			love from Sandy, Snowy, and me

					Jessica


     

    
    We own two cats and often sit for prolonged periods for my parents'
    cat, who is extended family.
    
    OREO is our five-year-old male (fixed).  He is a large black cat
    with 4 white paws, a white bib, and a white underbelly, thus the
    name.  His whiskers are also white, although most of his face is
    black.  Rio is a very handsome animal, but he is not only extremely
    stupid, but he is also a complete coward, hiding and throwing up
    when he sees something that scares him (like a bird....).  Once
    he was soundly defeated in a fight by a 6 month old kitten.  The expression
    on his face looks like he has stuck a paw in a live light socket.
    He loves to sit on our roof and look around (at things like dogs
    and other cats and squirrels, which would cause him to hide if 
    he were on the ground).  He treasures his leisure, and often sleeps
    on his back with his hind legs splayed apart.  He enjoys waking
    us up on weekends by standing either my husband's or my chest and
    biting our noses.  Rather hard to ignore.....
    
    TORPEDO is an all black, female (spayed) 3-year-old.  She's more
    corageous than Rio, but that isn't hard.... She enjoys eating bugs
    and digging holes in the dirt like a dog.  Torpy has a problem meowing,
    she usually squeaks adamantly when she wants to get your attention.
    She is quite affectionate with us; and always comes into the room
    where the people are and makes herself at home.  She also  is
    uncanny about picking out visitors who do not like cats, and pours
    it on them  purring, nudging their legs and sometimes jumping on
    them.  Conversely, she is good at being typically feline and
    standoffish with visitors who just ache to "pat the kitty".  She
    also enjoys staredowns with neighborhood cats, but not fights.
    
    RANDY belongs to my parents and lives a very luxurious life in NH,
    but I must include him here as he sometimes stays with us and our
    cats often stay with him.  He is butterscotch tabby and white and
    is wiry and scruffy, often with a dirty face. Anyway, he is one of 
    the most shall-we-say memorable animals I've ever seen.  Randy should 
    really be named Rambo; he's psycotic, violent, and aggressive.   Randy
    is tricky.  He can really be a charmer when he wants to so you can't
    hate him. He'll jump up on your lap and give you this loud purr and 
    cute-kitty face that says "pat me, pat me...".  So what do you do? Pat him.
    Then he claws your arm off. Want to walk down a flight of stairs?
    Fine.  When you reach the bottom, he jumps out of nowhere and claws
    your foot off.  Sometimes, he'll walk across the room and meow;
    sometimes he'll stop, look at nothing in particular, and hiss. 
    He sticks his nose in the can opener and will not remove it.  He
    sleeps in underwear drawers; He wakes my parents up at 5 am by doing
    one of two things: 1. Turning on the clock radio  2. Knocking over
    the nearest lamp (and usually any other items in the way like framed
    pictures and books).  He does sound horrible; he is, but he is
    strangely endearing.  My parents love him; he is quite a deterrent
    to unwanted guests (their dog is useless in that respect) and he
    is entertaining in a perverse way.  My cats are used to him; sometimes
    they tolerate each other and they love having staredowns with him.
    
    Yipes! I've gone on too long.  Fun file.....
    

Hi everybody!
  My name's Mathew Taylor and I've just (as in 2 nights ago) become the proud
father of 2 glorious little guys. My significant other, Lisa (mom), and I 
have yet to name them though I'm sure that'll come (Waldo, Zuba, Francois,
Jean-Claude-Kitty, Goober, Hedley (cuz he sleeps on my head), and countless
others are in the running).
  I've been reading this notesfile for about a month now and it and all of you
are great. Before we got 'em, I kept bothering Lisa with...
  'We've got to get Hills or Iams!!!', and
  'Ceramic bowls and Bonkers!!!!',
   and many other educationl 'tidbits' I've picked up. Just wait 'til I have
kids...

  They are both black and white. One has 4 grey stripes down his back and
white swirls on his sides. He goes up on my pillow, plays with my hair,
and sleeps over my head.  The other is the classic black face and back, white
chin, stomach and paws. He loves to have his tummy rubbed. In the middle of the
night, they get up and play-fight on top of me (ZZZzzz...).
  They will live in Franklin, MA. with their 'parentals' in our new townhouse
already complete with cat-door and yard and far away from any big nasty
roads.
  I got them from Annette and Andrea from note 660. I'd like to help them
(Annette and Andrea, that is) further and would love to have your ideas and
support. They're very courageous and should be applauded. I've posted a reply
to their note explaining the situation.
  I already feel guilty about leaving my 'kids' at home (think we can get DEC
to allow cats roaming the halls or provide day-care? ;-) ) but know we will
help them have happy and healthy lives.

                                       Mathew

    { INTRODUCING MY TWO WILD AND CRAZY CATS }
    
    MY NAME IS LIZ TRUMPOLT, MY TWO WILD AND CRAZY CATS ARE NAMED PEEWEE
    AND PENNY.  PEEWEE IS A MARMALAID TIGER MALE AND PENNY IS A VERY
    LADY LIKE CALICO.  WE GOT PEEWEE FROM THE STERLING ANIMAL SHELTER
    IN JANUARY AFTER WE LOST OUR FIRST CAT WHICH WAS A PURE BREED WHITE
    PURSAIN WITH A BLUE AND A COOPER EYE HE DIED OF NERVE DAMAGE, PENNY
    CAME FROM A LADY IN FITCHBURG WHO FOUND HER AS A STRAY IN THE STREETS
    MY TWO CATS THINK THAT MY LIVING ROOM IS WRESTLING RING BECAUSE
    ALL THEY DO IS PLAY ALL DAY LON MORNING NOON AND NIGHT I DON'T THINK
    THEY EVER SLEEP.  WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR BED ROOM DOOR SHUT AT NIGHT
    OR WE NEVER GET ANY SLEEP BECAUSE THEY WALK ALL OVER YOU WHEN YOU
    TRY TO SLEEP AND THATS PRETTY HARD TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE A 14 LB TIGER
    CAT WALKING ACROSS YOU. WHOP YOU LIKED MY INTRODUCTION OF MY TWO
    CRAZY CATS I LOVE THEM AND THEY KEEP ME COMPANY WHEN MY HUSBAND
    IS OUT ON THE GOLF COURSE.
    
    
    LIZ TRUMPOLT

    We are a 4-cat family, two sets of littermates.
    
    Eliot and Petunia are two mixed-breed mousers.  They are large white
    cats with markings.  Petunia (Tunny) is white with grey spots on
    her back and head.  She is our Transexual cat, she is a neutered
    mail that acts like a female.  She is the largest cat in the
    neighborhood, and will pound to bits any foreign cat who sets paw
    on our (her) yard, but will run away from most strangers and when
    her little sister Punkin hisses at her.  Eliot is the typical male,
    all charm for anyone, anything.  Eliots view of the world is if
    it is bigger than me, charm it and it will pet me; if it is smaller
    than me, attach and eat it.  Simple, yes!?
    
    The other two are a set of two orange sweethearts, Punkin and
    Sylvester.  Punkin is the only real female in the house and takes
    total advantage of it as she gets all of the other cats (especially
    good natured Eliot) to lick her while she rarely licks back.  she
    is cuddly little thing who lives only for pets and food and is only
    slightly crazy about running around outside and has no idea how
    to hunt or fight.  Sylvester is a male sweetheart.  He is very good
    natured, neither very friendly or very strange, but is VERY attached
    to his humans.  He spent 3 months last winter on my lap while I
    recovered from surgery and his pals were were sleeping in the sun
    on the bed.  Sylly is my PAL.
    
    

    INTRODUCING.....
    
    Timmy.....
    
    Description:  Orange striped shorthair.  Stripes are actually swirls,
                  a touch of individuality.  7 weeks when he was brought
                  home, he is now 11 weeks old.
    
    Character:    Unheard of, never ending, bundle of sheer energy and
                  electricity.  Snooze time consists of 20 minute intervals,
                  followed by 4 hours of attacking immobile objects
                  posing no possible threat, running repeated 10 yard
                  dashes in 1.5 seconds flat, impersonating a kangaroo,
                  impersonating a Bengal Tiger, impersonating a vaccuum
                  cleaner when faced with kitten chow.  He is guilty
                  of possessing a nosy, nosy, nosy kind of curiosity.
                  Timmy's rule is "My master shalt not be entitled to
                  any privacy whatsoever."  When closing a door, insure
                  that you are on the same side of the closing door as
                  Timmy, lest ye love the sound of a miniature battering
                  ram.  Pick this spoiled kitty cat up when walking
                  from one room to another, or he'll attach himself
                  to your calf in mid-step (wear blue jeans) with
                  teeny razor claws that work like velcro.
    
    His better
     moments:     Prior to dropping dead from exhaustion, a self cleaning
                  (something he hasn't quite got down-pat yet) is in
                  order.  So far he only knows how to wash paws and
                  face.  Maybe he's too exhausted to do the rest.  He
                  then insists on sleeping on me, cradled in the crook
                  of chin and chest, this only after giving me several
                  kissy-poos (you silly).
    
    
    Sherm_Timmy's_friend_for_life_and_protector_against_the_world

    
    
    Announcing the Debut of:  T.C. Kitty
    
    Sex:      Male
    Age:      15 weeks
    Color:    Gray with many black swirls and a bit of white around
              they eyes and tummy.
    
    Favorites:
    
    Person:   Me of course!
    Food:     Whatever he sees
    Toy:      Fuzzy-Wuzzy Fish
    Smell:    Noxema (Don't ask me why)
    Drink:    Water from his own plastic cup
    Bed:      Me
    Time:     Just before bed ... he goes wild to tire himself out
    TV Show:  Alf (or so it seems)
    
    Personality:  Most affectionate kitty in the world.  He loves people
                  who will scratch his neck (but don't they all!). 
                  First non-nocturnal kitty ... he sleeps when it's
                  time for bed and he wakes up with the alarm (as long
                  as the alarm goes off before 7:30am).  Will follow
                  me anywhere and everywhere.  He loves the vet and
                  doesn't mind getting his shots .... just don't take
                  his temperature (does not behave well when foreign
                  substances are introduced in any opening other than
                  his mouth). All around wonderful kitty ... looking
                  forward to seeing him grow up!
    
    
    T.C. Kitty's Slave .... aka Donna
    
    

    Just got off the phone with my wife (we live in Vermont, I work
    in Marlboro, don't ask). At the band concert at Walpole N. H. last
    night she made the mistake of looking into a box full of "free
    kittens" and, yup, you guessed it, we now have a third one. So now
    I have Zach and Minnie here in Sudbury to keep me company during
    the week and get to visit no-name-yet weekends. Seems like the best
    of both worlds. From what she said, she's forgotten how much energy
    a kitten has and he is incredibly affectionate, stayed curled up
    in her sweater all during the concert.

    Hi,
    
    My husband and I have two cats (well, one cat and one kitten). 
    Our cat is Serena.  She is 14 years old, black with white bib and
    paws.  A very quiet, dignified cat.  She loves to go outside and
    sunbath on our deck.  She also prefers to eat her breakfast and
    dinner outside.  Her favorite pasttime is watching the birds,
    squirrels, chipmunks, skunks, and raccoons that come up on our deck
    at various times of the day and night looking for cat food, seeds,
    and sunflower seeds.  (Okay, so we encourage them by putting out
    sunflower seeds.)
    
    Our kitten is Sherlocke.  He is a pure bred seal-point Himalayan.
    He will be 8 months old on Wednesday (2 Sept).  (On first trip to
    vet, we discovered that Sherlocke's birthday (2 Jan) is the same
    day as the vet's!)  Serena has been very good about accepting Sherlocke
    into the household.  He is strictly an indoor cat (I dread the thought
    of a long-haired cat running free among the
    woods/brambles/briars/thickets etc that cover our property).  He
    loves to sit on the window sills or in front of the sliding door
    to the deck and watch the various birds and wild animals that come
    to feed.  He does not bother Serena as much as he did when we first
    got him.  He's also learned that when she raises a paw or hisses
    quietly, he had better leave her alone!
    
    Actually, we did not intend to get a pure bred.  We went looking
    for an orange kitten a couple of weeks after our 14 year old Snoopy
    passed away (after 5 years of battling diabetes).  However, when
    the girl in the pet shop brought out this tiny (20 ounces) ball
    of white and brown and placed him in my hands, well you know how
    the story goes.  So, home he came, wrapped in my scarf (it was March
    and very cold).
    
    Serena wasn't too sure at first that that scrawny little thing was
    actually a cat!  (Snoopy weighed about 15 pounds.)  She sniffed
    at him and he arched his back and hissed!  She ran upstairs (more
    out of surprise than anything else).
    
    Sherlocke runs to greet us at the door, helps us knit, announces
    when mealtime is, wakes us up, and brings me one of his favorite
    toys (a paper cup) when I don't feel well.  He's hidden most of
    his toys and, after a thorough search of the house, we are convinced
    he has placed them in a time warp or the fourth dimension as we
    can't find them anywhere!
    
    Well, I'd better quit now.  I could on and on about Serena and
    Sherlocke forever.
    
    Ande

Lucy Edelweiss Miller, or L.E.M., is an only cat who looks after
my two-bedroom apartment while I am away at work.  She likes
breakfast at 5:30 am. but is satisfied with non-canned food.  She
does like to lick my Bran Flakes bowl when I finish, though.
She often gives her water bowl a shove across the floor until some
water sloshes out, then drinks from the bowl.  She is shy around
men and children, but is a real lap junkie and follows me around
whenever I'm home.  My cousin adopted her after watching her
beg on the street for some time in downtown Richmond, VA, and Lucy
flew on a plane to Boston to be mine when my cousin entered seminary.
	Lucy is an 8 lb., 6 yr-old domestic shorthair.  Largely white,
with a black back and tail, she has a black spot on her head that
covers half of one ear.  Both her ears and nose are very pink, and
her eyes are yellow.  Lucy's favorite book is Paul Gallico's THE
ABANDONED.

    Since I am employed in an interim position lasting only through
    Oct. or early Nov., I won't be able to enjoy all the feline news
    incorporated in this conference. But it seems appropriate that I
    place my feline companions on the pedestal while I have this chance.
    
    I have two feline furries: Thing, a female tabby cat (or American
    shorthair); and Claws, a female quasi-Himalayan. I originally named
    the cats Thing and It, but my friends reasoned me out of it.
    
    Thing is a cat rescued from the Humane Society's "death row". She
    was captured from National Semi. by the Society, I pledged that
    if she were ever captured (being a wild cat, nobody could get too
    close to her), that I would rescue her. So, she did and I did. Thing
    grew up under a much travelled wooden deck, so she has a fear of
    feet (walking things). She is also reasonably reluctant to have
    anything or anyone approach her (still wild). However, she and I
    are good buddies. She may be the definitive "scaredy-cat" but is
    none-the-less gentle and affectionate. I call her my "Camo Kitty"
    because she blends in with the great outdoors and is easily invisible.
    Thing is an outdoor cat 90% of the time (by her choice).
    
    Claws is a long-haired,white cat. Very people oriented. She too
    was rescued from the Society's death row. (don't get the impression
    that I do not support the humane society, I do for the most part).
    A friend of mine picked up Thing from the Society and decided she
    needed a companion, that's how I ended up with 2 cats instead of
    1. (Who could resist a furry little Claws?) Claws is trusting of
    everyone and almost everything, which sometimes concerns me since
    she shows no fear of cars,dogs etc. But she seems to be a relatively
    discerning animal overall.
    
    It has been a pleasure adding the names of my pet friends to this
    long list. May you all enjoy the company they afford you.
    

    We started with Hannah, a tiny wild kitten that was given to us
    by people who found the litter in their barn.  She looked kind of
    scraggly at first, but she blossomed into a beautifully marked
    long-haired black and white cat.  That was about a year ago.  When
    Hannah went to the vet to be spayed, we were told we'd have to wait
    because-you guessed it- it was too late.
    Now, we have 2 from her litter, named Scarlett (as in O'Hara) and
    Alex.  Alex is a longish-haired all black kitten, and Scarlett is
    an exact carbon-copy of Hannah, down to the last marking, except
    her face, which is marked exactly the same except in a "negative
    effect".  What's white on Hannah is black on Scarlett.  We call
    them "The Girls" and they are a real joy to have around.
    
    Stacie

Sly and Adrienne have already been introduced in this Notesfile. Four
months ago, Adrienne gave birth to three beautiful kittens. My husband
and I decided to keep all three kittens, but I never got around to
formally introducing them here. So, here they are. 

PAWS is a little sweetheart, and has a very angelic expression. She is
definitely Daddy's little girl. When she was younger she would annoy
the other kittens until they would chase her; then she would run
behind Sly, and he would take his big paw and swat the other two away!

MIDWAY is the rambunctious one. He is into everything, and hardly ever
sits still. He always has a confused look on his face, which covers a
totally mischievous personality! He is the most affectionate of the
three. 

SPRINGER is the perfect little lady. She is very slender and looks
quite elegant. She is quiet and rarely causes trouble. But when she
gets into a mood, watch out! Then she is perfectly capable of outdoing
the other two. 

Between the three of them, they cause much more trouble than Sly and 
Adrienne did at that age. They unroll paper towels, they unroll toilet 
paper, they leave paw prints on my bathtub and kitchen counters, they 
take wallpaper off the wall (but only behind the aquarium), they try 
to catch the cuckoo in my cuckoo clock, and much much more. 

They also sleep with us at night, along with Sly and Adrienne. It's a good 
thing we have a king-size bed . . . 

Marleen

I too haven't formally announced our family, and would like to share with
you are new additions and the kids we have had for a while.

Well, we finally got our all white blue-eyed babies last week from the
Pelham Animal shelter.  Whether their eyes will stay blue is a matter of
time.  It appears they are approximately 6 weeks old and had been bottlefed
previously.  But now..... they are hungry little devils, gobbling their
food like crazy!! They are two little fluff balls -- looks like they will
be long haired angora --

We have appointment next month for their checkup and shots.  When my hubbie
made the appointment, there was a long silence at the other after the nurse
had asked for their names -- hubbie thinks they went into a fit of laughter and
tried to come back on the line professionally!!

Right now we put them in our favorite room - the family room downstairs --
mostly because we didn't think they could climb stairs and secondly, to
separate them from the other 3 cats until they get used to each other.

SNOWBALL - part siamese -- white with black spot on hip and a black marking
           on the head that is shaped like a barbershop quartet hairdo parted
	   in the middle -- 1 1/2 years old - she has been fixed and is a real
	   tomboy -- comes back in from outdoors covered with dirt and grease 
          - they have about 60 acres to play in but she prefers to go next
	   door where a new house is going up and play in the machinery after
	   hours!! By the next morning she is all clean and silky again --
           Favorite food - shrimp!! Favorite sleeping place -- on top of
	   her cat house.

MICKEY -   sister to Snowball -- grey and white with half her back white 
           and white markings on back, tummy, head and feet -
	   actually looks exactly like the Purina Cat Chow kitten  --  		
           this one is a little lady -- she's discovered that she loves 
           sleeping under our blanket at night - favorite food -- Italian
           anything!! 

MIDNIGHT - Our old buck (said affectionately) -- doesn't really know if he's
           a cat, and if so, if he is male or female -- allows Snowball still
	   to suckle on him.  Has used 4 of his nine lives -- he weighs about
	   20 lbs and is all black -- black eyes, mouth, and nose -- only
           now is beginning to gray hairs thoughout his body -- has a little
	   brown goatee... favorite food - turkey -- won't leave me alone
	   until last piece is out of the refrigerator -- favorite sleeping
	   place - my son's king size waterbed!

We have a 5'x5' pillow I made in front of the Franklin stove in the winter and
my hubbie and I have about as much chance to sit there as finding a million
dollars!! They love and got some great pictures!! 

Favorite toy they receive each Christmas -- little mice I make filled with
catnip -- 

Sorry to go on so long but thanks for listening.

		Marian

    Tabbatha, as many of you know from other notes, is a short haired
    black 6 week oldkitten.  She is part Siamese and boy you can hear 
    it when she meows!  We have only had her for about a week but have
    already fallen in love with her, despite some of her little problems.
    
    Two of her favorite games are "try and catch Mommy's hand before
    she catches me" and "hide under the table and ATTACK!!"  I sit on
    the floor and move my hand across the rug.  She looks at it as if
    to say, "HA!  I'm going to get her this time!"
    
    	"READY???....SET???............ATTACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
    
    Then she runs as fast as she can before I catch her.  It is really
    funny.
    
    Last night, I was sitting in the living room and I heard her crying.
    I looked all over the room for her, but couldn't find her.  I knew
    it would be hard to see a black cat underneith the couch, so I went
    to get a flashlight.  I came back and looked over at the fireplace
    and couldn't believe my eyes.  Somehow, Tabbatha had gotten into
    the fireplace behind the screen and couldn't figure out how to get
    out again.  I took her out and she was covered from Head to tail
    in soot!  I ended up giving her her first bath and much to my surprize,
    she didn't fight it at all!  she even loved the blowdryer.  She
    just sat there and purred while I dryed her off.  I couldn't believe
    it.  I guess I am pretty fortunate to be owned by a cat like her.
    
    Holly

    I, too, like a lot of people, are new to this file.  It's great
    to see there are others like me.  My family always had a "gadoo"
    (Armenian for cat).
    
    Believe it or not, my latest feline friend is a male domesticated
    alley cat named Garfield.  Yes, I know its not unique, but let me
    tell you, he lives and acts just like the cartoon character.  Lasagna
    is his second best food...pizza is number one.
    
    He is about 5 years old now and is presently living with Mom.  She
    is pretty much house ridden, and Garfield makes great company. 
    His is an indoor cat and has been all his life.  He seems to have
    adjusted very nicely.
    
    Question for you all...has anyone taught their friends to play Tag
    and Hide and Seek?  Garfield could play for hours.
    

    Because she came first:
    
    Let me introduce Maggie.  She is our twelve-year-old. She's a dainty
    6 pound -- folks still says what a pretty kitten! -- long-haired
    orange tigerish striped cat.  She was raised by a collie/malemute
    who was a rambunctious 8-month-old when we brought the kitten home
    and from day one he thought she was his pet.  When he died of cancer
    two years ago, she was quite angry with me.  [here's my plug for
    South Shore Veterinary Associates:  When it became apparent that
    the dog was _going_ to die, they allowed me to bring my lonely cat
    to see her dog and actually curl up in the cage with him for a little
    while. they also made his passing easier without assisting him on
    his way, in accordance with our wishes.  they are my very sick animal
    specialists, but not my family practice vets because of the drive]
    ANYWAY...Maggie is extremely bossy.  She supervises my cooking;
    she supervises my bath; she comes and tells me when I've been in
    bed too long.  She also likes to sit on the other couch in the evenings
    and discuss with my husband how very peculiar I am.  While
    embarrassingly affectionate to me in private, she will _not_ show
    affection when Rick is around...keeping up appearances, you know.
    
    Now Maggie is furious with me again because:
    
    Tuesday night I brought Milo home.  He was one of the Pelham NH
    orphans.  He's a 6-week-old grey tigerish cat that was feral.
    However...he marched right up to the big white box [a.k.a.
    refrigerator] and meeped when I first put him down in my kitchen
    so he's pretty wise -- and KNOWS it.  At this point, he's made up
    his mind that I am his mother, but that my husband WILL be his person
    and has set about training him to be a good doormat for a one-pound
    cat.  Milo had his first visit to the doctor this morning and, except
    for ear-mites and a few fleas that will be taken care of soon, he
    passed his exam and took his shot like a regular little trooper.
    
    Annie

I recently bought the two cutest little kittens.  One is a calico female
    (t.c.) she is such a trouble maker.  I discovered last night that
    she adores my angora sweaters.  and the other Mouth a yellow and
    white tiger is the cutest but won't stop meowing.  Every time I
    walk into the room I hear him screaming at the top of his lungs
    and I think he is hurt, so I check him and he falls asleep on my
    lap purring louder than he meows!
    
    I love them both and justed wanted everyone to know how happy I
    am to finally have cats in my life!
    

    I think I have never officially introduced my pusses:
    
    Sweetie is a wonderful black, grey tabby, with a white tum and chest
    and lovely tan markings.  He has light yellow-greeen eyes.  He is
    _very_ intelligent and is the sweetest kit imaginable;  living with
    him is like having a combination of Albert Schweitzer and Albert
    Einstein around the house.  He had a really hard time before I adopted
    him -- he had been hit by a car and so forth, as was described in
    a note about pelvis fractures.  Now he is happy and warm and cuddly.
    
    Holly is my little demon.  Same coloring as Sweetie, but a medium
    hair rather than a short hair.  Not as smart (shhh), but very active
    and runs all over the house.  Loves to be held and hops up on my
    shoulders to get attention.  Try washing your face with a "raccoon
    tail" waving back and forth in front of it.  Holly has a little
    fox face.  She protects the house -- growls whenever anyone approaches,
    but then comes up to them and demands to be petted once she knows
    they're okay.  (Meanwhile Sweetie watches from a safe place, like
    the back of the closet.)
    
    Pussycat was my first cat, like Morris only with a white and gold
    chest and stomach.  A feral puss who turned into a loving house
    cat.  He died of leukemia after 8 years as a indoor cat.  I still
    miss him.
    
                                 

    A proper introduction for the kitties:
    
    Etienne and Isabeau are litter mates, half bluepoint Siamese and
    half Manx.  They are both male (Isabeau was named when I thought
    he was female!).  They're 5 1/2 months old.   Isabeau is gray and
    silver striped and has some of the points of the Siamese.  Etienne is
    dark grey-silver with very faint markings (you can only see them
    in certain light). Both have black noses and yellow-green eyes.
     
    
    Both my kitties are very affectionate.  Etienne loves to be held like
     a baby cradled in my arms on his back.  Isabeau
    just likes to be held and and have his head stroked.  When I hold
    one of them, the other one demands equal time.  Etienne is like
    a human two year old in some ways.  There are things he Knows he
    is not supposed to do (like climb the curtains, get on the table).
    When I catch him, all I do is look at him and he stops - until my
    back is turned and then he does it again.  Etienne is also the leader.
    Isabeau usually doesn't misbehave unless Etienne has already done
    it (Hey, Etienne whispers, Do this and watch  the sparks fly!).
    
    Isabeau has had a tough life.   He was born with a diaphramatic
    hernia ( the diaphram was too loose around the esophagus).  He had
    surgery to correct the hernia.  After the recovery he had problems
    keeping food down, and he'd sometimes howl after eating.   After
    several tests (including a jaunt down to Tufts), he had surgery
    again to get rid of the adhesions that had formed from the first
    surgery.  The vet at Tufts had diagnosed a stricture ( a narrowing
    of the esophagus from scar tissue).  She had wanted to try a balloon
    procedure (stick a balloon into the esophagus, inflate it , and
    see if the stricture goes away) but she didn't think it would work
    (the eosphagus is not very flexible) and she would probably have to 
    operate anyway.  I decided not to try the balloon procedure and
    have my own vet (Dr. Daimitz) do the surgery.  As it turns out,
    the balloon definitely would not have worked as Dr. Daimitz said
    he couldn't find any stricture.  So Isabeau was spared a very sore
    throat (and I  could afford to pay my rent - Tufts wanted $700
    for the balloon procedure and surgery).  Its been two weeks since
    Isabeau's last surgery and he is GREAT.  He's grown (gained a pound)
    and he looks ten times helthier and happier.  Etienne is happier
    too when his little buddy is around to play with. ( I was surprised
    at how considerate Etienne was when Isabeau was recovering - no
    misbehaving, he let Isabeau monopolize my time in the affection
    department, and he didn't try to play with Isabeau when he didn't
    feel well.  Aren't cats amazing!  Just when you think you got them
    figured out, they surprise you.)
    
    Etienne has just discoverd the bathroom sink.  He likes to sit in
    it.  Isabeau is sure to follow once Etienne has checked it out
    completely.  Imagine coming in to the bathroom to find two cats
    curled up in the sink!
    
    That's all, folks
    Terry

Our house is 'owned' by:

TABITHA		Seal point siamese, 12 years old, and still going strong.
		Tabs is the family hostess, always first to the door
		when someone knocks.  She 'sings' to visitors, as only
		a siamese can, and we ask them to tell her it's very
		nice....even if it does sound like a tortured child.
		Tabs stays young harassing, chasing, and generally
		showing who's boss to..

SAMSON		Sam's mom was a ferel cat, black and orange calico,
		and his daddy was a 'travelling man' of unknown
		origin...the result is a small, compact fella with
		long, silky black fur and the most magnificent
		plume of a tail you have ever seen.  Sam is proud
		of this tail and always carries it straigt up with
		a tasteful curl at the end of it.  When he plays hide
		and seek with me, he keeps forgetting about that
		tail and I can always find him.  He is a quiet
		cat, except to me - he has a little 'giggle' call
		he gives when he wants to play - that and the fact
		that he brings me his 'rope' to play with are my
		signals to get off the duff and play 'kitty catch
		the wild string' all through the house.  He is
		not friendly to strangers, but is very affectionate
		to me and my roomie.  Sam likes to tease and
		harass his brother...

NICHOLAS	Same momma as Sam, but Nickie's dad had to be different.
		He is a small, compact solid gray cat with white
		tummy, feet, underside of neck, and a perfect white
		mustache and white whiskers.  Nick is a short-hair
		with a coat that can only be called a pelt, rich and
		thick and soft.  Nickie is MY CAT...well, perhaps I
		should say, I'M NICK'S PERSON....he is really a shy
		little guy, but quite loving to me.  He is almost
		totally silent, except he will talk to me when we
		are alone together.  Nick is built like a cougar,
		with a really LONG tail, which he curves around his
		feet when he sits.  He also curves it around my arm
		when he lays next to me on the couch.  He is the
		family acrobat, and you can always find him on top
		of the hutch, golden eyes sparkling as he watches
		the world go by....The cat who wasn't there..
		Nick's favorite playmate is...

HANNAH		our newest member of the family.  Hannah is approx.
		7 months old, cream colored body, deep blue eyes,
		and "flame" points (markings like an orange tabby
		cat on face, toes, ears, with a "ring" tail of
		orange and cream stripes).  She has a lovely
		pink nose with little brown freckles.  We took
		her in because she was headed to the pound - her
		owner had rescued the kitten, starving and almost
		strangled from a too tight flea collar, and did
		not feel Hannah was friendly enough so she was
		going to give her to the pound.  I took her in
		instead.  She has been with us 4 weeks, and is
		a delight, as a kitten always is, playful and
		curious.  We have her gaining weight, neutered,
		and glowing with health.  She is still a little
		shy with people, but we'll give her time.

I agree that cats are not 'little people in fur coats'...they are,
rather, a touch of the wild in our very domestic lives.
Watch a kitten stalk a moth and see the hunter at work.  We have
never tamed these creatures and we never will...but they will share
with us as long as we never try to own them.

    Just as an update:  Pretty Kitty is no more; we had to put her down
    after she dislocated her hip and then gave up trying to survive.
    Our new owner is Dominique (at first Dominique the Meek, but now
    Dominique the Chic as she is used to us and just preens all day.)
    Aloysious is doing just fine, and is the biggest little lovebug
    I've ever seen.  
    
    Michael McGovern
    (AKA MM)

         My home was originally a one-cat house until my fiance moved
    in with his "boys".  Now we have three:
    
    o LOKI - the "original" cat; six years old and a Morris lookalike.
             I picked him up in New York City (where I was living/going
             to school at the time) at Bide-A-Wee.  I had just lost
             my "brother" Tigger, a 14-year old Siamese, and even though
             I had sworn never to go through the pain again, the house
             just seemed too lonely without the patter of little paws.
             Anyway Loki, being a street cat, was definitely NOT people-
             oriented; in fact he is deathly afraid of shoes and male-
             type people, so me thinks he was kicked by a little boy
             while on the streets of NY.  It took a long time, but he
             is now a very affectionate cat, still timid, but is getting
             better (my fiance, Howie, can actually pet and pick him
             up).  He loves sleeping with me and sitting on my lap while
             I'm on-line.
    
    o Fluffy - one of Howie's two cats.  A very small silver-grey Turkish
               Angora who cannot sit still for longer than about three
               seconds.  He is approximately five years old and tends
               to bite a lot; he is so hyperactive that the vet wants
               to do a thyroid test on him.  Poor little guy.  The only
               cat I've ever known that likes to take showers and baths
               (of course, the soapy bath water is delicious!).
    
    o Bigfoot - the other of Howie's cats.  No one knows how old he
                is; our guess is around 8-10.  Very gentle and affection-
                ate with seven (yes, seven!) toes on each front paw.
                Can still outrun Fluffy when prodded.  Another tabby.
    
         All three are neutered and clawed; none have ever clawed fur-
    niture, so there is no need to do such a thing to them.  Howie's
    cats were outdoor cats; they are starting to adjust to the indoor
    life, though it's sometimes hard for Fluffy.  Loki was and still
    is a strictly indoor cat.  By the way, Loki is the name of the Norse
    god of mischief - very fitting.
         Enjoy this file - keep up the good work!
    

    Well, I'm finally introducing Mercedes.  
    
    Mercedes was given to us in October, 1987.  He was about 6 weeks old
    and found in the trash behind a friend's restaurant.  I hesitated
    to introduce him to the notes file, because we didn't know if he
    was going to make it - he was real sick.
    
    He's doing great (thanks to all the noters who gave advice during
    his bout with everything). 
    
    He joins our six-year old "Figaro", who still hates him, but gets
    a little (and I mean little) better about it each day.
                                   
    Mercedes is light gray, long-hair with white chest, paws and throat. 
    He also had long white fur coming out of his ears, making him look
    something like a koala bear!                             
                                                             
    

    Though I've been writing to this notes file for a while, I have
    never formally introduced my kids.  This starts on a sad note, but
    gets better...
    
    When I was in college I was having a rough time mostly due to
    homesickness.  There was a commercial at that time about a young
    woman who is either leaving for college or coming home, I forget
    which, who's cat runs out to greet her.  That commercial made me
    burst into tears and made me realize that cats were very much a
    part of my life when at home.  So I decided that I should get a
    cat, specifically a calico as my favorite childhood cat was our
    only calico.
    
    I adopted my calico cat Taboo, named after Sade's "Sweetest Taboo"
    song, brought her home and she immediatly hid under the bed.  I
    left her alone, figuring she'd get her courage up soon enough. 
    The next night when I came home from school, I collapsed in exaustion
    on the bed and fell asleep.  I woke up to find Taboo curled up on
    my stomach, fast asleep.  Though Taboo and I grew to love each other,
    my roomates grew to hate her and I had to choose between them and
    her.  I chose her naturally and moved to a studio apartment.  She
    loved the place, especially since I had had to lock her in my room
    at my old place due to my roomates, but here the entire apartment
    was her's.  I figured that we would spend the rest of our lives
    together, but it didn't work out that way.  I went home to Maryland
    for spring break and left her with my boss, a close friend and fellow
    cat lover.  When I got back to college, the news was given to me
    that Taboo had gotten herself tangled in the strings hanging from
    the underside of a chair and had strangled herself to death.  To
    this day I feel guilty for ever leaving her and have never left
    my cats for more than a few days at a time.
    
    The week that Taboo died was the week that Mielikki was born.  Mielikki
    was the only calico her mother has given birth to (and her mother
    had many many litters, she should be spade).  I thought this was
    an omen, maybe a gift from Taboo, and once my mourning was over,
    I took Mielikki home.  She had been the first born in the litter,
    she was the biggest, the first to eat, the first to walk, even though
    it was backwards.  I spoiled Mielikki rotten from the time she came
    into my life and haven't stopped.  She has me well trained.  She
    is now a beautiful long haired white, orange, and black calico with
    one little orange spot on her face which looks like a movie star's
    beauty mark.  She is regal, she is aloof, she is tempermental. 
    She loves me and only me, all others she tolerates at different
    levels.  But as my days at school got longer with more work, Mielikki
    got lonely.
    
    So I got Ishtar.  Ishtar is the first non calico I've had.  I swore
    that I would only get calicos, but Ishtar was the one to make me
    change my mind.  She is almost exactly one year younger than Mielikki
    from the same mother.  As a kitten, she was the one in the litter
    who had to climb, explore, investigate.  I knew I had to find a
    kitty with a bold personality or Mielikki would rule by terror.
    Ishtar thought Mielikki was her mom and to this day occasionally
    tries to get milk from her.  Though Mielikki hated her at first,
    they have since grown to be playmates, racing back and forth across
    the apartment.  Ishtar is a brown and black striped shorthair with 
    very pretty markings and is overflowing with love and affection.
    She loves everyone, from her mommy to the cable repairman.  She
    has learned, on her own, to jump onto my shoulder and likes to sit
    there watching the world go by.
    
    I would love to increase my family by all the kittens and cats in
    this notes file that need a home but my studio apartment is already
    crowded.  One day I would like to own a big house with a big yard
    and have more cats than I can count! ;-)
    
    
    

    To all you cat lovers. I thought you would get a real kick of this
    one. I have an all white mongrol cat, who is 25+ pds. He gets fatter
    in the winter, with big yellow eyes. He is so smart, when he is
    outside and wants to come in. He jumps on a table right under the
    kitchen window and knocks on the window to let you no he wants in.
    If your visiting and don't no what's going on. Its scary, where
    he is so big its sounds like a real person knocking. He also loves
    it when I am at home working on my terminal he sits beside me and
    watches me. Then all of a sudden he starts hitting the keys with
    his paws. Now tell me if that is'nt a strange cat.
    
    

    I'd like to introduce my two kitties...
    
    Carrington is a one-year old cream point himalayan. He has some
    peach shadings, and matches my furniture. He is raher large, and
    resembles a walking marshmallow with a small head, but he thinks
    he is very luxurious. His favorite treat is Brewer's Yeast, and
    his favorite pastime is fetching milk bottle tops and being kissed
    on the forehead while being told how beautiful he is.
    
    Colby is a one-year old black persian kitty. He is very mysterious
    indeed. He loves to hide in boxes and shopping bags. His favorite
    pastime is terrorizing flies and spiders, and being brushed.
    
    Chris R.

    My little Schnapps is such the purrfect cat.  She's a long hair
    tortie...black and rust...Simple gorgeous.  I got her at the humane
    society of Burlington.  She is so incredibly affectionate, and why
    have a pet if not for affection.  Always there to greet me at the
    door (whether or not her bowl is full).  Always sits right beside
    me when I knit (not always pulling the yarn).  Always behaves for
    the cat sitter and is never melicious when I am away.  
    
    If I could find another like her, I would even consider a second...
      

    Well, I guess it is time for me to introduce Silver, My Korat that
    you noters helped me locate.  She is absolutely WONDERFUL!!!
    
    For those who don't know what a Korat looks like, let me explain.
    They have a Bluish gray colored coat and they have silver points,
    they are smaller than most cats, they have sort of a heart shaped
    face and BEAUTIFUL Green eyes.
    
    Silver is a very Skiddish cat.  She is afraid of her own shadow.
    She doesn't get along with my other cat very well right now.  I
    think that she is too afraid of Tabbatha.  All Tabbatha wants to
    do is play, but she's too afraid.  Silver Hisses and Growls any
    time Tabbatha comes near her.  
    
    Other than that, she is wonderful!  She loves to cuddle and her
    favorite place to sleep is either right across your neck or underneith
    the covers right next to you!  A few favorite games right now are
    "Catch Mommy's feet as she walks by" and "Try and Hide so that Mommy
    can't find me!".  Every night when I get home, Tabbatha greets me,
    but Silver is nowhere to be found.  I hunt her down for about 15
    minutes and then she just strolls down the hall as if to say, "Oh,
    were you looking for me?  I was napping."  
    
    We were thinking of showing her at the Quincy show, but we have
    decided that she is just to scared right now.  Maybe when she is
    a bit older we will show her.
    
    
    
    Holly, Tabbatha and Sterling Silver

It would be rude of me to introduce myself and not the lovely lady 
whose antics cause me to do such frantic poking around in this file 
;-)

Niniane (named for the scorceress who Merlin loved and lived with), is an 
affectionate, active eleven week old Blue Point Siamese who *loves*
nothing better than getting into mischief. Her favorite games right 
now are "attack people lying in bed when they move," "attack the ties 
on Mommy's slippers," "attack the ties on Daddy's sweatpants," (for 
some reason old Dad isn't too keen on that one ;-)  She lives to 
cuddle and will crawl into your lap as soon as you sit down.   She has 
one of the loudest purrs I've ever heard on a tiny cat, and purrs a 
lot!  Ninny "talks back" (especially when you say, "No!") and will 
always get the last word in, even if it's a "mmrph!" as she turns and 
walks away!  We aren't sure how she'll be with strangers, but my Mom 
and Dad will be up for New Year's, so we'll find out!  My parents had
a 19-year old Blue until she died last summer (I've talked about Lucky 
in a couple of other notes), so they are looking forward to meeting
Ninny!

In the three or so years that my husband and I have been unable to 
keep pets, I've forgotten how much fun a cat can be!  

We're very happy to be re-discovering the joys of being owned by a cat 
with Niniane!!!

Mary-Michael, Ian and (of course) Niniane

    I have two cats, Cujo a hugh orange and white angora who absolutely
    hates being in the house and Friskie, a large thin grey and white
    cat who is so ugly but extremely lovable.  Friskie loves being in
    and if you put him out he knocks on the door knob (loudly) or climbs
    the hemlock tree by my kids bedroom window and knocks on it to be
    let in.  He is so funny.  Even though I know he knocks, there has
    been many a nite that he has scared me.  He is extremely attached
    to my youngest daughter and follows her all around the house and
    goes crazy if she goes in a room and shuts the door.  He sits there
    and howles until she lets him in.  At nite, when we watch tv, he
    must lay right in front of the tv and play baby.  He hates to be
    alone.  The funny thing is Friskie came to us as a stray.  We found
    him one winter hiding in our garage and all beat up.  He had also
    been an abused cat and would go crazy when he saw a broom.  It took
    3 months before he let us near him and 1 year before he laid down
    and stretched out.  He would hiss at us, growl and look at us with
    his head down.  I thought for sure we would have to get rid of him.
    He appeared really vicious and now he is the biggest baby and can't
    get enough love.                        
    
    I found Cujo at the Vets when I took my neighbor there with her
    dog.  There was a box of three kittens waiting to be put to sleep.
    I told the vet I would take them and he said which one.  I said
    "all of them."  Two, I found homes for and Cujo we kept because
    he was so beautiful.  He is such a big proud boy with a big fluffy
    tail.  He too is loveable, but especially so, if you are outside with
    him.  When in the house, he stays awhile to get a little loving and
    then he will do anything to get out.  He even rolls over on command
    to get out.  You'll love this.  In the summer, he goes over to my
    next door neighbor who also has cats and goes in their house, down
    to the basement and uses their litter box.  Smart cat, right?  
    
    They are like little kids, each with their own personalities.  We
    let the one that likes being in, stay in and let the other one come
    and go as he pleases.  He would die if he were forced to stay in.
     He's like the mountain lion of the neighborhood.  You can't miss
    him because he is so big and orange.  And he struts around like
    the king of the neighborhood.
                                    
    Mary from Connecticut
    

    I have been reading this file for some time, but I finally decided
    to introduce Sarah and myself.
    
    Sarah is an sealpoint Siamese (in her mind--a mountain lion)--neutered
    and declawed.  She and I lived in Iowa for her first 6 years, then we
    moved to Colorado last year (she spent most of the trip sitting on my
    lap while I drove the truck and horse trailer). 
    
    Sarah and I currently live in an apartment.  Previously she and I lived
    on a farm where she could oversee chores, check on her horses,
    terrorize our barn cats, run off stray cats and dogs, and chase
    rabbits.  Sarah even went to a big horse show with me (she stowed away
    in the trailer). 
    
    She misses having so much to do but enjoys the Colorado climate--NO
    FLEAS around here!!!  We can hardly wait to find our own place so
    we can have other pets to play with.

    Mary Jo Hoepner and Sarah

                         -< Meet Samantha,Angel,and Budd>-
    
    I have found myself delving into this notes file with zeal and
    anticipation I thought Id better introduce the family.
    
    
    Samantha is a mixed sealpoint Siamese (unsure of other breed).
    I found Sam when I was working for the police department as a
    patrolman. She was sitting on the side of the road about 10 miles
    out of town on a dirt road. I stopped to check out the situation
    and she just crawled up into my jacket andstarted purring.At the
    time the vet estimated her age around 3 months. It was love at first
    site!!. I took her home that night after having her ride all day
    with me in the cruiser(boy did I get razzed by the guys in the
    station). The rest is history.
    
    Angel is a white kitty witha diamond shaped black patch on her head.
    My wife and I got her as a companion for Sam . The two of the are
    inseperable.
    
    Budd is a grey and white tiger with the most lovable personality
    I have ever seen in a kitty. He just loves to be held and cuddled.He's
    too laid back to be the boss of the roost. Sam has that job all
    wrapped up.
    
    
    
    I really enjoy this file,keep up the good work!!
    
    Ev   Sam,Angel, and Budds dad.
    
    
                                                                                                       
      
    
    
    
    

    Introducing:
    
    DAWN - she is a short haired gray kitty with a white bib and two
    white paws. However, her most endearing characteristic is her very
    long snow white whiskers. She is long on lovies and short on brains.
    She came to us via the Human Society in Nashua. She becomes very
    verbal when she hears the words "Turkey Turkey". It's chow time
    and she love to eat.
    
    COTTON -She is a short haired pure white kitty who is undersized
    (the runt of the litter), thinks she is a tiger.  She is long on
    moxie and short on size.  She is a lot smarter than Dawn but not
    near as lovie.  We had such fun watching Cotton learn how to be
    a cat from Dawn (Dawn is 3 years older.)
    
    We love them both for their totally different personalities.
    
    Mary Ann 

    Thanks to the information gathered through this conference, we now
    share the abode with two more of the little creatures. 
    
    Lucy is an orange tabby with longish hair, white face, and white
    paws.  Her brother is Max, and he's all black (but you can see the
    hint of tabby stripes, which might be chocolate - we'll see).  He
    is typical DSH, but in a good light he looks like he's wearing a
    mink coat.  They are now about 8 weeks old.  We are raising them
    as we always do - STRICTLY indoors; handled at every passing to
    develop friendly attitudes (who said cats are aloof?); neutered
    at the appropriate time; and generally allowed to run our lives.
    
    Thanks again to the members of this group, and Ms. Bosler, whose
    dedication I wish we had.
    
    Gary & Janet

	RE: 2.145 - Network partner lost while writing note, so here's an
	approximation of the original...

	Ed and I have two cats and a dog.

	Tenzing is a flabby, tabby, spayed female.  She is friendly to an 
	extreme, purring at the drop of a hat.  She's almost 5 years old, 
	and particularly enjoys chasing aluminum foil balls and sleeping 
	with us.
	
	Tristan is our token rescue animal.  He's white with blue eyes and
	has been completely deaf since birth.  His owners kept him outdoors
	where he was hit by cars twice, had ear mites, fleas, and a bad
	case of coccidiosis (sp?).  Our vet says that without our intervention
	he would certainly have died.  He was 5 months old at the time and
	was a little smaller than our 4 month old Tenzing.  He's quite a
	character and gets into a lot of mischief.  One of his favorite
	things is to knock things off tables to see what will happen.  He
	also likes to sleep upside down (with all his weight on his head
	and shoulders!) and to chase Tenzing all around the house.

	We also have a 5 year old borzoi (a large breed of dog similar to a
	greyhound, only having more hair) named Aisha, who gets along well
	with both cats.  She even helps with Tenzing's grooming, particularly
	in the places she can't reach.

	In case it's not obvious from Tristan's story, all our animals are
	indoor animals.  

	Karen

    I got Schnitzel at Spags (yup, Spags in Shrewsbury) almost 11 years
    ago.  There was a little boy out front with kittens practically
    begging people to take one.  I was with my sister and she spotted
    him....She looked at me and said "Oh Pattie, aren't they cute!?!"
    I said yes they are but that's not what we're here for....SURE...But
    she dragged me over to have a look and it was all over.  The little
    boy had this grey kitten in his hands and saw "sucker" written all
    over my face and said "Lady, you want to hold it" where he promptly
    shoved this adorable ball of grey fur in my arms.....I said I'd
    be back, went into Spags, got a litter box, litter, dishes, etc.
    and not any of what I had originally  come for!  The reason I had
    balked at getting a cat was I had put Quizikle to sleep a few months
    earlier due to leukemia.
    
    Anyway, it's been 11 years of laughter and love and great company
    and she knows she's got me wrapped around her little paw!
    
    P.
    

    Hi all, I'm the person Karen "Sweetie, Holly" Kolling posted 936
    for. I thought I'd let you all know how things worked out.
    
    After talking to Karen and getting helpful suggestions from many
    in this file, I went to the "Tails and No Tales" San Jose Cat Show.
    [Actually six of us went, all being cat lovers. We had a great time,
    I recomment cat shows to all cat lovers.] We wandered around for
    a long time talking silly to all of the kitties and serious to all
    of the breeders. We saw probably around a dozen breeders with Abbys,
    and talked to them all. We were looking for two kittens, and quickly
    found that we were talking $700 or more. Now, as much as we loved
    the Abbys we saw, we were about to give up and go to the Peninsula
    Humane Society (I highly recommend them too, nice people!) when
    we saw a little "christmas card" like thing with a picture of a
    beautiful adult abby on one side and "Give Teddy a good home" on
    the other.
    
    Well, we asked the breeder what that was all about, and she explained
    about how breeders raise quite a few cats for show, and as much
    as they love them, they get swamped. So they are *really* grateful
    to anyone willing to give their older "retired" show cats a loving
    home. Hmm... so we talked some more, and she mentioned that she
    also had a pretty little six month old girl that she hadn't placed
    yet since she was treating her for an ear problem. To make a long
    story short, we agree to go up to her place (it's about 50 miles
    from where we live) the next weekend and play with her kitties,
    and see if we all were compatible.
    
    Well next weekend we went up and played with Teddy, and the little
    girl and we all sounded each other out. To make a long story shorter,
    we ended up with Teddy and the little girl.
    
    Well as soon as she got home, she became Scheherezad. Teddy and
    Scheherezad were a little freaky at first but settled down very
    quickly, and now own the house. Janice and I are fighting a losing
    battle to keep them off the ironing board, kitchen counters, and
    fireplace mantlepiece, but we may end up giving in on all but the
    kitchen.
    
    Teddy is a beautiful four year old neutered male ruddy Abyssinian and
    Scheherezad is a six month old whole female ruddy. Her ear problems
    turned out to be ringworm (the breeder's vet claims to have UVed
    and cultured it, our vet is skeptical) she'll be spayed as soon
    as our vet thinks her system has recovered from the ringworm treatment,
    sometime in the next few weeks. Part of our agreement with the breeder
    is that they will be inside cats, I have no problem with that.
    
    They are incredibly energetic, alert, playful, curious, and
    mischevious. More than any other cats I know. They'll go tearing
    around the house, first Teddy chasing Scheherezad, then Scheherezad
    after Teddy, ignorning such mundane details as chairs, people, sofas,
    etc, simply running over anything in their way. It's amazing (and
    great fun to watch). It's pretty funny to watch them come tearing
    out of the hallway and the lead cat make it behind the sofa, while
    the chaser slides across the floor into the front door, having not
    gotten enough traction to turn. The chaser usuall just bounces off
    the door and takes off again behing the sofa.
    
    They also know how to open doors that aren't completely closed...
    if we aren't extremely careful we come home to find the kitchen
    completely destroyed. They also know how to unroll and shred toilet
    paper, paper towels, and how to scatter styrofoam peanuts to a uniform
    layer over every flat surface in a room.
    
    Teddy is extremely affectionate too. He won't sit in your lap, but
    he does like to sit on your shoulder! Half the time when I bend
    down to pet him, he jumps up onto my back! He's very gentle and
    doesn't use his claws at all, but it can the startling the first
    few times. If I'm sitting in the sofa reading, he will often sit
    on the back next to my head, purring.
    
    They're both incredible with their paws. They don't seem to "bat"
    at things so much as "catch" them. They will often trap something
    *between* their paws, often catching things in mid air that way.
    They also seem to like to "grab" things out of your hand by crooking
    a paw and reaching for it. Extremely cute, and pretty amazing!
    
    Well, it's only been a few months, but we wouldn't give 'em up for
    the world.
    
    	-- Charles

AS AN AVID LOVER OF ANIMALS IN GENERAL, MY CAT POUPON (BECAUSE HE'S
    GRAY) IS THE DOG I NEVER HAD.  HE'S A BIG CAT WEIGHING IN AT ~16LBS.
    HE IS BEAUTIFULLY MARKED, GRAY AND WHITE STRIPED COAT, WHITE STOMACH
    WITH GRAY CIRCLES, HE'S EYES ARE LARGE AND GREEN, ONE BEING DARKER
    THAN THE OTHER AND HE LOOKS LIKE HE WEARS EYE LINER, LENDING HIM
    A VERY "DRESSED" LOOK.  EARLIER WHEN I REFERRED TO HIM AS PART "DOG",
    I SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT HIS GENES WERE MIXED UP.  HE'S THE ONLY
    CAT I KNOW THAT WILL FETCH WHATEVER IS THROWN.  HE'S FAVORITE TOYS
    ARE THE ELASTICS THAT SECURE LOBSTER CLAWS.  BUT HE'S BEEN KNOWN
    TO RETRIEVE ICE CUBES, BEER CAPS, POT HOLDERS AND ANYOTHER KITTY
    TOY.  HE REALL IS "MAN'S" BEST FRIEND.  NO MATTER WHERE MY HUSBAND
    AND I GO IN THE HOUSE HE'S RIGHT AT OUR HEELS. HE'S A VERY AFFECTIONATE
    AND BIG BONED CAT, AS THE VET CALLS HIM.  IF I KNOW HAD A CHOICE
    BETWEEN A DOG AND POU, AS WE CALL HIM I'D HAVE NO PROBLEM CHOOSING
    OVER OUR REINCARNATED DOG.

    I would like to introduce our new little boy Mocha, a Ragdoll.
    
    He came to us as a stray one cold morning the first part of December.
    I saw this buff colored blurrrr go past our slider in the dining
    room. I opened the door to see what it was and, before I could see
    anything "it" came whizzing into the room.  Our St. Bernard Sebastian
    (who always lays by the slider observing his domain) quickly got
    up to see if he was going to have to protect me, and the cat saw
    him at the same time and flew into my arm. That's was my introduction
    to the cutest cat I have ever seen.  I of course feed him and let
    him stay in as it was so cold outside, while I came to work. I posted
    a note to my husband and told him we had a visitor, so look for
    him when he got home.  He was found laying on the top of our 6'6"
    hutch.  He of course was sure the cat wasn't lost and out he went.
    By the time I got home he was in again.
    
    Needless to say we tried every avenue we could to find the owner
    of this doll.  I went to all the neighbors and come to find out
    he had been feed or chased away by all of them. (Should have come
    to our door first!)  Off to the vets he went and that's how we found
    out that he was a Ragdoll.
    
    He is very mischievous. Likes the top of the frig, the top of the
    highboy in our bedroom, the hutch, all sinks, paper bags, etc.
    
    One bad thing he does is bite.  He used to have front claws, however
    we had to have them removed for self perservation, and to prevent
    our pieces of furniture being scratched beyond repair.  NOTHING
    prevents him from climbing up on what he wants to.  
    
    I can not seem to find anything out about this wonderful little creature,
    and his breed.  Their fur is so fine it matts like crazy.  He HATES
    to be combed, brushed.  We have purchased every kind of comb, brush,
    and the latest is called, "Matt (something) $7.98, and of course
    that does not work either.  I would love to give him a bath and
    put no more tangles or something on him but haven't had the courage
    to tackle that yet.
    
    He is the color of coffee with a lot of cream in it, and dark chocolate
    ears, legs, feet, toes tipped with white, and very dark circle like
    marking around his nose and mouth, and the most beautiful big blue
    eyes. He has been a real joy, and has bought us  many hours of love
    and enjoyment.  
    
    
    

    Maybe try a comb with rotating teeth - Blue Seal Feed stores or
    pet shops or cat shows carry them.
    
    
    You can find out more about the breed if drop by a cat show -
    usually there is someone about that knows these things.
    
    

    Hi,
    
    I have been a reader for the past 6 months and have finally decided
    not to be shy and introduce the cats.
    
    I have 2 seal point siamese, Gemini (the mother) and Brutus (the
    son).
    
    Gemini is just 11 years old and the most cuddliest cat I have owned.
     She LOVES hights, on top of the refrigerator, on top of the pantry
    (which is higher than the 'fridge), even on top of doors.  Her favorite
    position is on her back imitating a sea otter, or on her side getting
    her back scratched or her ears rubbed.  Gemini loves to chew on
    socks, sweaters and other knitted things.  Lost many socks to her
    and a couple of sweaters.  Found out this is a common trait for
    Siamese. 
    
    Brutus on the other hand matches his name.  He is Geminis son, (1
    of 5) and was the biggest of the litter.  His favorite past time
    is attacking his mother, Gemini and myself.  I think he is part
    pig and part dog though.  All he ever wants to do is eat and he
    comes when you call.  He used to fetch, but we didn't keep the behavior
    up with him so he stopped.
    
    Karen

    Okay, Okay.  I'll introduce my cats and myself too.  I've also been
    hiding out in the notes without introduction.
    
    My name is Nelson and my wife Robin live in Atlanta with our two
    "children" Punjab and Bennington.
    
    Punjab is our oldest at 2 1/2 years.  He is a solid black DSH with
    bright green eyes.  Favorite pass times include sleeping on his
    back, playing fetch with his ball, sleeping on my head at night,
    going out side (only when we're home) and sleeping under the bed.
    Punjab got his name from and endearing name we used to call each
    other in college.(Who said it first? Garfield?)
    
    Bennington is 11 months old solid grey kitten.  We decided since
    he had on a "grey flannel suit" he needed an old money name and
    Bennington stuck.  His favorite pass times are eating, cuddling,
    eating, playing with his ball in the tub, and eating.
    
    We got Bennington to keep Punjab company while we are at work. 
    However, Punjab didn"t think this was a good idea at first(for about
    6 months). Now they play and fight ALL over the house.  They are
    both "fixed" males.
    
    Most exciting moment: Punjab brings a live green snake into the
    house and droped it on the rug in front of my wife.  Boy, was he
    proud of that!  He didn't understand when I took it outside and
    wouldn't let him have it back.
    
    Nelson 

    I am a recent addition to the DEC family, having begun here at the
    Mill in January.  I discovered NOTES shortly after that, but did
    not become aware of this conference until about the first of March
    or so.  Think of all that wasted time.
    
    In any case, I wanted to introduce two of the three beasts that
    share our home.  The third is a lovely animal, but she doesn't fit
    the parameters of this conference (if you know what I mean).
    
    The elder of our cats is Maggie Magdelena (named after the Frank
    Zappa tune.  She will celebrate her ninth birthday this fall.  In
    fact she has been with my wife longer than I have.  She is an all-black
    domestic short-hair, who has a great deal of Burmese in her.  As
    with all of our pets, she is a shelter animal, so details of her
    lineage are sketchy at best.  Maggie's idea of an ideal day is to
    spend the hours between feedings chasing the sunlight from one
    bed/chair/carpet/whatever to the next.  When she feels the urge,
    she is extremely affectionate.  Other times, she gives new meaning
    to the term "stand-offish".  She is this way with all new-comers.
    In fact my wife and I were together almost a year before she fully
    forgave my wife for bringing me into the home.  She calls for meals
    by coming to find us in the house and saying, "NOW?" repeatedly
    until she gets her Tender Vittles.  All in all a wonderful house-mate.
    
    Now the younger beast really is a beast.  She is a six-year-old
    domestic short-hair, who could best be described as a "monster."
    We call her the 'thousand dollar kitty', since she has cost us that
    much in both medical expenses and destruction of property.  Allow
    me a few illustrative examples.  A good friend of my wife's sent
    us a piece of hand-thrown pottery as a wedding gift from Nashville,
    and it arrived totally unscathed.  While we were away on our honeymoon
    (which means that we had seen it only as it came out of its box),
    she knocked it off its table and it became coutnless pieces.  She
    has also been in surgery twice to have undigestible items removed
    from her intestines.  She is named Portia (although several of her
    acquaintances insist on referring to her as BMW) after the
    Shakespearean legal expert.  She is always extremely affectionate
    and in this way fools visitors into thinking that she is not the
    monster that we know she is.  All kidding aside, I have had
    opportunities to unload her, and truthfully, I would miss her.
    
    Well, there you have it.  I could go on and on.  I know that you
    all understand that.  But I won't.  By the way is there a canine
    conference into which I could introduce my third beast?  I have
    tried to come up with a clever sign-off, but after over ten hours
    here my mind is drawing a blank.  Maybe next time.  Oh, one last
    thing: both cats have never been out; I worry too much.
    
    		Doug
    
      

    
    Welcome; and so that your third beast doesn't feel slighted, you
    may want to participate in CANINE::CANINE also.
    
    Deb

    HI..everyone.. tis I Pookies mom.. I or should I say.. POOKIE AND
    I have an announcement to make.. we have s new addition to the family..
    Her name is Happy Hour,she is 5years old. She is a Blue /Cream
    persian..and we are so excited.. tee-hee.. right Elaine..????..
    I brought her home last nite.. and all she currently resting in
    the other bedroom.. Pookie saw her at a distance.. no hissing or
    anything.. so far so good.. now my precious Pookie has a baby sister..
    I was in love at 1st sight.. will let you all know how it is going
    on Monday.. mummy is taking a vacation day tomorrow.. have to
    register the car etc.. all right.. thats only 1/2 true..:*)..
    I  want to be home and be a kitty mummy tomorrow..
    regards
    Kate.. Pookie and Happy's Mom
      

    First, let me intro myself. Don Evenson - Sales manager - Milwaukee
    Wisconsin - 10 years at DEC.
    
    Now for the real intro. We just bought a 4 month old male ruddy
    Abyssinian last Tuesday and rejoined the ranks of cat owners. Our
    two Siamese of 14+ years died over the last year or so. 
    
    I am amazed at how affectionate our new addition is after only a few
    days in our house. Although he and our Schnauzer are not best of
    friends (yet) the cat even seems to like the dog. Other than waking
    us up at 3:00AM each morning to play, he has been a joy. There is
    a limit to my love of cats.                                    
                                                                   
    We have decided to wait until Easter to name him. We thought we
    would let all the relatives "vote" on a name for the new kitty.

    I'll let you all know the outcome of the election next week.
    

      Up date - Just wanted to let you all know.......
    
    Through the efforts of "Aunt Roberta" Waxman we have found out that
    Mocha is a real Ragdoll.  She talked with a breeder in Iowa and
    that lady was kind enough to send Roberta literature and pictures,
    and Roberta in turn shared the "lit" and pictures with me.
    
    Not bad for a stray huh?  (I could care less.) I wouldn't part with
    him for a million dollars.
    

    
    
    	Just wanted to take time to introduce my two little lovelies.
    
    	Toshie
    		She is a short haired burmese(Spelling is not my strong
    		suit).  She has been spayed and de-clawed in the front
    		paws.  She is black with patches of white under her
    		neck and her lower belly.
    
    		She is moody, but when she wants to cuddle, there is
    		no getting away from her.
    
    		She is my wife's cat.
    
    	Sasha
    
    		She is a Manx(The ones with the bobtails).
    
    		She is multi-colored with the colors ranging from white
    		to black.(Including red,orange and brown)
    
    		She is always willing to cuddle and sit on my chest
    		to rub my face with hers.
    	
    		Her back legs are longer than her front legs and bounces
    		when she runs.
    
    		She is my cat.
    
    	Let me just express my sincere appreciation for this notes file.
    
    	It is great to correspond with other cat lovers.  I will introduce
    	my wife to this notes file and let her respond when she feels
    	the mood arise.
    
    
    		Thanks again,
    
    					Jerry in Princeton.

	Here's a description of our present family.

	Oldest is Scooby, shorthair, tortoiseshell with white bib and
	white patches on legs and tummy, a little lady who always kept
	her slim figure even though she's now 14 (this month). My first
	ever furry friend, although my wife had a cat, Beau (R.I.P.),
	when we met but he was always his mum's cat and Scooby is mine.
	Came from an 'unwanted' family just when I was looking for a
	little friend and settled in after a couple of days of feeding
	her 'Cupboard Love' and bits of ham etc while she stayed under
	the sideboard (the gap was big enough for your hand or her but
	not both so there she stayed till her confidence grew (except
	to sneak out to use the litter tray of course).
	Suffers from occasional attacks of alopaecia (this doesn't mean
	she eats exotic plants 8^)} ) but behaves more like a kitten
	every day and has an appetite to match anybody. Affectionate
	but doesn't ask for too much physical attention which makes it
	nicer when she does. Likes to climb into bed with us at night,
	if the weather is a bit chilly, for a few minutes to warm up
	just lying under the covers. Has one of the saddest faces in
	photos I have ever seen but I know she's really happy inside.
	Likes to prowl the back garden for an hour every now and then
	and lie on the patio in the sun when the weather's nice.

	Next is Little One, who's the biggest, naturally. White and
	tabby, fit and healthy, no paunch. He arrived at the door about
	9 years ago, about 4/5 months old, seemingly well fed and healthy.
	Stayed there for the morning so I invited him in for a bite to eat
	and something to drink, which he loved. Put him out again so he
	could go home but he cried and stayed. The weather turned bad so we
	took him back in and he never left again. We checked all the
	neighbours, local adverts, etc but no-one claimed him and although
	he went out most days he always came back to us. He is now his dad's
	absolute favourite, demands lots of cuddles especially lying
	upside-down in his dad's arms while his tummy is rubbed. Will climb
	over,sit on, push out of the way any others who may already be on my
	lap if necessary. Likes to go out into the garden to play but never
	strays far and comes if I whistle him (which annoys my wife as she
	can't whistle and he doesn't always come to her first calls).

	Next is Suki, who is nearly 3. Mainly white with grey tabby markings,
	shorthair little lady who is getting rounder by the day, destined to
	be a chubbo. Doesn't miaou, just squeaks. Very shy especially round
	strangers (ie anyone but us) doesn't like to be picked up but does
	like to be stroked and her tummy tickled. We were looking for an 
	addition to our family and we found her in a local shelter where
	the lady took in kittens and puppies and tried to find homes for them.
	Cost us �5 as a contribution to the food costs. She was taken straight
	to the vets for a checkup and his opinion was that she was the cleanest
	healthiest kitten he had seen for ages. About 7/8 weeks old, settled
	in in no time with very little aggro from the rest. Likes some fresh
	air now and again but always within easy reach of the open kitchen door.

	Finally there's Primo who's 10 months (and about 10 stone 8^)}).
	Pedigree silver grey longhair with a slightly protruding lower jaw
	(see note 1045) which makes him look sulky and fierce. Very loud
	and very very affectionate. Does NOT like to go out. My wife put
	a harness on him for his first trip out in the garden,he went out
	quite happily, sniffed the air, walked 10 feet and then dashed back
	in with a "Thanks Mom, can I go back in now" miaou. Will try anything
	for food. The day the breeders brought him, he came out of his 
	travelling box, wandered around, said hello to the other cats (who
	all immediately went into the bedroom and sulked) and introduced
	himself to the litter tray. He then proceeded to finish off what
	was left on the cats' breakfast dishes. We had a meal ready for the
	breeders and we left him to explore while we sat down to eat. The next
	thing, I feel him climbing up my trouser leg and onto my lap. Without
	stopping he immediately climbed ONTO the plate I was eating off and 
	proceeded to taste everything thereupon!!! With a mild admonishment
	(it's hard to shout when you're laughing) and a tap on the bottom, he
	was returned to the floor. Two seconds later he is again ascending the
	north face of my trousers and attempting to finish my dinner for me.
	Finally we just had to lock him out of the dining room while we
	finished what was left. 

	We have decided to stick at four (two each) for the time being
    	as we are hoping to move to Germany to stay in the not too distant
    	future and plane (and other) costs to get them here are going
    	to be bad enough. When we settle here, maybe the family will
    	grow, you never know. There are animal shelters here in Munich
    	that will need our support 8^)}.
    
       	We love them all.

    	(and many fond memories of Beau and Smokey and of our foster
    	children Snoopy, Snowy, Ginger and Jamie)
    
	Brian and Adrienne

    I have already replied to some of the notes in here, so I guess
    it's time to introduce all my babies ...
    
    It all started about a year ago when my husband and I rented a
    farmhouse surrounded by many old barns.  There were 2 original kitties
    living in the barns and that's where my story begins.
    
    One of the kitties (we called her Tabby) just stopped showing up one
    day but the one that was left, Mom (named for reasons you'll understand
    as you read further), furnished the barn with kittens (which made me
    very happy!!).
    
    Mom's first litter brought us Tiger, Punks, Traveller, Ozzie, and
    Socrates (all boys, isn't that wierd?).  They all just turned a year
    old this month.  Then in September, Mom had another litter:  Mischief,
    David Bowie (the only boy, this time), Mimi, and Peach.  We have all
    but three of them now:  Tiger was hit by a car this winter (hit and
    run, really pi**es me off), Punks left shortly after Tiger was gone,
    and Peach was given to a family up the street.  They all live outside
    and play in the barns and with each other (and with me and my husband).
    
    I haven't had the two girls fixed yet (I kinda' want kittens around
    the house again, everyone thinks I am crazy, I'm beginning to wonder
    myself!) I guess the reason is because they have already been in
    heat and they aren't in heat now, so they may be pregnant.  I know that
    vets can perform a kitty abortion at the same time that they spay them,
    but that sounds *terrible* to me.  Just the thought of it.  I promise
    that after this batch ...
    
    Anyway, let's get into some details:
    
    Mom:	She's a gorgeous long-hair calico and thinks she's queen
    		of the kitties (I guess she really is).  When we first
    		moved in, she was all matted because of her long hair.
    		When we took her to be spayed, they cleaned her up and
    		she is just gorgeous now.  You can tell that she really
    		thinks so, too.
    
    Ozzie &
    Traveller:  I'm the only one that can tell these two apart.  They
    		are similar, but not exactly, short-haired with orange and
    		white blotches of stripes.  Traveller is the affectionate
    		one of the two, but Ozzie is coming around.  I never
    		thought he would this late in the game.  Punks looked
    		like these guys, too, except he was the best looking
    		and the most affectionate.  I think someone may have
    		picked him up.
    
    Socrates:	He's black and white blotches of stripes (as was Tiger)
                and he is always meowing at you as if to say "pet me!",
    		but as soon as your hand gets near him he walks away,
    		fickle little guy!
    
    Michief:	She looks a lot like Mom, calico and long-hair.
    		Appropriately named.  This cat gets in and out of
    		EVERYTHING!  She likes to get on your shoulder and knead
    		you to death.  She purrs so loud, it's almost deafening
    		when she's on your shoulder so close to your ear!  She's
    		also my husband's fav.  When they were real little, he
    		picked her up and she was crawling all over him. It was
    		hysterical to see a grown man cooing and cuddling this
    		little fluff ball.  Oh yeah, I think she's pregnant.
    
    Mimi:	Screaming Mimi at first, but we shortened it.  She's
    		a grey and white tabby with a really cute face.  She
    		is also very affectionate.  She likes to sit next to
    		you and flop over on her back so you can pet her stomach.
    		She might be pregant, too.  God help me.
    
    David
    Bowie:	I think this guy is my favorite (but I say that about
    		all of them at some point).  He's a black and white
    		tabby with short-hair (only the girls had long hair,
    		strange).  He likes to be held on your shoulder like a baby
    		(as if you were burping him).  He follows me everywhere
    		I go.  Needless to say, he gets kicked alot, accidentally
    		of course.  He's so sweet.
    
    Calvin:	Not mentioned before, he's a stray who looks a lot like
    		Ozzie and Traveller, orange and white stripes.  He's
    		really big, probably about 2 years old, but he's a *big*
    		cat.  He's too affectionate, though, for his size. 
    		He likes women's frontsides and rubs up against them
    		whenever possible.  I think he's a dirty old kitty. 
                                                               
    Stray
    Orange Cat: Then there's this new cat that appeared recently.  I
    		think it's a he.  He's orange and has long-hair and
    		is **real** affectionate.  He purrs a lot and is so
    		happy, he drools all the time.  Mom doesn't like him
    		though, for that matter, none of the cats like him.
    		Oh, well.
    
    That's my crew, for now, I'll update if something should happen
    within the next couple of months (I really hope so!).
    
    I enjoy this notes file so much.  Where else can you go on for days
    about your little furballs of fun and not feel silly or feel like
    "I should shutup now".
    
    Sorry for being so long-winded.  Thanks for listening and have a
    good weekend.
    
    ~ Janet (nine-for-now)
    

Well, I guess it's high time I introduce my kitties...  I am fairly new to this
notesfile but have really enjoyed reading it for the past couple of weeks.  I
have 2 "babies".  My big baby is almost 4 years old and her name is Tiggy.  
Yes, she is a tiger striped cat, and this is the only reason I wish I had 
chosen a different name for her.  Her full name (although she doesn't know it)
is Mrs. (Ms.? she's spayed) Tiggy Winkle.  Mrs. Tiggy Winkle is a character 
from a Beatrix Potter story.  For those of you who don't know, Beatrix Potter 
is the author of "The Tale of Peter Rabbit".  Anyway, the original Mrs. Tiggy 
Winkle was a widowed Hedgehog that took in laundry for all of the other 
animals.  This was one of my favorite stories when I was a kid.  Hence, the 
name Tiggy.  Of course, since she happens to be a tiger striped cat, everyone 
thinks its short for Tigger.  Oh well!  Tiggy is still a nice name and it 
suits her very well.  She is a beautiful, long-haired cat, grey and black 
stripes over most of her body.  Her face is more black and tan striped, like 
a black and tan hound dog!  Then she has a white spot on her nose, and a big 
fluffy white bib as well as a white belly and white toes.  In fact, her toe 
pads are all black but one which is pink.  Like I said, she is really a pretty 
cat!  She spends a tremendous amount of time cleaning herself, only to run 
outside, find the nearest dirt pile and rub herself all over in it, white 
belly up!  I guess it must scratch.  She loves it.  Then she picks herself up 
and begins cleaning herself again!  

Unfortunatly, my poor Tiggy is not in the best of moods these days...  She just
got a little brother almost 2 weeks ago.  While Tiggy doesn't seem to be mad 
at me (which is a relief!), until very recently she wanted absolutely nothing 
to do with the kitten.  I have had cats all my life and knew what to expect, 
I'm just not sure how we get past it...  Let nature take its course, I guess.

Anyway, I was putting off writing in this notes file until I had gotten the
kitten.  I was so looking forward to telling you all about my family and the
wonderful names they both had...  However, now that the poor kitten has been
named, I'm almost embarrassed to tell it to you...  My new kitten is somewhere
between 8-10 weeks.  I got him from the Worcester Animal Rescue League and 
although they said he was 8 weeks then, I think he was more like 6.  He is a 
long haired black cat.  He looks like he might have a lot of Persian in him as 
he has the pug face.  He also has a little white goatee and a white spot on his
belly.  My boyfriend went with me to pick him and so begins the story of his
rather embarrassing name.  My boyfriend, Dave, claims to dislike cats (I don't
believe him).  His claim has always been that the only thing cats are good for
is dog food!  Please don't be mad at him; he's really harmless!!!  His idea of
a good name for a cat was Alpo!!!  Well, I was absolutely not willing to have
a cat named Alpo but Dave persisted.  He started in the moment we got the cat
home (I'm convinced he was really already in love with the critter!) and said 
that we could call him Al for short.  Well, we spent the whole afternoon 
arguing over it but as I was afraid, Al stuck.  However, I say Al is short 
for Al E. Cat (also Dave's idea) NOT Alpo!!!  Dave counters by saying that 
Al E. Cat is short for Alpo, Excellent Cat!  But I am sticking to Albert 
Einstein Cat...  Whatever!!!  The bottom line is that my poor cat didn't get 
any cute cuddly name like Mittens, or Fuzzball.  He is now stuck being Al 
the cat!  Or I often call him Alley.  or Buddy.  At least I suppose its an 
original name for a cat.  And best of all, Dave even told him he was a pretty 
cool cat!!!  I guess if all it takes is a name like Al, it could be worse.  
Actually I'm beginning to like it.  Al has already learned the meaning of the 
word No! (I was impressed, it only took 3 days!) although this doesn't mean 
that he obeys it at all times!  He also swats you back if you flip him on the 
nose when you tell him no!

So now I have Tiggy and Al.  For the last 2 days they have been "getting to 
know each other" a little better.  This means that they are fighting.  It
makes me extremely nervous as I haven't decided if Tiggy is playing or not.
Actually I don't think Tiggy has decided either!  Al definitely thinks its a
game.  The dumb little thing keeps attacking her!  He's so tiny and Tiggy is a
good sized cat.  I'm just afraid that Tiggy is going to get tired of it and
really hurt him!  I have mostly kept them in separate rooms while I am away,
but am not sure if this is the thing to do or not.  We shall see...

Lesa
    

    I've just discovered the notes file and the very first one I chose
    is a natural for a cat lover like me - CATS.  My Alabaster Stinky
    Little Jerk II is a 20 pound gorgeous black tiger "mutt" (neutered
    which accounts for the weight, I suppose).  He is absolutely
    the most intelligent animal -- he's a "fetch" cat -- that is, if
    you throw something small like a bottle cap or a small puff ball,
    he will retrieve it and bring it back to you (for what seems like
    hours!).  He also will play ball with you (you roll his ball to
    him and he pushes it back to you with his paw and waits patiently
    for you to return it to him).  No one ever taught him these things,
    he always knew.  The bottle cap retrieving happened by accident
    and he would also bring them back and drop them into my shoe, then
    dive in after them.  He's also a watch cat, as most cats are.  He
    also knows when it is time for me to come home, can identify my
    car and my son's truck and footsteps (my son visits about once a week).It
    pleases me no end that I am the only one he comes to for love (hugs
    and kisses) and distresses me that he cannot even tolerate my
    grandchildren.   I don't have the heart to put him on a diet (the
    last trip to the Vet he was described as being "three cats in one"),
    but he's such a nice armful to cuddle.  He does weigh a "ton" when
    leaning against my leg in bed and eventually ends up getting the
    "lion's" share of space, which is only natural.  I refer to myself
    as his pet because he truly rules the roost and his grocery bill
    is higher than mine.  He often eats newspaper (tears off little
    pieces to make a mess, but does ingest some of it).  Would anyone
    know why he does this?  Something lacking in his system?  He also
    eats my plants and even chews on silk flowers.  Very strange!  He's
    eight years old now and I can't imagine life without him.    

    My cats love to shred paper too.  They have unerring aim for the
    most important paper on the desk.  It gets pretty soggy.  I don't
    think they actually eat any of it, it's the fun of rippppppppp...
    

    Well, guess I'd better introduce the newest member of the house....
    
    			BOB
    
    Bob is a 1 pound ball of fluff that is terrorizing every other
    animal member of the house (2 dogs and another cat).  He is a
    black and white, longhaired kitten with the world's loudest 
    meow.  His face is black on the upper half, white on the lower 
    half, with a black beard and white eyebrow whiskers.  So there is
    this sort of amazed expression on his face at all times.
    
    So far, Bob has remained in my daughter's room.  One of the dogs
    is in love with him and licks him until his is soaked.  The other
    dog, however, seems intent on attacking this little rodent with
    purpose of getting rid of the terrible noise.  I'm not sure what
    to do about that.  The older cat just ignores, as best as possible.
    That isn't easy when this kitten has decided that you are the 
    best playmate around......
    
    Bob's favorite pasttime is eating, and when he is humgry, he lets
    the world know - boy is he loud for his little size!!!
    
    Should be fun........
    
    Ellen

    You know, "Karen, Sweetie & Holly; in Calf.", I think you are right.
    Kitty does seem to enjoy the noise he's making, as well as the mess!
    He often does it when he's feeling ignored and wants attention (like
    when I'm napping on the couch).                                
    

    I'd like to introduce myself and my new kitten!  Mittens is my first
    "own" pet and I'm so excited!  He is the son of a cat which I had
    bought and given to my brother's wife on their wedding day.  Mittens
    is 9 weeks old and full it!  He whips around the the house like
    something's chasing him all the time.  He's trying very hard to
    make friends with our older cat Tinkerbell, but at this point she
    would much rather ignore the fact that he's there - even though
    he keep stalking her and standing on his hind legs with his front
    paws reaching out as if to grab her.   
    
    Mittens is black with a white patch on his sweet little nose and
    on his four paws.  He's got a wonderful personality and has claimed
    one whole side of the bed.  He sleeps with me faithfully every night.
    So far I've only had problems with trying to get him to stop attacking
    my hands and biting.  He doesn't claw, but he grabs on tight with
    those little teeth!  
    
    I'm looking forward to sharing all his antics and his personality
    as it develops with his growth!
    
    		Judy
    
    

    RE: a few back.  See "Bandit's Latest Antics" for some great stories
    about furr faces shredding paper.  I think it is still there.  Sorry,
    I'm not sure what number it is.
    
    Holly
    

    Well, being a new kitty mom, I too must brag about the baby!  Jasper
    is 9 weeks old, and PRECIOUS.  My 15 year-old daughter has wanted
    a cat since she was old enough to know what they are.  I love cats
    but have always said "no" because of where we live.  I'm gettin
    old and soft, and she definitely knows how to wear me down, so now
    we have Jasper, an orange tabby with the most adorable little face.
    Bringing him home in the car the first time, he cried a far amount,
    but sat in my daughter's lap and let her pet him.  When we put him
    in my daughter's room (where he stays at night and when we're not
    home) he wasn't afraid for a minute.  He took to his food, litter,
    toys ect. right away.  He played so long and so hard that night,
    that my daughter didn't get any sleep.
    He has his very wild moments, usually in the AM.  Fortunately, he 
    already knows that a spray of water is not only uncomfortable, but 
    means he's gotten himself in trouble.  When he's in a high-speed mood, he 
    usually smashes into a wall.  This morning he ran head on into the
    sliding glass door.  We're expecting him to knock himself out one
    of these times.  He really is a very good boy.  The only annoying
    habit is meowing constantly with aggressive efforts to get at our
    food when we eat.  At these's times he thinks it's o.k. to try to
    climb up your bare leg!  Ouch!!  He sleeps in my daughter's room
    at night, usually with her.  Needless to say we love him sooooooooo
    much in just a week's time!
    
    
    

    I know I said that the Inn was full.  I know I said that I didn't
    need anudda kitty.  I know I said that kitty litter for 13 was
    lots of cat s**)^*.  
    
    But,  I took the 4 show kids for shots on June 18th - Dr. Brody
    has open a second clinic in Litchfield - closer to home for me.
    The farm that I got Katenka from is only a mile down the road.
    I had her in the truck - I was early for the Vet so I ran down
    to the farm to show the folks there how she grew up.  The lady
    said, "Oh, she got big."  She then proceeded to tell me that
    the kitten that was my first choice when I picked Katenka,
    was still around - she wouldn't let me have her because she
    said she was sick and would probably die.  I left her there (guilt).
    She called ,"Scuzzy, Scuzzy!" Off the porch bounces a miniature
    Katenka - I picked her up, she purred and talked exactly like
    her sister - except that she has green/blue eyes. Almost the
    same coloring - same voice - same habits - same same same same!
    I put her right down - told the woman when I touch them I own them
    Ran back to the Vet - dumped the 4 kids in his office - borrowed
    a carrier from him - raced back to the farm - and took her back
    to the Vet.  I just couldn't leave her there - she had been living
    outside for the past year - when Dr. Brody checked her over, he
    said that she weighed only 4 pounds - no fleas, no disease, negative
    for lukemia (we had to wait for that one), no worms - just very
    skinny and dirty and love-starved!  She is wonderful and now she
    is mine - really, my first choice - she and her sister are playing
    and chirping at each other like they have been together the past
    year, not living very different lives in different towns.
    Her name, by the way, is Malinka, we call her LinkaBabies or LinkaLinka
    for short - she comes each time she is called, just like her sister.
    They are probably the only two in the house that do come when they
    are called!    Sorry to run on - but I'm just so glad she is alive
    and well and home and mine!
    

    The heading on prev. note should read
    
    Katenka would like to introduce her sister, Malinka.

Hi, my name is Gail and I have been reading the feline notes for about a
year now and figured it was time to introduce my family.

Pokie - Siamese male - 1 1/2 years.  Wonderful boy!  As affectionate as they
come.  Talks constantly (sometimes I can't shut him up, especially in the
morning when I get up - he carries on and on, in fact usually the other guys
leave the room!!! they can't stand him.  He's a real lover to.  Always wants
to be sitting with you no matter what.  Pokie is a real good boy, I don't
know what I ever did without him (probably got more sleep!!).

Ashley - Siamese female - 1 1/2 years.  Total opposite of Pokie.  Ashley is
a "snob".  You don't talk to her unless "she" talks to you...  You don't pick
her up or hug her or do anything unless she wants you to...   She is a 
beautiful Siamese - small and feminine (unless you take out turkey meat -
she turns into a monster - will kill anything in her way!).  She sits with
my husband occasionally but for the most part she "has" to be with her Pokie
as soon as he out of her sight she's meowing like crazy, running back and 
forth in and out of all the rooms until she finds him.  That's her best friend,
no doubt about it.

Moo-Moo Kitty - Male Black - 4 1/2 years.  Moo-Moo Kitty likes to play with
Pokie he does NOT like Ashley.  I don't know why.  Whenever she goes near
him he spits at her.  He's kind of a loner anyway.  The only time he plays is
when Pokie comes over and befriends him.  He will sit with you when he wants
(most times he sleeps with me on the waterbed - until Ashley comes up and he
jumps right down in a second).

Well, that's the family, at least half of it - the other half consists of
a Doberman (Cassie Girl), Elkhound (Hunza) and a White Pomeranian (Cameo,
a.k.a. Cammie "D").

I look forward to participating now and again in this notes file.  I have 
read some very useful information here.

For now, Gail 

    HI,
    
    MORE ON 2.105 .. RUSSIAN BLUE ..
    
    I HAVE SINCE BEEN MARRIED AND AM NOW NIKKI COMBES (nee HESS).
    
    THROUGH MY MARRIAGE I HAVE GAINED A HUSBAND, DAUGHTER, (WITH ANOTHER
    ONE ON THE WAY), A NEW KITTEN AND UNFORTUNATELY NO LONGER HAVE THE
    VERY LOVELY W.O.F.A.M.
    
    MY MOTHER'S SIAMESE CROSS DIED OF BOWEL CANCER APPROXIMATELY 3-4
    MONTHS AGO AND SO I GAVE MY MUM WOFAM.  SHE IS NOW PART OF HER FAMILY
    (I'M ONLY ALLOWED VISITATION RIGHTS ONCE EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS)
    AS SHE IS NOW HER 'FOSTER' MOTHER.
    
    MY NEW KITTEN IS CALLED SCAMP AND SHE IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
    TORTOISE-SHELL CAT I'VE EVER SEEN.  IN THE PAST WEEK OR TWO SHE
    HAS TAKEN TO SLEEPING ON MY PILLOW (SHE CAN NEVER GET ENOUGH OF
    ME).  MY HUSBAND LIKES ANIMALS BUT THINKS THAT'S GOING A BIT TOO
    FAR.  DOESN'T HE REALISE THAT IT'S HER BED NOT OURS.  SHE SHARES
    IT WITH US?!!
    
    ANYWAY MUST GO,
    
    TIME TO GO HOME TO MY FAMILY.
    
    BYE
    
    NIKKI, DEC MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA
    

    I've been reading this notesfile off and on for a long time.  Everyone
    is so helpful and supportive.  I'm mostly a 'reader', but occasionaly
    add a note or reply and that's one reason I wanted to add an intro.
    
    The other reason is to thank all the 'writers' for putting so much
    energy into this.  Reading through this notesfile has really helped
    me get through this past week.  My male cat, Tigger, 11 years, died
    last week from kidney failure.  It's still hard for me talk about
    it, but just reading through this file has been my main support
    this past week.  It has brought me comfort, knowledge, and an increased
    interest in cats.
    
    Anyway, let me introduce my other cat, Tica (pronounced Tea'ka).
    She is just a regular shorthair cat, black with white paws and belly,
    and a white spot on the left side of her face (sorta the cheek area).
    She and Tigger were from the same litter, though they looked and
    acted totally different.
    
    Tica is very high strung, lots of energy, tends to be nervous/wary
    of strangers.  She has a terrific personality, and very, very loving
    with me.  Actually she never leaves me alone!  She like to be with/on
    me all the time.  However, she doesn't like me to pick her up. 
    I find this odd as when I'm home she spends all her time on my lap,
    shoulder, arm, whatever!  She has been this way ever since she was
    a kitten, she's 11 now.
    
    I very much want to get another cat/kitten, but I worry that it
    will upset Tica.  She has never gotten along with 'strange' cats
    (she and Tigger were inseparable).  But, more on that later.  
                                                                    
    Ginny
    Colorado Springs
    

    I couldn't send mail to you directly, I got no such user.
    
    I am so sorry about Tigger.  It may be that Tica will actually get
    depressed without her friend and will actually need another playmate.
    

    
    Sorry to hear about Tigger, Ginny. I used to worry a lot about
    my cat (her previous owner mistreated her so much nothing seemed
    to work right inside anymore)
    
    Thank God, she is still alive, but the vet says I have to make a
    decision to put her to sleep soon.
    
    She's a beautiful mixture of nearly all the possible colours, I
    call her Cocktail.  A little bit timid but very lovable when you
    get to know her.
    
    

    I am new to Notes and relatively new with cats and have enjoyed
    what feline tips I have picked up so far.
    
    I have two overgrown rodents, as I have the tendency to call them.
    First there is Oscar (no he isn't a grouch).  He's pretty small
    as far as cats go -- though I haven't ever weighed him I doubt he
    weighs over 7 lbs.  Since he was a stray when I got him, my vet
    thinks that somehow his growth got stunted from a poor nutrition
    as a youngster.  We're guessing that he's only about 1 year old
    now.  He's a tiger cat with a ring around his nose.  He's Mr.
    Affectioinate -- he loves to get pats and cuddles.  He even steals
    affections by brushing up against any form of human being.  He eats
    toes for his 3:00 A.M. snack and likes to rub noses.
    Portia is the other one.  She was so pathetic looking when we got
    her that I fell head over heals in love with her.  She and Osco
    are brother/sister -- she was smaller than him when we got her,
    but has doubled, almost tripled in size since she was fixed.  We
    have plenty of fat knicknames for her now a days!  Unfortuneately,
    our ridiculing hasn't made her decide to diet though!  The vet says
    not to worry about her weight since it happens after females get
    fixed.  PortyPrecious was also diagnosed with Leukemia, though it
    appears that it is in remission now (I still don't quite understand
    the disease - hopefully I'll pick up more as I read these notes)But
    I feed her plenty of liver and some green liquid iron supplements.
    So I am hoping that she will live a long and healthy life.
    
    Mom and Dad cater to there every whim -- they are quite spoiled,
    but things will never change. (I just can't bear to hear my
    PortyPrecious meow :-( !) As long as Mom keeps working the rodents
    will have their toys!
    
    Though I've ony had these cats for afew months, It still amazes
    me how much joy they bring to my life!!!
    
    	-Nancy

    
    It's time to introduce our new addition - Koko.  As seen in previous
    notes Koko is Mandy's new little sister.  She is named after the
    gorilla in Florida who knows sign language.  She is mostly all black
    with some orange undertones (torti).  She has one white whisker and the
    rest black so if you see her standing in dim light she looks like she
    has one whisker ( yes she looks pretty silly). She has the cutest purr
    - and the saddest sounding meow that just breaks your heart.  We got
    her through this wonderful notesfile and we are so happy to have her! 

    Her favorite trick is to climb up the drawers in the kitchen, hang off
    the top drawer and push with her hind legs until the drawer opens, she
    then procedes to climb behing the drawer and go to sleep.  I think this
    is her refuge from Mandy when things get a little rough!  Pretty smart
    for a 12 week old!  She also loves to run and slide on papers across
    the kitchen floor and the coffee table. 

    Its great to have two cats - I never have had two cats at one time and
    boy are they a handful - but it is great! 

    Suzanne 

                                                                          
    PS  Pictures of my two kits will be coming around soon; if anyone
    wants one you may send me mail.
    
    

    re: .179
    
    Koko the gorilla lives right here in Calif.!
    

    Well, it has been a couple of weeks already and I haven't seen
    a note from Steffi yet so I think I will go ahead and introduce...
    
    MySinhs Lizette!!!  This is one of the kittens out of my first litter
    (Jouissance's baby) and she was adopted by a fellow Deccie here
    in Santa Clara.  (the kitten has formerly been referred to as
    "Landshark" in these notes!)
    
    I must admit that Lizette is a much nicer name than Landshark, but
    I hear that she still has the tendencies that earned her the name
    in the first place.  
    
    Hopefully, Steffi will have lots of things to tell us about Lizette
    and she will enter some notes of her own.
    
    Lizette is a sealpoint Birman female born on January 31st of this
    year.  I am very proud to have found such a wonderful home for her.
    
    Jo Ann

    I thought Koko was moving to Florida to join the male gorrila from
    the now closed Benson's Wild Animal Farm.  Well where ever she is
    that is who Koko is named after.  Thanks for the info!
    
    Suzanne

    I grew up with cats, and am an avid cat lover.  My family always
    had at least one cat, and they currently have a motley crew of six
    cats.  My husband grew up with LARGE dogs, and didn't really know
    how to appreciate cats when we were first dating; however, in the
    five years since we've been together, the contact with my family's
    cats (called "kitty fixes"--gotten fairly regularly, for my health)
    has turned him into a respectable cat fanatic.
    
    For the first two years of our marriage, we lived in an apartment
    complex that was SERIOUS about having no pets, so we survived on
    frequent "kitty fixes".  Well, about two months ago, we bought a
    house, and one of the first things we did was to procure two kittens,
    Bonnie and Clyde, who are now about 12 weeks old.  
    
    Bonnie and Clyde are littermates, both gray/brown tabbies.  Bonnie
    is very tan; Clyde is very light gray, almost white, where Bonnie
    is tan.  Bonnie's black stripes are also much darker than Clyde's.
    I have the distinct honor of being Clyde's "chosen human" (slave?);
    Bonnie has attached herself to my husband, who is having a great
    time.  He's almost as fun to watch as the kittens are at playtime,
    since he's never witnessed "kittenhoods" before.
    
    We eventually want more cats (we have almost two acres, so plenty
    of room for them to play), but my father (an AVID cat fanatic) has
    suggested that we space the cats out, so that there is always a
    current or imminently pending kittenhood!  I think that's a great
    idea, and hope to follow up on it.

Thirteen months ago, we adopted Trouble.  She is seven years old (as of 
6/14/88), black and white, part Siamese (we think), and thinks I'm her 
mother.  We got her from a Rhode Island family that was moving to New York. 
They had two cats and a dog.  The other cat, an altered male, had been 
terrorizing Trouble for some time.  When she came to us, she had no fur on 
her sides at the back and also none on the back of her back legs.  
Apparently she was "barbering" herself due to the stress.  The other people's 
vet said she would be better off as an only cat.  

After a few months with us, her fur had grown out considerably and she was 
much more calm.  Just like most cats, she has a routine at bedtime.  She 
jumps up on the bed and waits until I get covered, then she walks up to my 
face (via my body, of course) and insists on smelling _inside_ my mouth.  
Then she lays down on me and expects to be petted for 5-10 minutes.  If I'm 
not careful she goes to sleep there, and I can't sleep on my back, so I 
roll over and let her slide onto the bed.  

Oh yes, she does not match her name in that she is not trouble.  According 
to her previous people, she was named Trouble because as a kitten she was 
always getting the dog into trouble.  

Sorry to ramble on so, but once I get started about my baby, ...well you know 
how it is.  

Bernice
Mother_of_Trouble
    

    I have to add, having a picture of Trouble in my FELINE photo album,
    that she is a gorgeous pussycat.
    

    Tisha and Stanley, both Seal Point Siamese.  Tisha slightly over
    weight (like me) is going to be one in August, Tish as calmed down
    a lot since I adopted Stanley.  Stanley was born March 29, Shelly
    from the Westfield Plant answering my plea for a Siamese delivered
    Stanley to my home in Leominster June 11.  So far so good, Tish
    loves Stan, Stan loves Tish.  I love em both.
    Eileen

    Well, it's about time I introduced Fuzzles and Hershey.  They are
    both Himilayn spayed females.  Fuzzles was 2 years old last May,
    Hershey will be 2 in September.  
    
    Fuzzles is the "lady" of the house.  She usually assumes the "regal"
    pose when she want's attention.  She has a creamy body with silver/gray
    points, with pretty blue eyes and a 1/2 pink, 1/2 black nose.  
    
    Hershey is our troublemaker.  If there is trouble she can get into
    she will.  Her usual antics are hiding in the funiture, climbing
    in the ceiling, giving her mom a heart attack as she climbs all
    over the kitchen counter.  But all is forgiven when she plays "tummy
    cat"...She loves to have her stomach rub.  Hershey is brown where
    Fuzzles is gray.  
    
    marianne
    

    Ahem!
    
    now that it's been three months, it's time to re-introduce
    
    		CARDIGAN !!!
    
    You first heard of her in note #1326 [sweet cat with a history]
    and she has appeared briefly in numerous topics, but this morning
    she climbed up onto my shoulder while I was putting on my make-up
    and whispered in my ear that she felt she deserved a special note
    _real_soon_. 
    
    [then she began to try to lick my hair dry...after I'd already pinned
    it up for the day...sigh]
    
    For those who still don't know, Cardigan is a perfectly gorgeous
    long-haired girl-cat with in several shades of grey [what I call
    a 'dust kitten'].  Her best features are a feathery tail in dark
    grey plumes and pale grey tufts in her ears.  Of late she has become
    ever so slightly plump, but it has stabilised.
    
    For a formerly abused cat, she is remarkably un-shy.  She will walk
    up to any idle person to demand petting and tummy rubs. With my
    husband and myself, if the gentle meep or the head-buts don't bring
    attention, she will progress to tapping with the velvet paw, then
    little kisses, then little nibbles.  [Unlike Milo, if the nibbles
    don't work, she will flounce off in a huff -- for about 15 seconds]
    
    She has a sweet temperment and loves to be cuddled and held like
    an infant, especially if tummy-rubs are happening.  However, her sweet 
    face and mild manner disguise an iron will.
    
    For instance, with the chill last night I closed the bathroom window.
    She let me know that I'd done a bad thing in closing a south-facing
    window in no uncertain terms -- this was accomplished by turning
    the shower off [and I still had soap in my hair, ARGH!]
    
    From the previous, you have probably guessed that her docile demeanour
    also hides an incredible playfulness.  When Milo is least
    expecting it, she will launch into him and start a marathon wrestling
    match [he LOVES IT!!] and then scream and whimper as if he is killing
    her.  When Rick or I are getting ready in the dressing room she
    thinks it's time to play hockey, putting contact cases, nail clippers,
    hair-clips, and tweezers into play from the vanity top. Sometimes
    Milo waits at floor level, sometimes Cardi plays alone.
    
    Cardi has appropriated as her own all south-facing windowsills,
    the daybed, and a precinct of the cellar.  The other cats know to
    vacate if she arrives -- she never threatens, she just STAAAARES
    until they get the creeps.
    
    She and Milo frequently groom each other and love to cuddle together
    in the afternoon.  They are quite the study in textures all tangled
    up together -- he with his striking and distinct tiger markings and
    sleek shiny short hair, she with yards and yards of multi-grey fluff
    -- my grey babies.
    
    I've rambled on long enough now,
    
      Ann

    I've been enjoying the feline notes and I have been meaning to
    introduce my 2 girls.  You read about Lizette (Landshark) from Joanne's
    note.  She joined our family that is ruled with velvet paw of Misty.
    Misty is an American shorthair, tortie colored, and the sweetest,
    most loveable cat.  She is 4 1/2, slightly overweight, (we are having
    a devil of a time keeping her out of the kitten's growth food). 
    She has adopted me as her special person, she comes when I call
    her, she talks to me, (she has quite a vocabulary), and I respond.
    She goes to sleep around my head every night.  She will go to my
    husband if I'm not around.  She is also friendly with visitors.
    She is a great ball player, she catches, bats it back to me, also
    does some great volleyball shots.  She carries the ball all around
    the house in her mouth and talks as she walks along.
    
    We decided to get Lizette so my husband will have a cat to snuggle
    with.  But guess what, I now have two cats on my lap, or curled
    around me when I'm trying to go to sleep.  Lizette will snuggle
    with my husband when I'm not around.  She's quite good for a kitten,
    very lovey, and wants a lot of attention.  She likes to nibble on
    my arm, which I'm not too wild about.  Her teeth are sharp. Both
    cats are indoor cats, but I would love to get them to walk on a
    leash.  
    
    We live in Los Gatos,(Spanish for cats) CA.
    
    Steffi  
      
         

    I'm so glad I found this file as I am a cat lover from birth!!
    
    I grew up with a bunch of cats all my life due to the fact my mother
    breeds siamese (seal point and chocolate point).
    
    Once I moved out on my own, I couldn't wait to get my OWN cat to
    raise and love - that's when I acquired the love of my life EBONY!
    Ebony, as you may have guessed, is all black, but has a little white
    spot on his neck.  He's a big (about 19 lbs) lovable, talkative,
    almost human cat who just turned 7 on July 10th.  When he hit 3
    years old, I thought he should have a playmate - that's when I acquired
    the 2nd love of my life IVORY.  Ivory is a petite, very feminine,
    all white ball of fur who turned 4 the end of March. 
                                                        
    Believe it or not they love the Stevie Wonder/Paul McCartney song
    EBONY & IVORY, but unfortunatly, don't always get along in harmony!
    
    Ebony always sleeps on my pillow and constantly "makes bread" in
    my hair.  he wakes me up when the alarm goes off by patting my face
    with his paws and comes in the bathroom while I take a shower (if
    I shut the door, he knocks on the doorknob, so I just leave it open).
    It's more than obvious, he does all this because it's his way of
    saying - BREAKFAST TIME!
    
    Ivory on the other hand is more quiet and reserved.  She just watches
    the goings on.  
    
    Anyway, I'm sure I'll be reading this file constantly and thanks
    to the person who started it!
    
    Barbara
    

    
    
    Hi fellow cat lovers
    
    At the present I have four cats which have been collected
    from my college career.  My first cat Fluffy was a pure-
    bred calico.  She was so pretty, but we let her out and
    she developed into quite a fighter.  For that reason,
    we decided not to show her.  When she was 7 she was hit
    by a car down the Cape.  It left her with a partially
    paralyzed paw which fortunately she was able to use.
    We would have put her down if she was going to suffer
    from this.  But fortunately she didn't.
    
    The next cat we got was a stray that my brother's fiance
    gave him.  We named that one VEG after vegtable because
    that cat was a basket case.  She was found in an abandoned
    house that housed many other animals which included some
    very nasty dogs.  So she was very afraid.  She was
    fun to have around and Fluffy seemed to like her.  Unfortunately,
    she was let out with Fluff and never seen again.
    
    So we got another friend for the old girl.  This one was
    a little tiger female.  I named her Sebastion.  She is so
    cute and she will only give me her mother kisses.
    We got her from a shelter when she was 2 months old.
    At that time Fluffy was 15.  Things were fine for two years.
    Fluff was getting really bad physically so we regretfully
    had to put her down.
    
    So that left Sebby with noone to play with.  Oreo was our
    next addition.  He is the only male we have.  He is all black
    except for a white coller and front paws.  He is great, always
    wanting to be loved.  Then I moved out and Mom wouldn't let
    me take either of them.  So I got Boo from a friend at work.
    Boo is another calico, but she looks like an over stuffed
    sausage.  She is huge!!.  Well my roommates started treating
    her poorly so she was sent to live at my moms.
    
    Then I moved again and got the latest and hopefully for a while
    last addition.  She is a silver angora.  I got her from a shelter
    in Boston.  She is a typical angora.  She walks around like
    she is God's gift.  We named her Vanessa!!
    
    So to date Sebastion, Oreo, Boo and Vanessa commonly known as
    Fuzzy are the feline members of our family.  They are great
    and I wouldn't trade them for  the world.
    
    Michele

    Hello and Meow!
    
    I have two cats.  Tiki Sylvester Fahel II is 6 years old, 20 pounds,
    (pure muscle!) and has "thumbs" (double paws that look like thumbs,
    and he knows how to use them!).  We got him as a kitten from a girl
    who worked at a nicknack shop.  His sister was playing and running
    and making a show, but he was just lying there with this attitude
    of "Well they are going to pick me anyway."  He can turn on lights,
    will sit only on my husband, loves pretty women (he looks up their
    skirts and sometimes gives them a kiss), adores my father-in-law,
    and loves listening to Elton John (Candle in the Wind and Daniel)
    and Barbra Streisand (if I sing along; he will howl if I don't).
    He also watches a little MTV and hockey games.
    
    Ricardo Martin Fahel (Rico for short) is a very sleek, pure black
    2 year old Burmese.  We could show him if he didn't have a crick
    about 1 inch down from the tip of his tail making a parascope when
    he walks.  He is very, very shy, and would be afraid of his own
    shadow if he didn't love his reflection so much.  He is a mama's
    boy; he only comes to me, and he comes when I call him.  We call
    him "Our little dim bulb" because he isn't too bright.  We got him
    from a flea market, the tiniest of a batch of kittens, and he could
    fit in the palm of my hand!  He loves the song "Nights in White
    Satin", and watching "Miami Vice".
    
    Both of our "boys" (Tiki hates being called a cat) are indoor cats,
    but Tiki will join us in our yard if we are out there.  He will
    not go out into the street.  Rico will not even go out of the door!
    Incidentially, neither of them are declawed.
    
    We love them both and would not give either of them up for the world!
    
    K.C. Fahel
    

     Well,  I've been reading this notes file for long enough, and haven't
     yet got round to introducing our cats.

     We have two; both are approximately ten months old (difficult to tell
     exactly, as they both came from a charity called "Animals in Need").
     They are both moggies (ie: no special pedigree).

     Finbar is a "chocolate box kitten" with black and white splodges all
     over.  He has a particularly cute little black beard just under his
     white chin.  He loves racing up the trees in our back garden, and sleeping,
     preferably next to a human.  He is independent much of the time, but
     sometimes he wants company so much!  When we first got him he used to 
     get on my shoulder as soon as I came in from work, and sit there, 
     regardless of what I was doing.  He also likes to run round the house
     meowing to himself (he seems happy enough ;*).

     Tilly is dark chocolate brown, with a ginger fleck.  She has an adorable
     ginger tip to her tail, and two of her paws, and half her mouth has a
     ginger splodge over it.  Don't ask me why, but that splodge on her
     mouth has the effect of making her look quite innocent, whatever she's
     up to!   She is not a purebred, but her shape and length of hair are
     similar to Burmese.  She loves human affection, to the extent of jumping
     up at you and clinging to your clothing when you come in from work.  Her
     particular favourite is to push her wet mouth into your face and bat you
     with her paws (looking at some of the later notes in this conference, I 
     think she was probably taken from her mother too early).

     They get on well together, play a lot together, wash each other, and 
     sleep near each other,  so I think we're very lucky!  (Okay, they DO 
     fight, but don't all "children"?)

	I, too, have been occasionally reading this great notesfile for
	a couple of months and decided it was about time that I introduced
	Sweezie Cat - a 15-16 month old white domestic shorthair with some
	calico-colored tiger blotches on her head, tail, and back....

	I got her a year ago from the Humane Society.  I really wanted a
	young kitten, but this 3 month old (at the time) affectionate
	crybaby kept calling me and trying to grab me through the cage
	bars when I got anywhere near....she "grabbed" me alright....
	She had only been there a day (fortunately) and her original name
	was Sweetie Pie.  Being uncreative, we left it that, but it turned
	into Sweezie...I guess it was easier to say.

	She's a great cat - very loving, a lap cat, but independent when
	she doesn't "need" you.  She was an indoor/outdoor cat - out in the
	morning before we left for work, in in the evening and overnight - 
	up until about a month ago.  It was a great arrangement...her energy
	was exhausted outside (lots of woods, no traffic), she slept most
	of the night, I hardly ever had to change her litter box, the house
	and furniture were spared, etc.  But about a month ago, her back end
	was mauled by a raccoon (we think) or something wild.  One leg was
	ripped open about 4 inches and her tail was broken and hairless on
	the end.  The vet (bless his heart) stitched her up and amputated
	her tail, and now she's doing pretty well, with just about full use
	of the leg and the tail stub.  She still looks pretty "funny" with
	the shaved leg and tail stub far from being furry again.

	Now she's pretty much an indoor cat, with outdoors being on a leash,
	tied up, or carried.  She doesn't seem to mind too much, since she
	seems to get spooked easily now and she's still recovering.  What-
	ever happened to her really freaked her out and cooled her jets....

	She's a good pet who amuses us with "bug patrol" in the house, "bug
	ballet" outside, and "humpybacks" through the hallways.  She has 
	made a formerly non-cat-person (my S.O. John) into someone who is
	so crazy about her that he would do anything to protect his baby....

    
    I have been reading this notes file for a long time now and wanted
    to introduce my kitty.
    My first kitty came from the animal shelter. Her name was Brina
    and she was solid white. I had her for 9 years before she went to
    kitty heaven. I stopped reading this notes file because I couldn't
    read about other kitties without crying and remembering Brina.
    Its been a year and I am back.
    My friend now is a seal-point siamese. Tips is 20 weeks old and
    the queen of the house. She ignores my 2 dogs unless she wants to
    play with them. I also have a stray kitty that stays outside. (she
    will not come in I have tried) Her name is Easy. Easy is still
    wondering why on earth I got Tips. Tips tends to aggravate Easy
    because Easy isn't much for playing, laying in the flower bed is
    enought excitment for her. I am hoping Easy will see Tips likes
    the house and come inside one day.
    I love these two bundles of joy. 
    I am also thank-ful for this notes file.
    

    I started reading this notesfile recently, to find information on
    two specific topics - feline leukemia and purebred information.
    Of course, I ended up reading about lots more!
    
    I recently lost my 11-year-old cat 'Rion (short for Boom-Boom
    Geoffrion) to feline leukemia - that was a little over a month ago.
    It still hurts... I can't read the feline leukemia notes while I'm
    at work because it makes me too sad.  So, on to a happier topic...
    
    I just bought a silver tabby American Shorthair.  He is extremely
    handsome, and is developing quite a personality.  The breeder offered
    me a second kitten for free, so I will be getting a red tabby in
    a week or two.  It seems I read another note in here about someone
    with both a silver tabby and a red tabby.
    
    I am enjoying this notes file - but have lots more to read, and
    hopefully a contribution or two...
    
    Sharon
    Colorado Springs

    I'm so sorry about 'Rion, and glad to hear you have two new babies.
    

    I'm sorry also to hear about 'Rion.....
    
    I can understand your sorrow 'cause my mother had to put to sleep
    her whole family of cats after 1 (the oldest) caught it and spread 
    it to the others (BTW- all were seal-point Siamese; ages, 4,6,9,12)
    Need-less-to-say....It was a very sad day....sigh.....
        
    Good luck with your new babies!
    

    My sympathies also!
    
    I, too , have a silver tabby - he is wonderful and beautiful!!!
    His name is Misha (Midnight's Misha O'ZhivagoCat).  He is so
    cuddly and warm.  It's funny - when folks come into the house
    they glance around, say oh what pretty kitties - then they
    catch sight of Misha and say oh wow,etc.  Silvers are flashy
    but their personalities are so wonderful.
    
    Elaine 

    Hi,
    
    We always had cats while I was growing up so needless to say, I
    love them!
    
    My fiance (a reformed cat "hater"!) and I have two little rascals.
    Kimba is almost two, she's a twelve pound tortoise shell colored
    long hair something or another.  She's gorgeous, huge green eyes,
    has a wicked independent streak (don't they all?) but when she's
    in the mood she gives the best kitty hugs!  Her full name is Kimberly
    Ann but we call her KimbaElliePhant cuz she's kind of a waddler!
    
    Kelli is the latest addition to the house.  Kimba, being a totally
    indoor cat, was looking kinda lonely (we have a dog too, but she's
    outside all day), so we got Kelli to keep Kimmie happy.  Kelli is
    5 months old, a svelte calico with the sweetest little face this
    side of the Mississippi!  Her nickname is Kelli Jelly Belly cuz
    when we first got her all she did was eat.  We got her checked out
    cuz we thought maybe something was wrong (she ate ALOT!) but she's
    fine.  Just likes to eat, something that runs in the family I guess!
    
    I love my babies.....there's nothing like waking up to the sounds
    of them purring!  Wouldn't trade them for the world....but I would
    like to find a way to keep Kelli off of my forehead at night!
                           
    Cherie

    
    I share my home with a cat and a ferret. They get along great, and
    play with each other 24 hours a day.
    
    My kitty's name is Taco. He's a black cat with double paws (on his
    front and back feet!) white boots, and a little white on his chest
    and stomach. He's a really playful cat, and has a liking for mexican
    food (that's where he got his name). He's not so bright all the
    time, and the ferret takes advantage of this. Ferrets are really
    smart animals, and she often messes with Taco while he's trying
    to sleep. He'll be sound asleep, and the ferret will come up behind
    him and poke him on the back, then dissappear. The cat will look
    around, then go back to sleep.. it will do this a couple of times,
    and the cat will always go right back to sleep, then the ferret
    takes a running leap and lands on top of the cat and they roll
    playfully together. Taco also has a built-in clock. Every morning
    at 5:15, he will come up on the bed, and play in my hair, getting
    himself tangled in it, and purr in my ear, and nuzzle under my neck
    and lick my face and poke his nose into my eyes until I get up,
    pet him and give him a bowl of food.
    
    

    I love cats and had always remember having one when I was growing
    up in Lexington.
    
    I now live in an apartment in Billerica and have a beautiful male
    Russian Blue. He weighs approx. 35 lbs. and is the laziest, cutest,
    most personable cat I have ever known. Whenever he's hungry he opens
    up the cabinet and lets the door bang shut again so he lets you
    know. He also has the habit of sleeping on his back with his legs
    spread eagled. His name is Maxwell or Max for short. Whenever he
    sleeps with me he'll literally hog the whole bed and snug right
    up to you. Its kind of hard to move 35 lbs. of sleeping fat, and
    every time I move he'll move in closer. He does have one fault and
    that is he does'nt like to be held. But that's alright as I would
    think my arms would be tired after a while. He sits on your lap and
    goes to sleep and he loves attention. 
    
    Oh well, you can tell I'm attached to my cat. He's approximately
    ten years old and I'd hate to think of what I'll do when he's gone.
    Iread in this file about Russian Blues and they're right. Russian
    Blues are Excellent aprtment cats as they do not wander outside
    and are very affectionate towards those who love them. Incidentally,
    purebred Russians are Very Exspensive, I was recently offered six
    hundred dollars for Max which I thought was kind of Ridiculas since
    he was spayed and is over ten years old. Needless to say I still
    have my Maxy ( my "pet" name for Max).
    
    Glad I found this file.
    Scott

    Here's an update to 2.1. Chiun and Abigail are still with me, and even
    more set in their ways. Chiun the Magnificent (seal-point Balinese) is
    as beautiful as ever, and loves to be petted by anyone. Abigail
    (long-haired black-and-white Manx) is still touchy and stand-offish. I
    began to think they were settling into a rut, and so when I saw note
    1589 about the Great Barn Cat Giveaway, I decided to try introducing
    some new blood. (Thanks, Sue!) 

    Hence the latest addition to the family: a tiny scrap of kittenhood, a
    short-haired grey and brown tabby Manx whose coloring is the most
    perfect camoflage I've ever seen. She can disappear in front of your
    eyes simply by sitting still, and in any kind of shadow she's
    invisible. 

    After the initial trauma of being separated from her mother and the
    only environment she had known, she seems to have settled down nicely.
    Took to the litterbox at once, learned her way around the house
    immediately, and settled in to eat her way to cathood. (She can do a
    great impersonation of those hotel-room-type paintings of big-eyed,
    scrawny cats, but the effect is somewhat marred by her round little
    tummy.) 

    She looks microscopic next to the older cats, both long-haired
    14-pounders. They didn't even realize she was in the house for a couple
    of days, and then they didn't seem to know what to make of her. There
    was a little growling - the kitten has a great set of lungs - but no
    violence, and things are settling down now. Abigail will give her a
    hiss and stalk away, but Chiun seems fascinated; he doesn't actually
    play with her, but he'll sit and watch as she plays. And the kitten has
    taken to lying down near him, as if seeking his company. (His head is
    as big as she is; it's a scream to see them eye each other and
    tentatively touch noses.) 

    I had hoped that the kitten's being a Manx would endear her to Abigail,
    but it doesn't seem to have made much difference. Abigail's goal in
    life is to be Only Cat, and even though she outranks the newcomer, she
    doesn't want to share my attention. She's dealing with it fairly well,
    though, and the kitten may be able to bring her around. 

    As for naming the new baby, well, it hasn't come easily. I wanted to
    call her "Abishag," having gotten her in part to cheer my aging
    king-cat, but it sounds too much like "Abigail" (not that any of them
    answer to their names, of course). "Remo" doesn't fit her, although I'm
    afraid that "The Destroyer" might - she discovered the toilet-paper
    roll the other day! 

    Oh, well. The perfect name may turn up eventually. For now, she's the
    Grey Ghost, aka Spook, Scrap, Catlet, You-sweet-thing, and (of course!)
    Get-away-from-that. 

    -b

    Hi. I have been reading (and responding to) this notesfile for
    sometime now, and I think it's about time I introduced us.
    
    My name is Denise, and at this writing I am down to eight kids.
    
    My first and best friend is Thea. She was found a few years ago
    in Waltham, MA by an old roommate. An emergency trip to the vet
    revealed that she had been hit on the head with a beer bottle. 
    She still is not quite *right*. She is very wobbly and has poor
    balance for a cat. She is a very friendly longhair Torbie.
    She is the most *stable* cat I've ever known. Nothing phases her.
    She is just so calm and cool. Everything about her is so
    pleasant. She is the best.

    Next came Mange. He is a tuxedo *smoke* (his black hair is white
    underneath). He really earned his name. He came to us as a stray
    and he was a total mess. I guess his original *parents* up and moved
    to Florida and left him in the care of a relative who promptly threw
    him out to fend for himself. He had never been outside before. He
    hadn't been neutered either. It took him a while to warm up to people
    but he's now the smug clown of the whole bunch. He has asthma, both of 
    his ears are practically chewed off, and (gross) a piece of his tongue
    is missing. When I first took him in, he had a facial abcess that
    was so swollen, he had to turn his head sideways to get into the
    cellar where he went to keep warm. He had earmites so bad that he
    scratched his ears raw, and blood would fly whenever he shook his
    head. Needless to say, he's living the good life now, but he still
    has his asthma to show for it all (which he frequently uses to 
    his advantage).

    Next Screamin' Annie Baloney arrived (pregnant of course). We had
    left the door open one day, and in she walked and in she stayed.
    She was never really invited - we were picked. She is a lilac point
    Siamese (hence the "Screamin'" title), and she just adores baloney.
    She is very good-natured, and fun to have converstaions with.

    Of her litter of six, we kept two: Bully (so named because he looked 
    just like a little bulldog as a kitten) and Secrytes (she was very shy
    and secretive as a kitten). Boy have they changed! Secrytes is now
    so articulate it can get trying at times, while Bully has become
    a KNOCKOUT! Bully is the PR man around the house. Whenever they
    want something they usually send pretty boy Bully to get it from
    me! He is very good at opening doors, and especially likes to show
    off his talent when you are in the bathroom and have guests over.
    He is Mr. Charisma. He also just loves sinks and tubs, and seems
    to be double jointed - he will lie flat on the floor with his legs
    outstretched behind him in a way I have never seem performed by
    a cat before. Both Bully and Seeky are striking b/w tuxedos - not
    a bit like their siamese mom (except around the ears). We suspect
    Mange is the daddy.

    We eventually moved from Waltham to Leominster. When we moved in
    there was a family of stray *wild* cats living in the yard. Well
    it was winter and I couldn't let that go on. The kittens were about
    2-3 months old and I was afraid they wouldn't make it through the
    winter so I hunted them down and got them in. One of the babies
    did not make it. But the others and their mother did and are now
    part of my *family*. The mother is a beautiful calico. Her name
    is Cassie. She is one of the friendliest money cats I've had. She
    loves attention. One of the kittens is/was calico too. Her name is Holly.
    She, while not what I would call *wild*, is still VERY shy around
    people. She disapeared about 2 months ago. I am still hoping she
    will return. The other surviving kitten (now an adult) IS  what
    I would call pretty much wild. She spends most of her time outdoors,
    and will not, under any circumstances come near people. She will
    come in the house only if I leave the door open and wait in another
    room. She is a beautiful smoke-grey longhair. We call her Smokey,
    so as not to get too attached.

    Needless to say, Cassie was pregnant again when we took her in.
    Of her litter we kept Captain Peach Fuzz. He is the most beautiful
    cream-colored longhair. He, like most normal cats, will bring me
    in fresh kills. He brings them right to my feet! Lucky for me, he
    has the weirdest fascination for plastic bags. (Not to worry - he
    only goes for *hard* plastic - none of that suffocation stuff)
    If he can't get me a fresh mouse or bird, any slim jim wrapper will
    do! While Annie will root around the trash for old cans, bones,
    and what-have-you, Peachy will pass all these things by just for
    a boil-bag! And don't let your fingers get in his way!
    Sadly, he too, disappeared about a month ago. I am still hoping
    he'll return. He was quite familiar with the outdoors and was 
    very good about cars, so I'm wondering if he was stolen.
    If anybody in the Leominster area sees a gorgeous cream (peach/
    pink/salmon) colored cat, with mega-longhair and a funny flat-
    faced profile please let me know!

    Anyway, last, but most certainly not the least, is my Alf. 
    February 18 of this year, I was staying at my sisters' for my birthday.
    She had gone out late that night and I was home alone. The next
    thing I know there is a pounding at the door. I get up to answer
    it, and there standing in the snow is my sister holding the most
    adorable little black and white kitten I've ever seen (and you must
    remember, I already have three)! She had found him in a dumpster
    at the corner. At first I said he had to go; that we had to find
    a home for him because I already had too many cats. But he immediately
    stole my heart like never before. He is, without a doubt, the best
    birthday present I've ever had! He follows me everywhere and purrs like 
    first gear going up a hill! His favorite pasttime (besides sitting on
    my lap and violently head-butting me) is tormenting the fish. He'll
    hang over the top of the fish tank and try to grab them as he
    mutters to himself about what he's gonna do when he finally catches them.
    He spends every night at my side and won't move until I do (which usually
    equals breakfasttime). He is a living doll!
     
    I love them all dearly!
    If I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't change a thing!      :^)
    

    My first introduction is 2.186, now introducing Sweet Pea, six week
    old Blue Point Siamese.  I hate to dissapoint all you people who
    think you have the most beautiful kitten, but I know you are all
    wrong, Sweet Pea is the prettiest of them all.
    
    Proud Mama

    
    OK...from this corner of the country, we have....
    
    TANGO YANKEE...a fat (well, she's just big-boned) calico, about
    7 years old, with a disarmingly sweet disposition, white points
    (thus earning her the distinction of being what I call a 'calico
    snowpoint'), wit a penchant for laps and naps. She also has a wide
    variety of ways to vocalize, ranging from a meow that's done (if
    you can imagine this) with her mouth closed, to what is almost an
    insistent 'bark'. The former is always a response to when one calls
    her name, the latter to when the milk dish is empty. Anyway, she's
    a sweetheart, and charms the heck out of everyone with what are
    the biggest pair of green eyes I've ever seen in a cat. Aliases:
    Tango Bear, T-Bear, Mango, Mango Pie, Moon Pie.
    
    DIXIE DELUXE...the little black runt, who is without a voice. She
    simply does not ever say anything, choosing instead just to pad
    her way around purring contentedly. About 5 years old, she is
    inordinately playful and will make a game out of anything from a
    bug to a bottlecap. Alias: Ducks Deluxe
    
    MAMIE N.J....a 6-year old black domestic shorthair, with white points
    and a white swipe down the left-side of her nose and muzzle. The
    most feral of the three, she is the one who pleases Dad with gifts
    of birds and an occasional mouse. Also a star hockey forward--she
    will bat a busyball between her paws, back and forth at high speed
    all around the room, around the house if just after a catnip snort.
    Alias: Moo-moo.
    
    All three are foundlings who were street cats in Jersey City, NJ...
    and decided to move with me to Seattle. Their names have individual
    stories....but that's for another time.
    
    Peter
         

    I have been reading this notes file for a while and thought it was
    time to introduce my two babies.
    
    CALI - 2 year old calico kitty.  Cali was very shy when I brought
    her home at 7 weeks of age but has really gained alot of  confidence
    over the past year.  She guards all the windows in the house to
    make sure that no "killer bugs" ever get in to hurt us and she also
    slaps the dogs around (through the glass sliding door that is!)
    She is soooo brave with that pane of glass between them!  Although
    Cali is not a lap cat, she is very affectionate.  She spends lots
    of time slithering around our legs and asking to have her head and
    back scratched.  She also loves to be brushed and will sit next
    to the closet where I keep her brush and meow.  She does this about
    10 times a day, but I only give in and brush her about twice a day.
    Cali loves to eat (just about anything).  Her favorite foods are
    tuna, chicken, raisins, bananas, olives and cauliflower.  Oh and
    Doritoes.  If I leave the bag out, she will literally get right
    into it and munch away!  She's the greatest!!
    
    SAM - Sam is a 10 month old Seal/White Snowshoe kitty.  He has the
    seal siamese markings with white feet and a white blaze across his
    face.  He also has a white tip tail which is not what snowshoe breeders
    breed for, but it is adorable none the less.  Sam is a definitely
    a lap cat.  He also enjoys sitting on ones shoulders like a baby
    would and purring in your ear.  Sam is not brave like Cali and he
    depends on her to protect him.  They really love each other and
    spend lots of time tumbling and playing together.  Sam also loves
    to chase bugs, to the point where things go crashing in his attempt
    to gain his prize.  Like his siamese relatives, he can do the most
    amazing ballet jumps ever seen.  He, like Cali love all kinds of
    foods.  His favorites are tuna, chicken (of course) and pistachios.
    Powdered donoughts and milk top his list though!  Good luck eating
    one of those around my house, I guarentee Sam will get most of it!
    He's a real love.  
    
    
    Jeanne, Cali, and Sam
    

    I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE ONYX. SHE'S OBVIOUSLY ALL BLACK WITH HUGE
    GOLD EYES. SHE'S GOT THE BIGGEST EARS I'VE EVER SEEN ON A CAT. I
    THINK SHE MUST HAVE SOME SIAMESE IN HER BUT THE REST IS UP FOR GRABS.
    ONYX LOVES TO PLAY -- HER FAVORITE TOY IS A TWIST TIE, SHE
    LIKES THEM SO MUCH THAT SHE'LL RESORT TO STEALING THEM OFF THE COUNTER
    THE MINUTE YOU OPEN A LOAF OF BREAD OR SOMETHING. SHE LIKE TO POSITION
    THEM A FEW FEET IN FRONT OF HER AND PLAY ATTACK. SHE TOSSES THEM
    IN THE AIR AND CATCHES THEM. EVENTUALLY THE TIE WILL END UP IN HER
    WATER DISH, SHE TRIES TO GET IT OUT WITH HER PAW AND SINCE SHE DOESN'T
    LIKE WET FEET SHE SLAMS THE DISH AROUND UNTIL ALL THE WATER IS ON
    THE FLOOR AND SHE CAN GET THE TIE. BY THE TIME SHE DOES THIS HER
    FEET ARE ALL WET ANYWAY.
    
    WHILE ONYX IS A FAIRLY SMALL CAT (< 10 LBS) SHE'S A BIT OF A BULLY.
    I'VE SEEN HER KICK THE NEIGHBOR'S CAT OFF OF THEIR DECK AND CHASE
    A GERMAN SHEPHARD OUT OF THE YARD. ONYX WAS PRETTY MUCH TOP CAT
    IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD UNTIL SHE MET UP WITH JEREMY. HE FIGHTS WITH
    ALL THE ANIMALS IN THE AREA AND A CONFRONTATION WITH HIM LEFT ONYX
    IN A TREE ONE NIGHT. IT'S A LONG STORY SO I WON'T GO INTO IT HERE,
    BUT SHE EVENTUALLY STARTED TO COME DOWN, HIT A DEAD BRANCH AND FELL
    ABOUT 30 FT. TO THE GROUND. SHE WAS A PRETTY SORE CAT FOR A COUPLE
    WEEKS. NEEDLESS TO SAY SHE'S A LITTLE MORE CAREFUL ABOUT WHO SHE
    PICKS A FIGHT WITH NOW.
    
    WELL THIS IS JUST A TASTE OF THE MISCHIEF ONYX GETS INTO. I'M SURE
    I'LL BE RELATING MORE OF HER ESCAPADES IN THE FUTURE.
    

    Hi,
    
    My name is Chip and my brothers name is Dale....Chip -n- Dale, get
    it!!!   We are brothers, long haired and black and white mirrored
    images of each other.  We were saved from the Animal Rescue League
    3 years ago by Donna and Steven Ritacco.  Thanks Mom and Dad!!!!
    
    When we were just little kittens, Dale and I were wrestling in
    the living room and he BIT MY RIGHT EAR!!!  Boy, did that hurt!
    Well, now I have a little CHIP in it, but I like it cuz it makes 
    me different.
    
    We have our Mom and Dad right in the palms of our paws...(sounds
    like a cat soap opera!)  When we want to be cuddled, I go to Mom
    and Dale goes to Dad.  We get to sleep in their waterbed ALL DAY
    if we want.  At night, we both sleep with Mom cuz Dad throws us
    off of him when he is sleeping,  not on purpose though!!
    
    Well, that will have to do cuz I hear Mom coming home for lunch
    and if she catches me using her terminal again, well, I don't 
    even want to think about it!!!!!
    
    Chip-n-Dale
    

    
    Well after a trip to the vets for xrays, he got a very good diagnosis
    and I think it's time to introduce the third and latest member of
    our family and the story behind him.
    
    A few weeks ago Dave (my SO) announced that he wanted a kitten. This
    was a bit of a shock since it was *I* who was always trying to convince
    him we needed another cat and he who was always saying no.  He stated
    that he was planning on getting a kitten for me for christmas but he
    couldn't wait that long.  Then the debate started about whether it
    would be a kitten or a cat.  He wanted a kitten because (naturally)
    kittens are cute and he wanted to help raise a cat from kittenhood, our
    other two were grown when he met them.  I on the other hand have been
    reading this file for about a year and know how hard it is for full
    grown cats to get adopted.  So we compromised and got a kitten that
    nobody wanted to adopt.
    
    This kitten was at my vet's and had broken his leg.  The owners
    could not (or would not, never got the whole story) afford to get
    the leg fixed and asked that he be put to sleep.  The vet decided
    (I guess later) that he would fix the leg anyways rather than putting
    him to sleep and try to adopt him out.  Well nobody wanted him because
    of his limp and he had been spending the last month(?) in a cage
    at the vets.
    
    When we first met him he looked like a new born colt, all legs and
    really wobbly.  But boy did he crave love and affection, so we
    naturally could not resist him!  We took him home right away with
    the instructions to not let him run around to much.
    
    Well that turned out to be a joke, this kitten who had been stuck
    in a cage so long decided to run from one end of the house to the
    other.  We would confine him to one room after a few hours and he
    would fall asleep, we'd let him out, and the routine would start
    again.  He loves Ishtar and has decided to chase after her and bite
    her rump.  At first she liked it, then she got angry (Ishter *never*
    gets angry), then she liked it, so we have decided to let them play
    as they wish and Ishtar can always escape to the loft if she needs to.
    
    So now Loki (my cats are named after gods, Loki is the god of mischief)
    eats alot, sleeps a little, and plays alot.  He also cuddles and
    purrs as all cute little kittens do.  The vet has said his pin can
    come out this week and he walks on his leg almost completely normal
    (not that it matters to us, we love him no matter how he walks).
    Maybe in a year I can post an update to tell you how he grew up!
    
    Sharon, Mielikki, Ishtar and now Loki                 
    

    
    
    	Hi...I'm new to this notesfile.  But I love cats!!  Unfortunately
    	when I was growing up we didn't have any because my parents
    	don't like cats much.
    
    	But now, my SO and I are moving this weekend and he has Brandi.
    	Brandi is Calico and grey Tiger (I think).  She's really 
    	beautiful.  Of course, I have allergies to cats but I've 
    	gotten accustomed to her so now she crawls up on my chest
    	and purrs!!  And I don't sneeze!!  It was funny because
    	when Cary and I first started dating, she was very jealous.
    	If we were laying down on the couch watching TV she's jump
    	up and try and wiggle her way in between us.  But not
    	any more.
    
    	And last night we went to pick out another kitten.  I don't
    	know how I picked one.  They were all so adorable!!  But
    	I picked out one of the gray and black ones.  She's really
    	fuzzy!!  And she has a very soft cry.  She was the quietest
    	of the bunch.  And I named her Sasha.  We're picking her up
    	Sunday night. (after all the hub-bub of our move)  We're
    	hoping Brandi will take to her ok.  Brandi's five and never
    	had kittens or any other cat around all the time.
    
    	Anyway, so that's our soon-to-be little family.  The really
    	good thing about Sasha is that at 5 1/2 weeks old, she (and
    	all her brothers and sisters) is eating hard cat food and
    	is litterbox trained already!!
    
    	I'm sure I'll have plenty of stories later on about how
    	both Brandi and Sasha are faring.
    
    	Judy, Cary, Brandi, and Sasha
    

    
        Hello... my name is Jeanine and my darling's name is C.C.  She
    is, you guessed it, a Calico Cat, actually she is an angora calico,
    but same difference.  
    
        C.C. came into my life when I was eight years old, and now she
    has just turned 10.  I have loved her since she was a toe-nibbling
    bundle of fur.  In reality, she really hasn't changed much, except
    for the number of added lbs. she has acquired over the years. 
    She isn't the most lovable kitty, but she is still my baby no matter
    what.  She got her name from being not only a Calico Cat, but also
    a cute cat, a (not so) cuddly cat and most of all a crazy cat. 
    She is quite a spaz, when we used to have a dog, she would stand
    on the dining room table and pounce from the table on the poor innocent
    victim the poodle.  I love her in bunches even though she has her
    days for being mean.  Like biting my nose, all the time.
    
        This next one is my nephew, his name is Indy, after the
    Indianapolis 500, Indy is a white long-haired kitty with gray racing
    stripes around his tail, a gray helmet on his head, and a little
    gray spot on his behind, being his gas-tank.  My brother and his
    wife (girlfriend at the time) got Indy on the weekend of the Indy
    500, and while watching it did notice Indy to be racing around the
    house like the cars, crashing into the walls and peeling out around
    corners.  And that is story, he is only about one and a half though,
    just a little guy compared to my baby.  
    
    That's all for now.  -- Jeanine C.C. and her cousin, Indy!!
    

    Hi.  I would like to introduce my two kids.  Our first we got right
    after Christmas this past year.  Her name is Kali - she's a calico.
    We were content with one cat when we got her but then we found out
    that she was totally bored when we were at work.  We had her declawed
    (how inhumane that is) and spayed.  So naturally she doesn't go
    outside.  We decided that Kali needed a playmate for when we aren't
    home so we let the vet know we were looking for another kitten.
    Well we got a call one Friday afternoon that there was a stray at
    the vets.  We took a ride up there and one look at her and I said
    we would take her.  Mikki has been with us now for 5 months.  She
    looks like she could be Kali baby, but just their personalities
    tell you they are no relations!!!
    
    Kali is the lazy quiet one and Mikki is the get up and go type.
    Mikki is known as our "problem child".  Mikki has been diagnosed
    as having a heart murmur which has stunted her growth - she probably
    weighs 5 pounds, and won't get any bigger.  So we have a kitten
    for life!!  The doctor says she won't live much after 5 years so
    we have to enjoy her while we can.  
    
    One question for anyone who might know - with Mikki having the heart
    murmur, will the vet spay and declaw her?  I'm afraid they would
    put her under and her little heart wouldn't be able to handle it.
    
    Thanks for any info.
    
    Barbara
    

    Re: .214
    
    I would ask the vet.  (Why are you assuming she has to be declawed,
    is she causing a problem scratching?  There are notes in this file
    with heaps of suggestions about how to get cats to use scratching
    posts, etc.)
    

    RE: .214
    
    Oh please don't have that poor little one declawed.  I had my first
    cat (Cali) declawed and swore that I would never do that again.
     When I got Sam I used all the hints given here in the notes file
    to get him to use his post and he now uses it FAITHFULLY.  And guess
    what, so does Cali (no claws and all)  Definitely give your little
    one a chance.  With her heart problem I would think that she needs
    as little stress as possible!
    
    Jeanne, Cali and Sam
    

    Well I am sorry, I just made the appointment with the vet to have
    Mikki spayed and declawed.  It's not that she is clawing the furniture
    it is more like clawing me.  We have always trimmed her claws with
    nail clippers but that didn't seem to help.  Plus with her declawed
    Kali is not at a disadvantage.  It will only be her front claws being done.
    When Kali was done it didn't seem to phase her that she didn't have
    claws.  As for the scratching post, Kali uses it with no claws more
    than Mikki does.  I think the main reason for the declawing is for the 
    walls and my kitchen chairs that have little claw holes in them from
    both cats.
    
    I know I really don't want to see Mikki in the vets for 2 days but
    I know they will take good care of her and the fun begins when she
    gets back with the newspaper litter box and the stitches in her
    stomach - now with two cats I have to watch both of them to make
    sure they don't pull her stitches out.
    
    I will let you know how everything is when I pick her up.
    
    Thanks for the comments.
    

    Can we save this note for introductions only?  Perhaps the declawing
    discussion can be moved to one of the myriad declawing notes (listed
    below).
							-- Nina

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Meower Power
Created:  9-FEB-1986 06:45         1723 topics        Updated: 31-AUG-1988 12:12
                  -< See note 1.14 before posting adoptions >-
 Topic  Author               Date         Repl  Title
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    38  GRAFIX::EPPES        27-SEP-1984    41  Declawing
    74  VLSBOS::ALEXANDER    27-FEB-1985     6  IF YOUR THINKING OF DECLAWING RE
   223  MENTOR::COTE         27-MAR-1986    39  Declawing?
   778   CADSE::LUBY         17-SEP-1987    34  declawing
   821  LAIDBK::RESKE         9-OCT-1987    10  Declawing: My Experience
  1074   MYVAX::LUBY         28-JAN-1988    19  Declawing  -  Positive Experiences ONLY   

    I would like to introduce my two cats O.J and Tigger!  O.J is four
    years old this month, and she is beautiful.  She is a long-haired
    orange kitty with white feet, legs, throat, nose, and tummy.  She
    looks *exactly* like the cat on the cover of Catmopolitan, I'm not
    sure what breed she is, if any one breed, as my brother got her
    for me for an early xmas present, he got her from a friend, of a
    friend, etc.  She was six weeks old when I got her and what a spaz!
    She has calmed down a lot though.  Her favorite things to do are
    sit in an open window, and chase bugs.  She is an indoor cat as
    our vet told us that is the best thing to do to keep them healthy.
    It's just as well, as she can be very stupid: she'd chase a bug
    into the middle of the street, stalk dogs, and get her beautiful
    long hair ruined!  She is very spoiled, so much so that she's gained
    an air of royalty, she can be affectionate but she likes it best
    when you come to her for affection!  She also likes to play chase
    and soccer with her ping-pong ball.
    
    Tigger is a three month old kitten.  He is all orange striped and
    has extra paws or "thumbs"  He got the name tigger because he is
    like a tiger cub!  He has huge ears, a very long tail, and humongous
    feet! just like a tiger cub! and he has the same markings too! 
    A more appropriate name may have been cubby... but Tigger stuck.
    Even when Tigger gets big he'll still look like a cub because of
    the cub-like big feet and markings.  We picked him up at a party
    in Lowell, his owners got drunk and let him out at only about a
    month old and then they went away and made him fend for himself
    in a dangerous neighborhood, so we picked him up.  He loves people
    and is *very* affectionate. a real lap cat he'll sit with whoever
    will let him and boy does he purr!!! he is so mellow that a little
    dog tried to attack him and I picked him up still purring like a
    motor boat!!  The only problem is he is teething so he bites
    everything! He also has an insaciable appetite and will eat his
    food, O.J's and then try to go for the trash!  He also likes to
    try to play with O.J but she doesn't always like to play with him!
         I thought O.J would kill the kitten because she's so spoiled!
    but when I brought him home she just hissed at him and appeared
    to be very curious.  Once in a while she strikes out at him but
    often he deserves it.  She also gets mean to him when we are giving
    him attention as she gets so jealous.  They are very different O.J
    is picky, she doesn't like most cat foods but she loves people food:
    fruit roll ups, cookies, ice cream etc.  O.J is also pretty quiet
    as she only mrrps once in a while such as when she comes to greet
    me when I get home, and Tigger purrs constantly and talks a lot.
        My boyfriend loves the cats... he kisses them just like I do
    and O.J likes to sit on his shoulders, Tigger likes to play with
    him.  
        Well, I guess that's it I could go on forever as I love them
    so much!! 
    
    Martha, James, O.J, and Tigger!

>    I would like to introduce my two cats O.J and Tigger!  O.J is four


Another OJ ???

wassit stand for ?

M.

        
        
        Has anyone else noticed that one  Siamese  just  isn't enough?
        We broke down over the holiday weekend  and picked up a little
        buddy for Tas (our 4-month-old Seal).  Our  new  baby  is  a 7
        week old Blue point female, and her name is  Jennifurr  -  Jen
        for short :^} She is *very* affectionate already - gives  nose
        kisses  and  everything!  Tas has decided to be a big  brother
        and  happily  curls  up with her in the cat bed.  Smudge,  our
        15-month old calico,  isn't  quite  so pleased, but we're sure
        she'll come around eventually.
        
        Sandy
        

    I have two wonderful cats that I love to brag about. I also have
    pictures of my two "sons" all over my office.
    
    The older cat I inherited in college when a friend had to get rid
    of him. Pippin came to live with me about 5 years ago when he was
    still a young kitten. He's a remarkable looking feline with long
    white hair, an orange tail and orange spots over each ear. He has
    big dark golden eyes. He is quite the talker too and has a comment
    for everything. He's very affectionate and loves to be made over.
    He also is very accepting of strangers (provided they shower him
    with affection) and it has been easy to introduce other animals
    into the house. His major idiosyncracy is his obsession with hair.
    He insists on daily "hair fixes" from anyone and everyone.
    
    My other cat is named Lestat after the main character in the book
    "The Vampire Lestat" by Anne Rice. (If you haven't read the book
    I highly recommend it). At any rate he is a little over a year and
    one massive cat. He looks like a feline version of a linebacker.
    He's only 13 pounds but he's very solid, almost bulky. He's a black
    and grey tiger stripe with white paws and a white chest. He has
    huge golden eyes. He's very mellow and laid back and doesn't say
    much unless he wants attention. He too is very friendly but a tad
    reserved in comparison to Pippin. He and Pippin are the best of
    buddies and are inseparable.
    
    Well I think that's enough bragging about my boys. I've enjoyed
    reading about other people's cats.
    

    Can it be that there is no note from Mary Tamir in here?  I saw
    a lovely puss who resembles Honey in a commercial, and I was wondering
    what kind of puss Honey is?
    

    My "boys" are called Merry and Pippin, aged 18 months.
    Merry (or Stripey-one to his friends) is the braver of the two, and is very
    determined about when meal-times are...like about every time I walk
    in the kitchen! His favourite place is tha arm of my chair, which I
    have to remember to keep clear - I've had to rescue the T.V. remote
    control several times from the bin which is next to the chair!
    
    Pippin (or Black-one, ditto) is Mummy's boy and a big coward.
    He makes no pretence at being brave. Mind you, he managed to bring
    a clothes-peg, screaming and kicking, through the cat-flap - Pips
    that is, not the clothes-peg!
                                                                      
     

    Since I've written in the file, finally, I expect that I should
    introduce my mob.  
    
    I support 5 at present:
    
    Nefertiti (b. 1975) "Teets", "Beautiful Cat" and 10**26 other
    nicknames.  Standard mackerel tabby, and the fastest cat in whatever
    part of the country we happen to be in!
    
    Anastasia (b. 1975) "Tasha", "Comfortable Cat", and a hundred more.
    Standard mackerel tabby and the ultimate sybarite. 
    
    Alexander (b. 1977) "Pig" (and variations).  Pale marmelade shorthair
    with some very faint tabby striping on his tail.  Nicknamed "Pig"
    mostly because of his grunting purr.  The neighborhood ambassador. 
    
    Elisabeth (b. ca. 1980-1?) "Skunk"  About 50/50 black and white
    shorthair.  So nicknamed mostly because of the rather dreadful smell
    she gave off while adjusting to regular meals in a protected
    environment.  She sheds so much that I swear I could build a couple
    more cats every year from it. 
    
    Anna (b. 1982)  "Dizzy", "Simple", and variations.  Half-siamese and
    *weird* from the marrow of her bones on out.  Hates my tin whistle
    playing and will come running over to bite me (though mostly not verrry
    hard) to get me to stop.
    
    
    And, dead now but by no means forgotten, the first of them all:
    Caractacus (1965(?) - 1983) "Carac"  "Handsome Cat" and a multitude of
    others.  Black longhair with some white on face, belly, and hands. What
    a *lovely* personality he had!  A very sociable person, relaxed and
    patient with the kittens, but a scourge to anyone --cat, Alsatian, or
    human!-- who tried to invade his territory or seemed to threaten his
    family.  I still miss him rather a lot. 
                             
    
    
    All except Diz were strays brought home by my kids as kittens (or in
    Skunk's case as probably a young cat, she was too emaciated for her age
    to be determined).  I myself took Diz in off the street, where her
    penchant for playing in the traffic would have brought her to a bad and
    very premature end (and still might <sigh>).
    
    						=maggie 

    Now that I've finally got my household to a manageable (?)
    number, I guess I'll introduce the ones that are left.
    
    George:  The 'old man' of the bunch, is about 6 years old.  He's
    mostly siamese and looks like a very LARGE siamese with stripes
    (and has the voice to match.)  He was found by some of the neighbor
    kids as a kitten... the woman who owned the mother dumped him
    on the street when he was about 6 weeks old and refused to take
    him back... so I adopted him.  He's very much the one-person cat
    (all mine seem to be... sigh...)
    
    Hobbes:  I've had Hobbes since (I think) May of this year... he
    was almost a year old when I got him.  He's a grey tabby, and
    takes after the cartoon Hobbes.  He spends all his spare time
    (when he's not stuffing his paws up my nose or trying to remove
    my arms with his tongue) tormenting George.
    
    Teaser:  One of the former feral kittens that I decided to keep
    (I would have kept them all, but my apartment just won't hold
    13 cats.)  He's hard to describe, color wise.  Sort of a mix of
    brown, orange, cream, white all blended together (very pretty.)
    He was the first one of the kittens to become tame... took all of
    about 2 hours!
    
    Gabriel:  The other former feral... I decided to keep one of the
    white ones because I miss Squirrel so much (Squirrel was my oldest
    cat... he died in May and I STILL miss him.)  Gabriel is almost
    all white, with orange ears and tail and blue eyes.  He's also going
    to be HUGE (he's almost twice the size of Teaser and is the same
    age.)  He was the meanest of the kittens and is now the most
    affectionate thing on earth.  I can't walk near him without ending
    up with a kitten perched on my shoulder or on my head.

    I suppose it's time to introduce my new addition.  His full name
    is Regulus Alpha Leo, Firecloud of Lothlorien, but we just call
    him Firecloud for short.  (Regulus is the brightest star in the
    constellation Leo.)  He's one of the three abandoned kittens mentioned
    in note 1707.  (I'm pleased to note that the other two have also
    been placed.)
    
    Firecloud is white, with an orange tail, an orange spot on his back
    just in front of his tail, an orange spot on the back of his head,
    and two smaller orange spots on his forehead.  If you stand behind
    him, looking down, it's almost as though he has a Mickey Mouse logo
    on the top of his head.  The name Firecloud is motivated by the
    orange on white colors.  He's really a beautiful kitten, if I do
    say so myself.
    
    He must be about seven weeks old now.  He's gained four ounces in
    the week since I've had him, and is up to one and a half pounds
    now.  It seems incredible to me, since he eats so much less than
    our adult cats, but then again, we do feed him more often.  He's
    an incredibly lively cat, running and bouncing all over the place.
    He loves to take the kitty tease in his mouth, and drag it to his
    designated spot.  It's fun watching this tiny kitten dragging a
    three foot length of string with a three foot fishing rod attached.
    We are going to try to train him to be friendly to guests, as opposed
    to the two older cats, who hide whenever a stranger is in the house.
    
    We introduced him to the other cats after he had a few days to adjust.
    After a while, Yuri let Firecloud get close enough to start playing
    tag, but after a few swats, I think Firecloud has learned not to
    pick on Yuri, at least not while Yuri's looking.  Valentina still
    hisses at Firecloud, but they have gotten close enough to sniff
    each other.  Firecloud seems to think that Valentina's tail is a
    kitty tease.  Once she gets a couple of good blows in, he should
    learn to treat his elders with some respect.  I fully expect all
    three to get along well once Firecloud outgrows his playfulness,
    though I believe the two older cats, who are littermates, will always
    be closer to each other than to the new kid.
    
       Gary

    I would like to introduce our new cat.
    
    Her name is Princess Char-Ming, of course we call her Ming. She
    is a Himalayan, six years old, spayed female. A breeder of Himmies
    had her and wanted to find a good home for her as she was being
    stressed by the younger cats in the cattery. We went down to look
    (had the cat carrier in the trunk of the car) and when we saw her
    fell in love at the first look.
    
    Ming has not missed one night sleeping with us. She is quiet, sort
    of small and a real lady. Mocha and she have not had a hiss or
    growl between them since we bought her home and opened the carrier.
    Mocha treats her like a real lady also. There are times she would
    like to play but he just sits or lays there and looks at her as
    if to say, "I'm not sure you should be doing this, so if I don't
    react you'll forget about it." Now maybe later this will change.
    They are a real gorgeous pair together. One certainly compliments
    the other.
    
    I now feel like our family is complete.
    
    Barbara

    Hi Barbara,
    
         I was just wondering if you purchased Princess Char-Ming from
    Mary Stenstrom in Littleton, her cattery name is Stoneystream
    Himalayans.  If so, I have one of her sons who is a little over
    a year old.  He is an absolutely gorgeous Sealpoint, we adore him,
    and he is just as good natured as his mom!  Small world....

    
    I have just begun to read this feline notes file and decided to
    introduce you all to our two loveable "monsters"!
    
    First in line is Constance (short for Constitution since we picked
    her up at the animal shelter on the anniversary of the Constitution).
    She is a gray one year old tiger with double paws.  Very friendly 
    only when she wants to be.   She has a tendency to sleep between
    my husband and I with her body under the blankets and her head sticking
    out (just like a human).
    
    Next and final is Snowflake.   We also picked her up from the animal
    shelter.  We felt Constance needed a companion during the day so
    off my husband and I went to the shelter.  The shelter attendant
    told us Snowflake was brought back to the shelter because she did
    not use the litter box.  Well, at first I was a little skeptical
    but she had already won my husband over with her loud purring so
    off we went with Snowflake.
    
    Of course this was the first time both my husband and I were in
    a situation with 2 cats and only 1 litter box and 1 set of food
    dishes.  The shelter attendant suggested we get another litter
    box and another set of dishes.  Well, of course I wasn't for that
    since we did not have any other room for another litter box let
    alone another cat dish so we took a chance.  To make a long story
    short, Snowflake was diligent in using the litter box (we think
    she was abused and decided to get back at her owners by not using
    the litter box) and both share the food dishes with no problems.
    
    I am enjoying this notes file tremendously especially all of the
    little quirks of cat life.
    
    SD
    wants to be.  

I would like to introduce Max.

Max is a 5 year old orange and white fellow, quite a nice guy.  He lived with 
us in Jamestown NY, but then moved in with our friends while we moved to 
Massachusetts.  Max came up to Mass. on Friday and loves the area.  He just 
wanted to say hi to everyone and he says that he is glad to be here.

He is eyeing this Rainbow suspiciously, so I will let him leave his mark by 
letting him type:


       jkl

See ya round the notes:

John & Max

    Ellie/Elly/Ally/Allie - depending on who is writing to us about
    her.
    
    She's nearly a year old now and is a Tabby with a light ginger stomach.
    
    She's our temporary child substitute and so gets fussed over a bit.  
    
    Bruce,(husband) is always trying to get her to sleep on our bed.
     He will even wake her up and bring her in.  Last week he even shut
    the door so she couldn't get out so she'd have to sleep on the bed.
    Needless to say she did not sleep on the bed but on a rug on the
    floor.  Every time she does something new we're saying "look at
    that"  "isn't she wonderful" etc.  We're pretty keen on her.
    
    Sue

    Well since I've been reading this file since I obtained my cat, I think
    it's time that I introduced her to everyone.
    
    Snorkel is a female, spayed, declawed, shorthaired, cat.  She's mostly
    black with copper scattered here and there.  She has a white bib
    and boots and a brown mustache and black gautee (pretty strange
    for being a female cat!) ;^)  She's two years old and I just got
    her about two months ago (she was advertised in CLASSIFIED_ADS).
    
    She loves to walk around my feet when she's hungry.  She also likes
    to play fetch.  She'll bring you her ball and she'll drop it at
    your feet wanting you to throw it so she can chase it.  She sleeps
    with me every night, right at my feet.
    
    She's a lot of fun.  I'm glad I decided to give her a good home.
    
    Lori (Snorkel's mom)
    

    Oh heavens!! I've been reading this file and just realized that
    I never introduced poor Charm!!!  She'll never forgive me!  Charm
    is a 7 year old Seal point Siamese that I adopted last March.  At
    the time, Charm had an interest in being an only cat.  The other
    four cats in the house would go outside, and Charm wouldn't let
    them back in the cat door.  She adjusted well to Niniane, however,
    and now they are the best of friends.  Charm is a talker, and will
    never miss an opportunity to tell you how she feels, or that she
    is hungry.  Especially that she is hungry.  Charm weighs in at about
    14 lbs.  She is affectionately known as "Little Tub O'Lard" or simply
    "Tubby".  Charm loves to be petted, but not necessarily to be held.
    Her favorite thing is to have her tail pulled (not hard).  You tug
    on her tail and she flops over and you have to rub her tummy.  She
    sort of looks like a wind-up toy when she does it.  It amuses the
    guests to no end.  Charm is jumpy though, and hates to be scolded.
    If I say "no!" to Niniane, Charm runs down to the basement.  If
    I say "no!" to Charm, she runs down to the basement and stays there
    for several hours.  She embarasses pretty easily.  She is a very
    good kitty.  Her only vice is the kitchen counters.  If you leave
    food on the counter and leave the room, Charm will jump up on the
    counter and eat it.  It's amazing how quiet a 14 LB cat can be when
    she wants to.  She is affectionate, though and will jump into your
    lap or rub your ankles when she wants to be petted.  She's a real
    kitty-love!!!!
    
    Mary-Michael

    


    Well, now that I've written my own note about "our girls", I guess
    I'd better introduce them.
    
    My SO, who was NOT a cat lover, got me Melody last winter for my
    birthday.  She was 9 months old at the time, from the Humane
    Society and is a brown tiger.  Boy was she skinny when we got
    her and very skittish.  Now she is pleasingly plump (the vet says
    not though) and still skittish about strangers, sudden or strange
    noises and especially doorbells or knocks (since she doesn't know
    who is about to enter).  Mel became a real "mama's kitty" right
    away--my constant companion.  She would sit on the side of the
    tub while I was in the shower and talk to me.  In fact, she is
    one of the most talkingist kitties I've ever known.  She has 
    different sounds for different things--hungry, want to be petted,
    is stalking a bug, etc.  She is also the most purringist of the
    bunch.
    
    After deciding that Melody wasn't so bad and in order to save
    his plants which were suffering greatly, my SO decided that
    maybe we should get a kitten to keep Mel company.  His secretary
    wanted one too so off he (and his 4 kids) went to chose 2 kittens
    from a friend.
    
    Enter Brittany.  Brittany (now 6 months) is a very petite gray
    tiger with huge eyes.  My mom says that she looks like she is
    looking for something to get into and that is exactly right.
    This one never stops until she drops.  Not only that but, if she
    can't get at or into what she wants, she will start crying and
    crying.  The first time this happened, I thought a crisis was
    occuring.  Brittany is the one who discovered Q-tips.  She found
    out where they were kept and wanted them ALL.  She is even constantly
    tipping over wastebaskets to see if she can find any.  Brittany
    has made Bruce a total cat lover.  She is "his" kitty and he keeps
    telling me how adorable she is.
    
    The kitten we picked out for Bruce's secretary was charcoal gray
    with tiger faintly seen underneath, especially on her tail.  
    Because it was a Sunday, this kitten was with us a whole day--long
    enough to win our hearts.  (Of course, we couldn't separate her
    and Brittany!)  So, Melissa got to stay too!  Missy is our mellow
    kitty.  You can pick her up and cradle her like a baby and she
    will fall asleep.  She has big yellow eyes and is going to be a
    big cat, I think.  Because Brittany is the one into everything,
    Missy gets away with a lot.  We were sure it was Brit pulling
    the spider plants apart until I caught Missy in the act or 
    (oops, of) acrobatically leaping up at the plant.
    
    All 3 kitties are attached primarily to me (even though Brit is
    a "daddy's girl") and follow me around the house.  Of course,
    guess who feeds them and talks to them and cleans their box?
    They all love the bathroom and I can have up to 3 now sitting
    on the side of the tub during showers.  They love checking out
    the water from faucets, inside the cupboards, and trying to roll
    up the bath mat.
    
    They also love stalking bugs--it's a riot--and being indoor kitties,
    that's all they get to stalk except each other.  
    
    I must mention the other two kitties who played a big part in my
    life:
    
    Smokey:  Was my parent's cat when I was born.  He slept in my 
             crib, carriage and joined me in the playpen.  My mom
             says that he trailed me like a dog when we were 
             outdoors.  Was it any wonder that my 2nd word was "ki-ki"?
             He died when I was 4--one of the great tragedies of my
             life.  It is because of him that cats are one of the
             absolute most favorites things in my life.
    
    Muffin:  (Muffy).  We got Muff when I was 7 and he lived almost
             20 years.  He got me through my adolescence (that cat
             had so many tears cried on him).  He was adored by our
             whole family and is still missed greatly (6 years later).
             He was a tiger who although gray, looked a lot like my
             Melody--in fact, Mel gets called Muffy a lot, especially
             if I am half asleep!  Did you ever see that TV commercial
             where the girl comes home from college and "Muffin" meets
             her at the door?  It always choked me up cause that was
             like our Muffy.
    
    So, that's our kitty family.  (I envy those of you with even more
    kitties, but Bruce says that 3 is the absolute limit--even if he
    does love cats now, too.)
    
    It's been so much fun reading about everyone's kitties--I love
    this file!
    
    Barbara

    Pooky thats adorable - one of my cats is Spooky but all I call her
    is Pook - I also have to others a mom and daughter Smokey (mom)
    and Smudge (daughter)  she was so homely when she was born we kept
    her cause we figured no one else would want her - I could never
    part with either of them. 
    

    Well, since the cat population in our house has suddenly increased
    dramatically, perhaps I should introduce the rest of my brood. 
    Problem is, I can't remember who has been introduced and who has
    not.  I will just have to take a stab at it and hope none of the
    cats get their feelings hurt if I happen to leave one of them out.
    
    I don't think that Lyscentia or Laci have ever been formerly
    introduced.  Lyscentia is a sealpoint Birman female who was born
    on January 31st, 1988.  She is the daughter of Joui and her east
    coast beau.  She was named because of her "licentious" personality
    (and the L year, of course).  She is always getting into something,
    and whenever we hear a crash of bang, we find her right in the middle
    of it.  She is extremely affectionate, spending all of her time
    chasing Ken and I around the house, begging to be held and cooed
    over.  She is also very vocal for a Birman.  Ken says that if we
    have another like her in one of our upcoming litters, he will insist
    it be named "Loud Speaker".
    
    Laci is also a sealpoint Birman female.  I fell in love with her
    at the Birman show in Medina last August and just had to bring her
    home with me.  She was born March 31, 1988 and she and Lyscentia
    are the best of buddies.  She loves to lick a nice soft spot on
    your neck and then give you little nip.  Her nickname is Vampira.
    She is a real show off and usually has a croud around our benching
    cage whenever I take her to a show.
    
    Kaitlin has had a rough time of it lately, but we are working on
    settling her in.  She was bred by a friend of mine named Sheri 
    (Joui and Kyrielle's breeder), and sold to a wonderful home about
    a year and a half ago.  In September, her owner called Sheri and
    shared the tragic news that she was dying of cancer and wanted to
    find a good home for Kaitlin.  Sheri arranged to take Kaitlin back.
    Kaitlin was in season so Sheri decided to breed her since she was
    a very nice bluepoint.  Then Sheri found out that she was being
    transfered to Hawaii where there is a strict four month quarantine
    of all animals.  Kaitlin came to me two weeks ago and we are getting
    along fine.  She is a little stressed by all the changes in her
    life but she is adjusting very well.  Her litter is due in two weeks
    and I am confident that together she and I will have no problems
    with her delivery.  She is very sweet, but not too happy about living
    with all those sealpoints.  (it is tough being a minority)
    
    Magda is the last of my new girls to be introduced.  She is about
    five months old, another sealpoint female Birman (I have a thing
    for sealpoint Birmans if you haven't noticed.)  She was sent to
    me with Kaitlin since Sheri can't bear to put any of her cats through
    four months of quarantine.  Madga is adorable.  She has the most
    glorious coat I have ever seen on a Birman.  It literally touches
    the ground.  She has more ruff than Kalliste!  She has won us over
    already, jumping right up onto the bed the first night home and
    sleeping with us.  The other cats had no trouble accepting her since
    she could care less whether they like her or not.  She is happy
    go lucky and not affected at all by their initial hissing.
    
    Well, I think that brings us up to date.  
    
    Jo
    
    The Inn is Full, The Inn is Full, The Inn is Full

    
       I just found this notes file and I thought I'd introduce all
    of my cat children.
    
       Sugar is about 6 yrs. old I found her scraggly and starving in
    Longmont Co. on a hot Aug. day. She was so hungry she ate 2 rootbeer
    frostys! Because I love animals so much I couldn't leave her. I've
    had Sugar for 5 yrs., she is very healthy now weighing in at over
    12 lbs. she is a longhaired silver tabby with green eyes and she
    is proud of her beautiful tail! Sugar likes to sun herself in the
    greenhouse window and she is a very good watch cat! Sugar likes
    to attack Blackjack's tail when hwe walks by.
    
       Blackjack is about 3 yrs. old, Bob's dad found him downtown and
    brought him home to us. He is a very loving and vocal child! He
    is black with short hair and green eyes. He loves everyone! He
    also likes the greenhouse window. Blackjack's favorite toy is the
    plastic ring off gallon milk jugs. Blackjack weighs in at 12 lbs.
    
       Kattrina is our 2 1/2 yr. old manx. She is a short haired silver
    tabby in color with yellow eyes. She looks a lot like a domesticated
    ossie cat. She is a junk-food-aholic, I have to put everything away
    because she'll eat anything and everything! I have found that Manx
    cats are very loving and vocal to a degree and they purr extremely
    loud!
    
        last but not least our newest addition.
    
       Kilo is our 3 month old manx. He is a sealpoint color with long
    hair and blue eyes and the cutest manx stub tail I've ever seen!
    Kilo is also a junk-food-aholic ( Manx must be like this??) He is
    Kattrina no tails arranged husband. When we brought Kilo home the
    hissing and spitting  growling etc. went on for about 4-5 days,
    now everyone gets along fine. We can't wait for our cat grandchildren!
                                                     
    Linda_Bob_Sugar_kattrina_Blackjack_Kilo
    
    
    
    beautiful tail and long hair. She is "Queen" of the rest of our  
    
    cat family

    I know that this isn't the place but I wanted to bring up something
    I think is important for Linda to know.
    
    The gene that causes manx cats to have no tail is sometimes refered
    to as a lethal gene.  In some instances, breeding two tailless cats
    can cause genetic deformities in the offspring and even death of
    the unborn kittens.
    
    I am not a manx breeder, but it might be worthwhile to consult with
    the breeder of your cats, or if they are not purebred, consult with
    a manx breeder or geneticist who can tell you what your chances
    are of having a safe pregnancy, delivery, and healthy kittens.
    
    I am not trying to be an alarmist, I would just hate for you to
    go through this if you aren't aware of the potential problems involved.
    
    Jo

    re: 239
    
    I agree with Jo - when you breed a cat that carries a genetic
    defect, for example Scottish Folds, you must breed one of the
    cats to one that does not carry the defective gene.  That's
    why breeder breed a straight-ear fold to a folded-ear Fold.
    Otherwise, they are sometimes born with no spines, tail problems,
    etc.  Check with your breeder for important details that I can't
    provide.
    
    E.T.

    re: 239 & 240
    
    Good thoughts. Years ago I decided I wanted to come up with a grey
    long-haired (Teddy Bear) hamster ...and started by breeding grey
    short-hairs to other color long hairs.  Worked fine until the second
    generation when I tried to breed the offspring of that breeding
    back to other greys.  After loosing some hamsters I sent to the
    Boston Library for reprints of work that had been done on hamster
    breeding and found out there was a "lethal grey factor" of which
    I had been unaware.  That cancelled that project!  ...A few years
    later I started seeing the grey long-hairs in pet shops. I talked
    to a few breeders to see how they came up with them.  Simple.....
    they bred white to black and got the dilute grey!
    
    Linda   who's_still_learnin'
                                                                   

    It is now time to introduce my two newest additions to the brood.
    
    Lacey "Boogie" is a silver tabby.  She has one of the nicest
    personalities on a cat that I've ever run across.  Boogie doesn't
    mew, she squeaks.  She's friendly, affectionate and never takes a
    bad picture.  She adjusted to her new home in about fifteen minutes
    and is not quite comfy!  She can jump nearly five feet in the air
    from a standing start, and uses this to her advantage, by jumping
    on top of the fridge, on top of the cabinets, anywhere high up.
    "No" does not exist for Boogie.  She moves so fast that by the time
    you say, "No" she's already gone!!!  She and Niniane are quickly
    becoming great pals.  They are chasing each other around the house
    after only a few days together.  Boogie loves laps, and likes to
    ride around on your shoulders, nuzzling your ear.
    
    Dream is a white oriental shorthair.  She has Siamese bone structure,
    Siamese cry, Siamese brain cells and beautiful blue Siamese eyes.  
    She also has a slight weight problem.  So those tiny little legs 
    hold up a belly that current nearly trails on the floor! She's just 
    started coming out of her shell last night, and is already asserting 
    herself with the other cats.  She and Charm are battling it out for 
    the "queen of the roost" award.  It's kind of funny to watch.  One of 
    them will do some act of "kitty bravery" ie, attacking the scratching 
    post and fiercely clawing with four paws, all the time looking at the 
    other as if to say, "See what I can do?  Top that!!!"  
    
    Christmas will be lots of fun with all these kitties around to keep
    us laughing!
    
    Mary-Michael  

    We have a new baby, got her last night. Her name is Jezebel. When
    I looked into the box she was in all you could see was these big
    yellow eyes and the song betty davis eyes popped into my head, for
    you younger feliners out there, Betty Davis played in a movie called
    Jezebel(showing my age). Any way she is at least part Russian Blue
    if not all and of course she is completely gray. This is the coolest
    cat I have ever seen. I have this pekeneese who is not fond of cats,
    took us over a weeek to get her and kitty to be friends. Well any
    way
    Toto starting yapping at Jezebel and she was growling and this fool
    dog just kept yapping and Jezebel got sick of it got up and walked
    right past Toto and than turned around as if to say what are you
    barking at you fool! I don't see how anyone could leave such a
    beautiful cat (or any cat for that matter) out in the woods. She
    slept on the end of our bed all night. My husband says when she
    purrs she sounds like a trible(sp) Star trek animal. The only thing
    that bothers me is she hasn't eaten anything except a few little
    pices of chicken of my fingers. My husband thinks it is just that
    she is a little nervous about her surrondings, what do you people
    think? The people that had found her had taken her to the vets and
    she got her shots and medicine for mites and worms. I gave her her
    worm pill this morning, she was so good she gave me no problem at
    all. My husband only complaint is that now he is stuck with 3 crazy
    females.
    
    Jan -- kitty --- toto ---jezebel
    

    Hi - Just started reading this file and thought I would introduce
    my little puss...
    
    Louie is an orange tiger cat that came to my home 6 years ago this
    Christmas Eve.  I live in a very remote wooded area and about 3
    days before Christmas Eve he was in my front yard about midnight,
    but would not come near me.  Then on X-Mas Eve when I had the whole
    family over for a party, there was Louie crying in the window to
    be let in.  So of course we let him in, fed him milk, meatballs,
    chicken (and whatever hor'doerves we had) -- he was starving and
    sooooo skinny!!!  He must have been out in the woods for days. 
    Well after stuffing his fat little face he promptly hopped onto
    the bed and never left!!!  What a great present!!  I had grown up
    with cats but my husband didn't and wasn't too sure about Louie,
    but now of course he is his baby.  And what a character too !  I
    will be entering notes about his little escapes in this file, but
    as X-Mas approaches, it always reminds of my best gift ever!!
    (P.s. - we did try to see if he had an owner but to no avail - thank
    goodness for us!)
    
    Judie
    

    Oops - in my previous note, I meant to say that I would write about
    Louie's "escapades" not ecapes!  He's got the life of Riley and
    certainly is not about to escape.
    
    

    Time to reintroduce my brood, too.
    
    Last Tuesday, we drove to New Jersey and picked up our two new
    additions.  Introducing:
    
    Kelsey
    ------
    Sealpoint male Ragdoll, 3 months old
    
    Shelby
    ------
    Bluepoint male Ragdoll, 3 months old
    
    Kelsey and Shelby are brothers.  They are beautiful kittens, very
    playful, alert, and well-mannered.  They took over the house the
    minute we arrived and haven't stopped since.  Whoever wrote the
    book on Ragdolls was right!  They follow us from room to room, sleep
    with us at night, and cry to be put on the counter while I'm fixing
    dinner!!  They are getting away with murder and loving every minute
    of it.  They have chosen my fiance as their person, sleep on his
    side of the bed, and cuddle with him on the couch.  Needless to
    say, they have won him over immensly, especially Shelby, who purrs
    if you just look at him.  I couldn't be more pleased with the
    adjustment they've made.  They eat like horses and the vet says
    they should grow to be at least 18-20 lbs.  Chauncey and Nikki hate
    them, but I expected that.  It's been a week, and the swatting has
    stopped, but not the hissing.  Those kittens are fearless, though,
    and stand right up to the cats.  They love the vaccuum cleaner,
    too.  It's been a long time since I've had kittens and it will be
    fun to watch them grow up.  Right now, they are so busy thundering
    around the house, that laps are the last thing they're interested
    in.  We're hoping that as they get older and more mellow, they'll
    want to snuggle up in our laps.  They like to be with us, cuddling
    up next to us, but not on us.  They love to be kissed and petted
    and we haven't stopped doing that since we got them home!!
    
    And a re-introduction so they don't feel left out:
    
    Chauncey
    --------
    White domestic longhair with green eyes, 15 lbs., and Grand-Poobah
    of the household.  He's very independent and sometimes anti-social,
    but I couldn't imagine life without him.
    
    Nikki
    -----
    Black domestic longhair with green eyes, 14 lbs.  Nikki is in a real
    snit over the kittens.  He spends his days wandering around the house
    muttering to himself.  I have been spending a lot of extra time
    with him, brushing him, petting him, etc., but he's still holding
    a grudge.  I miss having his face in mine at night when he wants
    attention.  Nikki will always be my favorite cat.  He's always been
    mommy's little lap cat but lately, he prefers to be alone.  I know
    his mood will pass so I'm just letting him ride it out for now.
    
    Tabby Kitty
    -----------
    Tabby comes and goes as he pleases.  He still prefers to be outside
    but takes shelter with us in the bad weather, like the horrible
    rains we had a few weeks ago.  He's another lap cat and is very
    good with the kittens.  I expect to be seeing a lot more of him
    this winter, but for now, he's content to eat his meals and leave.
    He still has that horrible yowl, but it's a lot quieter now.  Tabby
    Kitty (who needs a better name), is tabby and white with a bi-color
    face.
    
    Daddy Kitty
    -----------
    He's my last feral cat (hopefully!) who will probably never be tamed,
    but is a regular at our deck for food.  He comes up to the window
    and peeks in to let me know he wants dinner, then runs and hides
    in the bushes until I come out with the plate.  Once I'm back inside,
    he comes out and eats.  He's filling out nicely and developing a
    good winter coat.  Daddy Kitty is an all black shorthair and looks
    like a panther.
    
    
    Well, that's it.  I'm at cat-max (for now anyway!).
    
    /Roberta (who lives with a houseful of men!)
    

    The kittens love the vacuum cleaner?  Their hearing is okay?
    

    re: vacuuming.
    
    I have 2 or 3 that could care less if the vac is on or off.  Seeing
    that it's on A LOT, guess they are used to hearing the noise.  They
    aren't deaf.  I guess they have figured out that it doesn't touch
    them or hurt them, so they say, so what.
    
    E.T.

    Oh, they can hear just fine.  It's funny how they don't mind the
    vaccuum cleaner but if you shout, NO! when they're clawing the
    furniture, they head for the hills!!  I think the pushing of the
    vaccuum back and forth left them very curious.  They are learning
    to use the scratching box now and have gone to town on it a few
    times already.
    
    Chauncey could care less about the vaccuum cleaner also.  He looks
    at me as if to say, mother, you are disturbing my rest; please stop.
    
    /Roberta
    

    It is with great joy that I announce the arrival of Lovey (reg.
    name pending)! Lovey is the sealpoint Birman female kitten that
    I have been searching for these past several months. She arrived
    at Logan at 4 yesterday, walking out of her carrier and into our
    hearts! It took all of two minutes for those luscious blue eyes
    to convince us that she was that very special kitten we had been
    looking for. She promptly tucked her head in under my chin, purred
    for a while ...and went to sleep. She's got to be about the sweetest
    thing I've ever seen!
    
    Our deepest thanks go out to Jo Ann Cordes-Brown for her help and
    endless patience. It was through her efforts that we were able to
    find a kitten from the line (pedigree) we wanted from someone who
    was willing to take a chance on placing her with a novice.
    
    Showing Lovey will be a new experiece for me and I am looking forward
    to "learning the ropes" and sharing in the enjoyment (and frustrations)
    that you other "Feline" show goers have experienced. We're going
    to be starting from scratch so any advice or suggestions will be
    most appreciated!
    
    I'm hoping that Lovey will have a companion very soon and our second
    Birman kitten will become a part of the family.  I've been told
    that it takes about one year to really bond with a horse. Does
    about an hour and a half make sense with a kitten?
    
    Linda
    
    

    re:250
    
    YUP!  Sometimes one second!

    re: .248, .249
    
    My first cat, a blue point Siamese called Lucky, liked nothing better
    than to be vaccuumed.  She would sprawl out in front of my mother
    and the vaccuum cleaner and not move until my mother put the dusting
    attachment on and gave her a nice vaccuum!  She would roll over
    when she thought one side was done and have Mom do the other! Certainly
    cut down on the cat hair!  I had the only cat on the block that
    was vaccuumed twice a week!
    
    Mary-Michael

    Time to introduce the kids!
    
    Kitty:  YES his name is KITTY.  He is my first and oldest cat now
    	    going on 5 years.  There is a breed of cat in my cat book
            that may be what he is, but I can't remember the name. 
            He is a VERY VERY LARGE cat with long white hair and light
            blue eyes.  His ears are a darker cream color as are his
            tail and feet from the ankles down.  His alias is FATSO
            because this cat is the biggest fur ball I have ever
            seen!  He eats anything, even mushrooms!  Kitty was born
            in a horse barn and when he was 3 weeks old fell out
            of the barn and bent his little tail and ear.  We took
            him home and nursed him and now look what happend!
    
   Peanut:  Peanut is a very finicky and very small cat.  She is going
            on three years.  She just has to have pets in the morning!
            The rest of the day, you will probably only catch a glimps
            at her. We think she must have been the runt in her litter.
            She has the look of a Main Coon except she has white feet
            and a white nose.  She has what we call MUCK-A-LUCKS on
            her feet.  She has the longest hair growing between her
            toes!  We adopted her from the pound.  When we brought
            her home she got so sick and almost died.  She is our
            expensive kitten!
    
    O.C.    O.C. stands for Outside Cat.  She adopted me.  She is a
            stray that was hanging around the house.  I started 
            feeding her and well.. the rest is history.  I have to
            say though that she is the most affectionate cat I have
            ever met.  All I can say is that she appreciates a
            loving home which she didn't have for some time!  
    
    Last but not least, the newest addition:
    
    Bear:   This notes file has made me think that I can save one more
            life!  So the day after thanksgiving, we went to the pound
            and got a 5 month old kitten left for adoption.  He is
            something.  We tried to get the ugliest kitten we could
            find, one that we knew wouldn't get adopted otherwise. He
            is so goofy looking he is just precious!  He is a smokey
            color with long hair and brown eyes.  He has the sniffles
            and we are treating him for upper-respiratory infection
            but does this cat love to play!  We get no sleep because
            he plays attack the killer toes and 2am!
    
    We love them all and may get another soon.  I would save as many
    as my house could hold, but space is getting to be a premium.  I
    look forward to sharing our stories with all of you wonderful
    feliners!
    
    Bye for now!
         

Tsunami and I are new to this file, so here I am to introduce Nami.
Nami is 7 months old and so far is living up to her name.
	(Tsunami = Tidal Wave)

She is a beautiful(no bias) black and brown tabby with a white chest, 
stomach, and paws.  

She eats anything and everything including pickle, peach, spaghetti, and
loves strawberry ice cream.

Her favorite toy is the plastic ring that comes off of frozen juice
containers.  Her favorite game is bringing this ring to me to throw over
and over and over...........
My favorite game is when she  chases and stalks me through my apartment 
then runs when I turn and see her.  Of course I chase her back.
She also enjoys laying on top of her scratch post trying to catch her
fluff ball that I throw to her over and over and over.........

Nami is inside only.  I couldn't bear to let this innocent litte terror
out to fend for herself in the "wilds".  Most of my fears stem from my
father who use to kill cats that came into his yard (peoples' pets!). (I
don't want to discuss it.)

Nami is my first cat.  I got her after I lost my dog of 13 years and decided
that my lifestyle was too hard for a dog.  Nami sure didn't replace my dog
but she makes it easier and I love her.

- Becky and Tsunami

    I guess it's about time I introduce my family. I've been following
    this conference for a few months already, but not writing very often.
    
    Fluffy is the oldest girl. She's almost four years old and she's
    faaaat! She was very sick last year (I think my father said it was
    cystitis) and we didn't expect her to live through last winter without
    the operation that we couldn't pay for. By some miracle, she recovered
    100%! 
    
    She is usually a very quiet kitty with a sweet disposition. She
    (and all our others) is an indoor/outdoor cat who needs to be watched
    all the time she is indoors because of her constant kneading and
    *sharp* claws. I am constantly covered with little pin-prick scratches
    from the times I hold her or she sits on my lap happily pulling
    my skin to shreds.
    
    She is an orange and some white striped cat (mostly her stripes
    are just light and dark orange) with short hair. I never even heard
    her meow once until I brought home Norman.
    
    
    Norman (Bates) must be part Siamese. He is all light orange with
    some subtle strip-like shading and he is very vocal and demanding.
    He seems to have taught Fluffy how to use her voice!
    
    Normie is just over a year old. He is the friendliest cat I have
    ever known. He waits for me to come home everynight, and when I
    get there he jumps on the hood of my car, puts his feet on the window
    and says hello a few times. When I open the door, he climbs over
    the doorframe and onto my lap before I have a chance to move.
    
    When Norman wants to come in, he will walk around the house until
    he figures out what room I'm in and then he'll sit there and
    MewROOOOOOOOOOOOOOWR until I come and get him. When he finally gets
    in, he'll sit by the refrigerator and do the same thing until he
    gets his milk. Everytime he comes in. He can come in at 3, have
    milk, go outside, and come back in at 3:15 and have to help milk
    again. I have learned to give him very small portions, because he
    just will not stop drinking it. 
    
    Norman is my special cat. I just graduated college this spring,
    and all my senior year Norman and I had an apartment to ourselves.
    He was an indoor cat then, constantly trying to get out, and the
    best and most consistant friend I had all year.
    
    
    Opus is about 5 months old now, and living with my boyfriend in
    Portland, ME. Opus is black and white splotched all over. She is
    finally healthy and doesn't hide from us any more. I have a habit
    of needing new things in my life everyfall--it's known in my house
    as Michelle's time for drastic changes. For the last two years,
    I've needed kittens. This year I was living at home and Mom said
    that we already had enough cats--so I convinced my boyfriend that
    he needed a kitten. 
    
    I haven't really figured out Opus' personality yet, but she follows
    my boyfriend around from room to room, likes to sleep on his face
    and play with his computer--just when he almost has whatever he's
    working on perfect. This morning, she killed three hours or work
    by stepping on the power switch and turning off the computer. 
    
    My boyfriend thinks that Opus will eventually learn not to do those
    things, but more likely my boyfriend will have to learn to be more
    careful!!
    
    
    And lastly, the future edition to the family, is Cloud.
    
    I will be picking Cloud up on Sunday to give her a home. I saw her
    a week ago and needed time to convice my family that we really did
    need another cat. Cloud looks like she is about 3-4 months old.
    She is mostly white with gray ears and tail and two spots on her
    back. She was brought up as an outdoor cat along with a family of
    ten cats and three kittens. The owner died, so a neighbor took them
    all in and has been trying to place them.
    
    I've been told that she is very affectionate once she gets to know
    you. Last weekend she let me pat her, but not pick her up. Hopefully
    she will get used to me quickly.
    
    
    Cloud is going to be a replacement for my princess, Taffetta, who
    died three weeks ago. She was a beatiful pale, pale orange angora.
    At six pounds and the smallest of our cats she was the queen of
    the household. She was a hunter with many rewards for the family.
    She even taught Norman to hunt when he moved in! She was hit by
    a car. Enough said.
    
    So there is my family, probably growing more when the spring comes
    (if I have any say about it)
    
    Michelle who_loves_ALL_of_her_cats_or_anyone_else's_that_she_meets!

    Well, I too have being following these notes on cats for sometime
    and have just now decided to join.
    
    My family consists of only two (but at 4:00 in the morning) it sounds
    like 10.
    
    Rufas - My persian/Hein 57 female.  The lady of the house.  She
    rarely neows, never scratches furniture (only her scratching chair)
    dosn't scratch people, ...all in all purrfect.  She was our first
    cat, and when we got her she was so sick and infected with ear mites
    I thought for sure she would grow up deaf...she didn't.  I just
    love her to bits.  Every morning and every evening I pick her up
    and give her a big squeeze...she just looks at me and says "Ah MoM!
                    
    Rambo - (alias Rodeo Ralph, Pencil Neck) Siamese/Heinz 57.  What
    a cat!  We got him when he was four weeks old and his mother was
    killed.  I nursed him on baby food and he slept in our bed under
    the covers on my husband's stomach until he was 6 months old...
    come to think of it...he still does.
    
    He chases vegetables around the house and hides them.  Plays
    with stereo stands, constantly want to be petted, purrs constants,
    doesn't scratch.  His only down fall however, is that he thinks
    Rufas is his harem and needs to be herded all the time...hence the
    name Rodeo Ralph.  He also has a one cat rodeo every night around
    11:00 just when we go to bed.  He has developed his own obstacle
    course around the house...I guess a kitty 20 minute work out.  
    Neither cat goes outside. 
                              
    
    Speaking of bed, my husband and I share a queen size waterbed with
    these two.  They always sleep right between us.  Looks like it will
    be a while until I have children if they have their way.  The two
    of them always meet us at the door when we come home, and follow
    us around the house and assist us in whatever chore might come along
    ...their theory is that 4 minds are better than 2.
    
    Anyways I love them both and our life would be lonely without either
    of them.  We think of getting another one, however our waterbed
    is not big enough.
    
    P.S.  Karen from note .253...are you the same Karen in Pet_Birds
    notes conference?
    
    P.S.S.  My name is Shelley Pedersen and I live in Calgary, Alberta
    Canada. DTN 637-4427. 

    re: 256
    
    Hi Shelley,
    
    Yes it is I!  
    
    Karen_who_has_4_cats_1_dalmation_29_birds_2_rabbits_and_1_horse_and
    _wants_more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I have only been reading this notes file for a short while and have
    been dying to say something about my babies.  I guess now is as
    good a time as ever.
    
    NIKKI  5 years old, 20# spoiled "puppy". I've had him since he was
    a "TINY" kitten (If you ever saw him, you would never believe that
    he was ever small). My husband gave him the title of "puppy". He is 
    extremely finicky and the biggest brat you've ever met. He doesn't 
    play much because he is too lazy (I think it has to do with him 
    being fat). He loves to be petted when he wants to be and he makes
    the rules. Among all other things, he is the most beautiful cat
    I have ever seen. He is black/grey and white with BIG green eyes.
    
    NAOMI  5 months old, sly and a loner. She was a sort of "house warming"
    gift. Like all kittens, she is extremely playful, which doesn't
    please Nikki too much. She is charcoal grey so she is good at being 
    nasty in dark places. She is very friendly and loves to sleep on
    your lap if you are watching T.V. She loves to eat (especially if
    it's Nikki's food and it is different from her's).
    
    LYN  5 months old, dependant and "daddy's little girl". Lyn is a
    Lynx Point (some sort of siamese cross) with beautiful blue eyes.
    She love daddy so much that he cannot stand her sometimes. She gets
    up on my husbands shoulder and "paws" his hair as if she was making
    a nest. She does this whenever he is sitting on the couch watching
    T.V. We have to shut all three of them out of the bedroom at night
    because of her. She doesn't let us get any sleep at all. Along with
    being "daddy's little girl, she loves Nikki to death. She does the
    same pawing routine on Nikki's stomache that she does on daddy's.
    
    This is my family. They are very special to my husband and I and
    we are very thankful for their entertaining and loving company.
    
    
      Carina
       Nikki
        Naomi
         Lyn  

Well, I guess I should also introduce my cats.  Currently, 
I have three.  (Limit according to my husband is four, but
I'm still suffering from the "introduce new kitten to the
house" syndrome.  Anyway, current residents are:

PC (Personal Cat) - Short haired all-white male with pale 
green eyes.  Tries to act macho when outside, doesn't like
to be held or petted, but turns into a complete wimp inside.
A true inside the house lap-cat.

XT (Extra Trouble) - Sister of PC.  An all black long haired
cat who is VERY lazy.  Nicknamed hoover for her attitude around
the food bowl.  Loves to be held all the time, inside or out.

Sargent - My newest addition.  Sargent is a male orange tiger
cat who is currently five months old.  He is going to be big
when full grown.  Sargent isn't a lap cat, but is a real purr-er.
Purr's constantly when you pick him up.

After three months, we still have an armed truce going on in 
the house, but most of the problem is with Sargent.  He is just
going through kittenhood at the moment - wants to play and get
into everything.  Hopefully he'll slow down next month when
he can get neutered.

(By the way, they get along alot better when they don't think
I'm watching so I have high hopes for the future).

From Southern California,

Linda

    This is great!
       My husband, Jack Cunniff (who works at the Mill) and I (Nancy
    Diettrich-Cunniff, otherwise known as Nancy DC) have FOUR cats!
    
    Bumpy-tail, so named because she has 1/2 tail which curls up on
    the end like the top of a violin (I didn't name her, she came with
    the handle), is an 11yr old Black and white shelter kitty.  I got
    her at the Boston animal shelter 9 years ago 2 days after the death
    of my first cat (Kathryn).  Bumpy is the one who got me through
    those tough times.  She is a comical, sweet little girl who loves
    to be picked up like a baby and cuddled.  Last year she underwent
    Hernia surgery which she came through with flying colors.
    
    Xiao-Mao (pronounced Shou Mou (ou like in ouch)) a 9 yr old calico
    who must have some siamese in her background 'cause she sounds like
    a siamese cat.  Xiao-Mao (which means kitten in chinese) came to
    us from the Boston animal shelter 3 days after Bumpy-tail.  She
    was 5 months old.  Mao is by far the best jumper of the four and
    likes to perch on top of the shower doors when we take a shower.
    Mao will also walk on a leash quite well and has gone for a jaunt
    or two with us through Braintree conservation land.
    
    Isis a 4 yr old shiny black cat with gold eyes came to us from
    the Hopkinton Humane Society when she was just 3 1/2 months old.
    She is by far the most vocal and has been known to huff and sigh
    just like a human when frustrated.  She purrs so softly that the
    only way you can tell she's purring is to touch her throat.  This
    kitty will "plop" (fall over on her side) and roll-over pretty much
    on command!  She is also self-appointed mother to our fourth cat.
    
    Dundee is a 7 month old purebred Scottish Fold male.  His cherbling
    and peeping vocalizations have prompted my husband to nickname him
    "Squeek Toy".  He's a well behaved, sweet and affectionate little
    guy who loves to cuddle with us or with Isis when we sleep.  He'll
    gladly share my lap with Bumpy.  I've always wanted a little fold
    kitty so we bought Dundee from a Breeder with some of our income
    tax return.
    
    All four cats are indoor cats.  I lost my first cat, Kathryn, to
    a car and swore never to let another cat outside.  The only time
    these guys go out is either on the deck or on their leashes closely
    supervised.  They have been immunized against everything possible
    and the three girls are all spayed.  I plan on neutering Dundee
    when he's old enough.
    

    Hooray!!  The second Birman kitten has arrived! Sealy (registered
    name pending) is a sealpoint Birman. She's a gorgeous daughter of Kalliste,
    the handsome male that Jo Ann Cordes-Brown showed to his Grand
    Championship this year. Sealy arrived at Logan at 10:30 pm Saturday
    and seemed not to mind the sudden change from sunny California to
    the deep freeze we're experiencing here in New England.
    
    Sealy is every bit as sweet and affectionate as her new playmate
    and Lovey seems to be very proud of *her* new kitten. These two
    sweathearts have already added so much joy to our lives and we are
    looking forward to years of fun with them.
    
    Once more my deepest thanks go out to Jo Ann for her help in making
    our dreams come true!
    
    Linda

    I would like to introduce the latest addition to my family, Sweetie!
    She was made possible by Elaine's Christmas party (seeing her 16
    cats convinced my husband that 3 would be a snap) and by Mary Tamir,
    who just happened to have pictures of Meg, Julie, and Sweetie (formally
    Sarah).  I just fell in love when I saw the picture of Sweetie.
    I just love kitties with white faces and feet!
    
    Sweetie is a medium haired orange and white tiger kitty with the
    most gorgeous, fluffy long haired tail.  It reminds me of a fox
    tail.  So far Sweetie has turned out to be as loveable and sweet
    as Mary said.  She comes when I call her and will sit for hours
    with me on the couch.  She seems very polite and hasn't gotten into
    any trouble yet, but then again, we've only had her for 3 days.
    I'm sure her activity level will increase along with her confidence!
    
    Sweetie and Sam are already friends. They are playing and eating
    together and will even give each other a kiss now and then.  I'm
    so proud of Sam.  He's going to make an excellent foster dad.  Cali
    is slowly warming up.  She will let Sweetie come and go as she pleases
    but if their paths do cross Cali will hiss at her.  They have come
    within 1 foot of touching noses.  I think that's pretty good for
    just 3 days.  All in all, I feel Sweetie is going to fit in just
    fine with our family and we already love her very much.
    
    Jeanne, Cali, Sam, and Sweetie
    
     

    
    My daughter just returned home with her 5 cats, I have one. My cats
    name is Velcro, he got his name from his habit of clinging to you
    as a kitten and having to be 'peeled away'. He is mostly black with
    white markings and he loves to have his tummy rubbed. He and I lived a
    quiet routine life before the arrival of my daughter and her crew.  
    Soccer and Rugby live in the barn, they are both black, one is short
    haired one is long haired and are very very friendly. They both
    frequent the garage to insure that there are cat paw prints all
    over my car.  Norman is a large 25lb white cat with patches of brown
    and grey who loves water, if the bathroom door isn't kept shut you
    may have company in the shower. Noki is a kitten who is all black
    except for a tiny white spot on his chest. Noki is short for Norman's
    kitty, when the kitten was introduced Norman adopted it.  He sleeps
    with it, grooms it, protects it from being roughed up by the other
    cats, and lets him eat first. The there is Zipper, another white
    cat with brown and grey markings but no relation to Norman. Zipper
    has asthma and does a lot of wheezing and coughing but she does
    have medication though. Our animals are lucky, my daughter has been
    a Vet Tech and has the knowledge and ability to keep them healthy
    and a minimum cost.

    I have 3 kit(d)s that I thoroughly enjoy.  They are all refugees
    from a humane society I worked in 8 years ago.  Each one has her
    own claim to fame.  Snuggles, the black part Burmese, was the Halloween
    kitty in 1980 on the front page of the Nashua Telegraph.  My very
    obese gray tiger, Aime, now graces the walls of the local photography
    store.  And, Orphan Annie, a brown 3-legged tiger, has been on 
    Channel 9 in Manchester, NH, WFEA radio in Bedford, NH and of most
    recent fame, her story appeared in the February 1987 issue of Cat
    Fancy magazine. 
    
    I've found that my cats add much to the quality of my life.  

    Well I was "mother" to four cats until a few weeks ago.. I now have
    six!
    
    I just adopted two beautiful long haired black with patches of white
    "twin boys".  They are fluffy, sweet and have stolen all of our
    hearts.  These two were abandoned in a field near Portsmith (England)
    and saved by a wonderful women nearby that runs an animal rescue.
    I work with her son and when I heard about these two I made an
    appointment to meet them, fell in love and later on that evening
    collected them.  Their first night home was very sad..  they were
    home for only a few hours when I noticed they were very lethargic,
    had not touched the food they had been offered, their eyes were
    glazed and they were both dragging their backsides... I was panic
    stricken!  I called Mrs. Forehead and she told me to take them straight
    back and her husband rushed them straight to the animal hospital
    in Winchester.  It turned out they had a nasty flu virus and
    temperatures of 103/104 (very dangerous for cats).  They were put
    on an intravenous drip and treated with anti-biotics.  After a
    few days they were much improved and returned to me after a week.
    
    Well from that day they came back they have ruled!  They always
    are together.. they are mischievous, very verbose and extremely
    lovable!  They have gotten away with things with my husband the
    other four NEVER never dream of getting away with!!
    
    We named them Guinness and Murphy (after the popular dark beers
    (stouts)) widely drunk here in the UK as they both look like a long
    elegant dark pint of beer topped with a white froth!
    
    I've introduced my other four babies in the Merry Christmas note
    so I shant do it again here... needless to say our band of 6 cats
    are a happy, healthy & very lovable lot that I would not trade for
    the world!!
    
    gailann
    
   

    Congratulations Gailann - I'm glad Guinness and Murphy are over
    the flu.
    
    You can't have too much of a good thing where cats are concerned
    (Isis and Tarot would disagree).
    
    Kate

    Having just discovered this wonderful conference I really must
    introduce the two cats who are good enough to have us as pets.  
    Both are expatriate Scots, like myself, living in the throbbing
    metropolis (London).
    
    Firstly, Vitamin (otherwise known as Vits, Vitty or Fats - the reason
    for the latter being obvious) who is a black 5 year old girl.  She's
    very affectionate and will happily watch for hours while we throw
    ping pong balls about, though not actually taking part.  She does,
    however, enjoy a quick trip up our metal step ladder, usually in
    the early hours of the morning!
    
    She was named Vitamin due to the fact that I mistook the chauffeur's
    name in the film "Arthur" for Vitamin (it's actually Bittermint)
    and thought it would make a wonderful name for a cat.  
                      
    Her partner in crime is Mineral, (Mins, Minny or Thins) who is a 
    beautiful Brindle Tortoiseshell girl with just one or sometimes two 
    white whiskers.  She is rather timid, having had a tough time just
    before we got her (she was thrown out to fend for herself after
    her owner, an old man, went into hospital) but can be very 
    mischievous when it suits her.
    
    Despite her being the thin one, she does enjoy the odd dry roast
    peanut (it has to be dry roast), and goes absolutely mad over tuna,
    loves yoghurt, toast, cheese, anything tomato flavoured and, of 
    course, anything left out by mistake.
    
    Both are house cats since we live right on the A1 and are very happy 
    though we've promised them that one day we'll get a croft in the 
    highlands of Scotland.
              
    Pam
    

    I am delighted to find this file, I think it must be one of the most
    popular notes file.
    
    I have always had kittys since I was little, now I am married, and we
    have got a wonderful brindled tortley with ginger and whitish bib cat called
    Gizzy!  Gizzy after Gismo in Gremlins!!  I think it is because she has
    the most enourmous green eyes, which tend to change colour according to
    light and her mood.
    
    She is totally potty!  She will chat away and let you know how she is
    feeling, the best thing is in the morning, she usually sleeps on our
    bed, and when she goes out in the night and comes back in later usually
    rather too early for my liking around 6.30!  She will wake me up by
    patting my face with her paws, gently at first and if she gets no response
    then the claws come out!  She is so soppy, as soon as you sit down on
    the sofa she wants a cuddle and does she purrrrrr.
    
    Well enough of Gizzy, I look forward to enjoying this notes file.

I want to finally introduce my two feline friends. I've been reading for a 
while and will write now that you know who we are. Wizard and Miss Marple 
are littermates who came into my life over 7 years ago. Their 8th birthday
is next month.    

Wizard is the Momma's boy who sleeps under the covers and insists on 
your lap whenever possible. He's not crazy about being held but will want to 
be rubbed as along as possible. He is mostly black with a white dot on his 
chin, a little white on the stomach and feet. He has black eyebrows so it 
looks like he doesn't have any at all and his whiskers are both black and 
white. He's sleek and handsome and has a beautiful shiny coat. I say he's 
'sensitive', my husband says he's a 'wimp'. Wizard is also known as 
The Wiz, Boo Boo Kitty and assorted other names.

Miss Marple is the brave one. She'll stand up to anyone. She's the calico cat 
I always wanted. She has markings that are impossible to describe and fur 
that is soft and fluffy though not really long. Everyone who sees her comments 
on her looks. She *knows* she's something special.She wants to be held, loves 
laps and lets my husband do silly things with her that Wiz will never tolerate. 
She is more often called Missy or Missy Kitty, but my husband will call her 
'Pig' (she is a little round). Both cats are totally indoors.

The 3 of us lived alone together for over 5 years, then we married a guy who 
came with an Old English Sheepdog. My husband never really knew cats, but 
Miss Marple has won him over completely. A few months ago we adopted a
stray dog which the vet thinks is an Australian dingo. 

I know you understand how it's possible to go on forever about kitties. 
I think mine are pretty special.

Nancy Sohl
Atlanta CSC
              

    Come to think of it..... I guess I should introduce my cat also.
    My cat is not yet a year old and her name is Brown Sugar.  I named  her
    after the Rolling Stone's song about the black girl.  Also, it's
    fitting because when she was really little she was chocolate brown.
    Now she is more of a dark chocolate color with long hair.  Anyone
    know what kind of cat she is?  I've never seen one quite like her.
    Anyway, she is due to multiply within another month.  The father
    was a grey tiger the same age as she is.  The kittens ought to be
    interesting.
    
    Ginger
    

    I'm Andy Nourse.  I live with Pat Hardy and a bunch of cats:
    
    Shiva-Shakti	4 yr old tiger female, neutered
    Sunflower		1� yr old gray male, neutered recently
    China Cat		1� yr old tiger female, who begat:
    Yow-Xa		9 month old longhair tiger, male, neutered
    Quinn		5 month old longhair tiger, male
    Stella		5 month old gray and white longhair female
    Althea		5 month old looks like Himalyan with white feet,female
    		five 4-week-old kittens, some of whom we'll have to
    		give away (see note 2219)
    
        

    Hey Andy,
    
    Diversing from Grateful eh?!  I came real close to naming my cat
    China Cat Sunflower, but I figured I'ld save the name for someday
    when I have an orange tiger cat.  So, I kept my loyalty with the
    Stones and named her Brown Sugar which was very appropriate.  She's
    due to have a bunch of kittens soon so I might need some help naming
    them.
    
    Ginger

As of friday afternoon, our cat_max was raised to 3.  We've adopted the
cat advertised in 415.332.

We've renamed him Max, after Mad Max, and because he's the cat that put
us at CAT_MAX.  He's a laid back, gentle male who appears to be a Maine
Coon cat.  He's got brown tabby markings and beautiful green eyes.  He's
also got a few signs of his ex-tom cat days -- a few nicks out of his
ears, a scar on one eye lid, and some fur missing from his neck where 
his collar was. 

He's very sweet and is getting along very well with our other cats so
far.  There's been a little bit of hissing (all on the original cat's
parts) and some growling from one of the dogs, but he's taking it all
in stride.

He's a lap-sitter, and a purrer, and Tristan and Tenzing seem to like 
him so far.  I think his cat nip toys are really getting Tristan on his
side!  ;-)  I think Max is going to be a great addition to our little
furry family.

Karen, Tristan, Tenzing and Max.

    Puma lives with me.  He is fully black (shinny), has green eyes.
    He has only half his tail!  He was born on 01-AUG-1988, that makes
    him about eight months old today.  He as been neutered recently.
    Will keep his claws, I'll make sure of that.  Is indoor/outdoor
    cat.
    
    Have been reading this notes file and so far Puma has not given
    me any kind of trouble or problems.  I guess I should consider
    myself lucky so far too have such a nice companion.

    HELLO, CAT LOVERS!
    
    I found my cat in a church in Boston called St. James; therefore,
    I named her James (like MICHAEL Learned, get it?)  She was only
    about six weeks old at the time, and might have died of starvation
    if my mother and I had not taken her home.  There was no mother
    in sight.  As she grew up, she became less affectionate and no longer
    liked being picked up, as she did as a kitten.  She was the third
    cat in our house, and perhaps felt left out or out of place.  But,
    alas, the other two died and she had the place all to herself. 
    It was obvoius that she enjoyed being queen of the roost.  She's
    a calico (or money cat, as some people say); but my mother has a
    fondness for Siamese, so just recently she got a pair.  I'd been
    living on my own for a while and could have cats in my apartment,
    so I decided to rescue James once again and have her live with me.
    She has been extremely happy with this new arrangement.  She is
    no longer a finicky eater.  She now will eat dry food (which is
    better for her -- she has a terrible tartar problem from eating
    soft food for seven years).  And she likes being picked up if you
    put her on your shoulder -- not in front like a baby.  She purrs
    and kneads a lot and is more playful and affectionate.  So we're
    very happy together, James and I!
    
    Katie
    

    Allow me to introduce Rapunzel "Punzi" for short.  Punzi was originally
    found by my brother at a construction site, with no mamma  around.
    A trip to the vet has proclaimed her to be healthy but slightly
    small for her age, (she weighed in at 1.2 lbs.) which the vet has
     determined to be 5 weeks.
     
    She is so playful, and manages to get into these situations that
    keep my husband and I constantly laughing. Punzi refuses to drink
    liquids from a saucer or bowl.  Therefore the vet recommended a
    cat bottle and Kitty formula.  So there we are every morning and
    evening bottle feeding little Punzi.  She has become my shadow,
    (and I love it).
    
    
    Doreen
    

    Sinead (born on St.Patrick's day, so we named her after our favorite
    Irish singer, Sinead O'Connor) is a orange,white and black calico.
    Nice kitten but *very* playful. Her favorite game is to attack her
    sister (Omie)while Omie is attempting to use the litter box. 
    
    Omie (the name comes from a Nancy Grifith song) is black and white
    kitten. She's a little shyer than Sinead and is very influenced
    by her sister's actions ("Oh wow! Sinead just climed inside the
    sofa bed ! I think I will too !")
    
    Both kittens were born on a farm up in Montague Ma, but they now
    have a comfy home in Pepperell Ma with me and Mike.
    
    Dee

    
    
    	Our latest is a 4 year old pure black persian named
    	Samantha...we have her on a trial basis right now to
    	see how she gets along with the others.  Duke has gotten
    	the closest so far...he's such a brave little bugger!
    	Runs right up..."hmmmm, what's this?  another one??!!"
    	
    	She's very frightened at the moment having to leave the
    	only home she's known for four years but I'm hoping she'll
    	come around soon.
    
    	I can't show her as the previous owners had her spayed
    	and declawed.  But she has the most beautiful COPPER eyes!!
    
    	We're hoping she'll make a happy (and the last for a long
    	time!! ) addition to our family.
    
    
    	JJ (Sasha, Brandi, and Duke)
    

    Well, time to introduce the latest...
    
    Esmarelda has joined our home.  She is an 8 week old gray tiger
    with white mittens and a white stripe down her tummy.  The poor
    thing has spent most of the last few days hissing at the other two
    cats and the dog.  She must be scared to death.  The others are
    just interested in who the newcomer is!!
    
    This morning while I was getting dressed, she discovered the other
    gray tiger, identical to herself, who lives in the full length mirror.
     What a scream!! She kept trying to play with this kitten, but it
    just wouldn't play like she wanted.  And it kept disappearing! 
    Then she attacked the hose to the vacuum and tried to crawl inside
    the hose.  She is so tiny that she almost fit.
    
    I am hoping we can get all four animals in speaking terms (as opposed
    to hissing terms) by the weekend.  The poor dog, who only wants
    to play, is so confused by this little creature.  Bitser, who is
    12, just walks by and ignores her.  Bob, who is 1, wants to play
    but only gets hissed at.  Also, this little creature has taken his
    place on my daughter's bed at night - boy, that isn't going over
    real well!!
    
    Here's hoping we all settle in soon.  Esmarelda is sooooo cute,
    and I have wanted a gray cat for a long time.
    
    Ellen                        

    Now for a real motley crew.
    
    Smoke, called so for her gorgeous silver-grey long-haired coloring,
    is the cat who has owned me the longest (of course we all know,
    we don't own them, they own us!)  She looks like a squirrel with
    her relatively small body and huge, bushy tail.  This lady has been
    with me for ten years in July.  Perhaps the most expensive cat in
    the conference, Digital spent several thousand on her care whilsts
    I was posted in Europe back in '80 - '82, and she remained behind.
    
    Next in the clan was Ruffles.  I rescued him from some evil urchins
    who were playing with him in the clothes dryer of an apartment complex
    I lived at a few years back.  He is just now beginning to accept
    people again, after evidently a couple of years of abuse.  He's
    a big orange and white tom-cat, definitely his own "man", answers
    to no one.
    
    Nightmare came to me via a similar experience.  Once, on a beach,
    a stranger threw a trash bag onto the beach screaming "Anyone wants
    these can have 'em!", and he turned and fled.  In that trash bag
    were seven of the most precious kittens you'd find, one with a broken
    leg from the fall of the trash bag.  The beach-goers all pitched
    in and took a kitten while supplies lasted.  (Broken-Leg is doing
    fine, with an acquaintance of mine).  I took a short-haried, all-black
    kittne, who has grown into one beautiful lady.
    
    Nightmare recently gave birth to a litter of black-and-white (2)
    and all-black (2) kittens (see note 2617 for adoption requests!),
    as yet unnamed, and once they are weaned I will have Nightmare spayed.
    
    	All loving and healthy animals.  May they live long, and enjoy
    	plenty of love, as they have given me more than my fair share.
    	And let's always remember, the hottest fires of Hell are reserved
    	for those who would abuse/mistreat children and/or animals.
    

    Jesse came to us via the Cat Protection League; his original owners
    thought he was female, named him Jessica, so we shortened it to Jesse.
    There were three cats to look when we went to pick one - Jesse and
    another that looked similar 'tabby' look, and a pure white cat. I
    didn't want the white cat since I'd already had one before, still
    living with my parents. So we picked Jesse, after first looking at the
    older one. Jesse was chosen since he meowed, had more striking colours
    and the biggest tail I've seen on a cat for ages.
    
    He settled in fairly quickly into the new house, although he went
    through a phase of vomiting - a vet checked him out and told us he ate
    his food too fast, gave us a couple of pills, and fairly shortly after
    that visit he settled down.
    
    Pete.

Reuben and Romeo are two brothers who joined our household on Valentines day 
this year. Hte best presents anyone ever got for me. At the time they were 
just about 6 weeks old and the cutest little things you could ever hope to 
see. They were originally named Reuben and Cherise after a song that is a 
favorite of ours. However Cherise turned out not to be a cherise so we had to 
find another name for him. He is now called Romeo because he is a definite 
lover. He loves to come up and rub his face against your and cuddle with you 
for hours.

As you can imagine, they aren't so little anymore. Their favorite hobby is to 
take laps around the house without ever touching the floor. They have this 
down to a science. They act like the kitten in the Friskies kitten commercial. 
Reuben is a Grey, black, rust, and white tiger and Romeo is a grey on darker 
grey tiger. Romeo was the runt of the litter and is just a little more than 
half the size of Reuben who is huge. He has a tail that is almost as thick as 
a racoon's and twice as long. Both are indoor kitties until we move to a place 
that is slightly more rural (ie no teenagers racing firebirds up and down the 
street).

When Romeo was younger something happened to his tail. We thought it was 
broken because it was just hanging behind him like an eayore(sp?) tail and he 
would scream whenever we picked him up. We took him to the vet and immediately
it his tail stood straight up in the air. Of course the vet said that it 
wasn't broken and that he would be fine. When we got him home his tail was 
back down in the dragging position for 2 weeks and he had a huge lump for 2 
months after that. Now he seems to be alright in that area but is fighting a 
bout of FUS for which we have been giving him Predisone, Ureze, and 
amoxidrops. Of course he hates that and thinks we are trying to poison him but 
he is getting better. Hopefully this will not be a recurring problem.

Anyway I just wanted to introduce these members of our family to you and the 
members of your families. They sure have made our lives happier than they were 
before these little furfaces joined us.

Peace to all living things,

Geoff   

    Well, I guess I'll introduce our newest members.  We now have three
    cats - Mom (Baby Girl) and her daughters (Orange Head and Merlin).
    
    Orange Head is a calico with an orange splotch on her forehead.
    Merlin is a grey tiger with one front and one back paw that is tan.
    Both these girls are great cats.  They play together the rough up
    mom a little and are still nursing once in a while.  The were born
    April 22.  There were three females, but one (Archimedes) went to
    the home of my husband's co-worker -- she, too, was more of a calico
    but had some tiger as well.
    
    The kids mostly love to climb into the back of my recliner and wrestle
    which is not good for the person sitting in the recliner!!  I love
    how they can run thru the house and dodge anything that may get
    in their way.  Their favorite sleeping place is in the laundry basket.
    
    More later....
    
    -sandy
    

    	Being the sucker I truly am for a cute mammal, I have been
    convinced to keep one of Nightmare's litter by someone near and
    dear to me.  So, this is to announce the addition of "Sneakers",
    the youngest member of the Smoke/Ruffles/Nightmare McQueeney clan.
    
    	Sneakers is so named becuase of his white hind-paws on his
    otherwise black body.  Well, there is one other area in white, a
    tiny beard.  Overall, he is a very beautiful and spunky kitten.
    Interestingly enough, I was on the phone with prospective adoptors
    for him, when I was finally convinced by my S.O. that I should keep
    him (or else take the consequences, I'm sure).  So, being the
    reasonable (spelled "chicken") person I am, I welcomed Sneakers
    into permanent residency status.  He evidently understood his fate,
    as he simply lay on the kitchen window sill all afternoon and evening,
    smiling at everyone who went by, and reaching out to be petted
    frequently, as if to say "get used to it, pal, I'm here to stay!"
    
    My apologies to Nancy DC's friends who were interested in adopting
    Sneakers.  I hope they will understand my priorities in this matter.
    

    Hey Bob...no appologies necessary.  Any time a little feline
    gets such a loving home, that's great with me!  Besides, this
    just means that another mini-feline will get a good home when
    my friends find their kitten.  :-)
     Welcome Sneakers.
    

    I am a relatively new "Noter" who has spent the past 5 or 6 weeks
    or so reading through this delightful Note file.  Now, I feel compelled
    to introduce my "babies" to you.  I'm sure I won't write as beautifully
    and graphically as some of you who have made me laugh and cry with
    your descriptions, but graphic or not, here goes.
    
    My "3 P's" are Pookah, Pywacket and Pebbles (and, yes, I do run
    through all their names each time I want to call one of them).
    
    Pookah and Pywacket are littermates, but as different as night and
    day.  A friend of mine said that the name "Pookah" meant "mischievious
    and inquisitive", so I decided that the first kitten out of the
    carrier when I got home would be "Pookah" and the other "Pywacket".
    
    Pookah is a black and white, medium hair, domestic "Mutt" (a term
    used with great love, as to me, "Mutts" are the dearest, most lovable
    animals of any type).  His face markings are really strange (mostly
    white with a black bordered eye, black spotted nose and half a black
    cheek) and he has a look of constant inquiry on his face as in "You
    mean me, Mom?"  I truly feel he is a little (sometimes a lot) dim
    witted, as he does most everything at least half the speed and response
    time to his brother (except racing and playing "Flying Feline" through
    my little apartment).  He is a real cuddler and wants to be on or
    near me all the time as I read, do crossword puzzles or knit.  He
    drives me crazy sometimes, but he's so-o-o warn and soft!  Who can
    chase that off your lap????  He's also very subservient to the other
    two.  When I put their food down at night, the others dive right
    in and Pookah hunkers down at the kitchen door and waits until they
    are done before he eats (even when I KNOW he's just this side of
    starving).  When I treat them with Sheba cat food, I put two "cans"
    in the community dish and give him his own dish in the living rtoom
    while I stand guard, because the other two are really pigs in disguise
    who eat everything before he gets to it.  So much for "The Pook".
    
    Then there's Pywacket!!!!!!  Now remember, folks, when I brought
    these two guys home, they were 6 week old, tiny, baby kittens.
    At some point along the way, I turned my back one day, and Pywacket
    turned into a lion......  Since neutering them, both my boys have
    filled out nicely, but Pywacket is one of the most solid, beautiful
    cats I have ever seen.  He is a black, grey, brown and white Tabby
    with the most beautiful eyes.  He's quite independent and wants
    any loving or attention done on his terms and in his time frame.  
    I have crank type windows in my apartment and Py has it in his head
    that I cannot possibly open or close the windows unless he is lying,
    belly up, on the window sill (which makes turning the handle almost
    impossible).  Also, he always races me to the kitchen, collapsing
    again, belly up, for a "Tummy Rub".  He is marvelous to sleep with
    (when he wants to) as lhe plasters his full length along my left
    side (always the left - never the right) with his front legs over
    my shoulder and his head nestled in the curve of my arm.  It takes
    about 2 minutes of this position and loud Purr-rr-ing to put me
    to sleep.  I really with I had the money to show him, as his
    disposition and appearance would bring him a blue ribbon, I'm sure.
    Of course, he's my Champion anyway.
    
    And, last, but absolutely not least, is Pebbles.  I had not intended
    to have a third baby, as my apartment is very small, and two lions
    was already a lot of cat.  I went one day with  my friend (the one
    who helped me name Pookah), to see two kittens remaining from a
    litter of six.  The two were destined for delivery to the pound
    within a day or two.  As we pulled into the driveway of the house
    where they were, a fluffy, longhaired orange ball of fur went whizzing
    by the front of my car.  "Cute", I though, "but not my idea of a
    kitten to take home".  Next to come "whizzing" by was a tiny, tiger
    kitten who was speeding around, but a little bit slower than the
    other one.  She looked like a duck out of water, with a round, chubby
    little face and body, and, lo and behold, four legs but only three
    feet/paws.  She was injured during birth and lost her foot in the process.
    Well, as you can imagine, she won my heart in an instant.  All I
    could think of was, "Poor baby!  Nobody will want you, but I sure
    do!!!!"  I scooped her right up, my friend took her sister, and
    off we went, with me having to face my landlady (who really is an
    angel and an animal lover as well).  It didn't take long to see
    that Pebbles needed NO sympathy.  She has become quite agile at
    scaling up the front of my lacquer finished bureau in record time
    to sleep on top of the VCR.  After they all got acquainted (with
    relatively little hissing and fur bushing) she played with the "boys"
    as hard as they did - if not harder.  Many's the time when she wiull
    wrestle them to the floor and then, using her footless leg like
    a club, proceeds to beat them up with it.  Along with her came the
    game of "Flying Feline".  They almost literally "fly" around my
    apartment into walls, furniture, ME (Ouch!!!)  She is getting bigger
    and has lost the baby chubbiness.  She also seems to be getting
    more friendly - lets me initiate the patting time or the kitty massage
    sessions (yes, I read that in the Note file and it works) and likes
    to sleep her nights away curled under the blanket between my knees.
    
    Well, that's my little family.  I can't imagine life without my
    "kids" and have enjoyed reading about all of your in this file.
     It's nice to be a part of this Conference.  It enriches my days.
    
    Until I learn more how to use Notes, I remain------
    
    Purr-fect-ly content with my "3P's"
    
    Barbara

    re: 286
    
    Welcome aboard, Barbara!  Glad you are enjoying this - we like
    hearing from new noters - please give us more stories about
    yourl babies - they sound like real sweeties!!
    
    E.T.

    Hi Barbara!  Really enjoyed you kitty stories!  Hey - showing
    isn't too expensive.  You ought to try it at least once.  Maybe
    we can do a show together.  I'm signing up for a CFF show on 
    9/24 in Framingham.  Why don't you give it a try!
      Nancy DC
    

    Hi, Nancy - 
    
    This Notes business is terrific fun.  I have a terminal at home
    so it makes me able to use it in the evenings and weekends.  What
    a nice way to make new friends.
    
    How much does it run to do the Shows?  If nothing else, I would
    love to go work the 9/24 show with you to get an idea of how it
    works, etc.  I have been to one cat show in my life up in Worcester
    about 5 years ago, and had a wonderful time.  So, even if I don't
    enter Py yet, I would really like to go with you.
    
    Where do you live, Nancy?  I live in Norfolk.  Do you know where
    that is?  It's down in the area of the Franklin DEC Plant but getting
    to Framingham wouldn't be a problem at all.
    
    Perhaps you would want to discuss this via VAXMail or on the phone.
    I can give you both my DTN and my home phone if you like and we
    can pull it all together.  
    
    Drop me a VAXMail and let me know how you want to get together.
    I will be on vacation all of next week, but will be logging in on
    my terminal frequently. 
    
    I'll be looking forward to hearing from you.  Thanks for answering
    me.
    
    Barbara

    I'm going to move the show discussion to note 2712, which is
    about the show - so.....to be continued.......>

    re:.221 O.J stands for Orange Juice, she is orange and so hyper
    she seems "juiced".
    

    I have two Persian (brat cats)....spoiled, but I love them!!!
    
    One is black and a boy, his name is Gizmo. He is the king
    of the household and very curious. He loves to be patted,
    but on his terms....you have to go to him to pat him. He
    has orange eyes and a pug face and knows he's adoreable!!
    He has a champion, grand champion background, which I'm
    not sure of what that means, but it sounds good!! I'm
    always telling him how handsome he is...I think it's
    gone to his head!!
    
    I have a white female, named Keshia. She's very pretty...
    petite with yellow almond shaped eyes and a cute pink
    nose. She's very a very loveable lap cat, but only to
    me. She's a very quiet, behind the scenes cat.
    
    I am currently trying to talk hubby into letting me
    get another one...we shall see.
    
    Karen

    
    	Yes, it's time to introduce number 4 (again, since Samantha
    	didn't work out)
    
    	Introducing.... Chloe......she is a pure bred white Himmie
    	with brown points (what's the "technical name for this?)
    	that we adopted from my fiance's brother. He can't take
    	Chloe to his new apartment.  I had told him a long time ago
    	that if ever needed to place her, I'd take her in a second.
    	She had light blue eyes.  And when she purrs! It sounds 
    	like ppprrrr brrrpp ppprrrrr bbrrrpp!  She a doll.  She's
    	about 10-11 months old... a little younger than my Sasha.
    
    	Unfortunately, the woman that Cary's brother got her from
    	never gave him the papers and she has since changed her
    	number so....if we decide to show her it will probably 
    	have to be as a house-pet...... and she hasn't had
    	any shots!!  I know, I was extremely upset about it too.
    	
    	Anyway, that's our latest addition.  Our other 3 want to
    	check her out but she wants no part of it!!  I get to go
    	through this all over again..!  :-)
    
    	JJ
    
    	

    Chloe is probably seal point, but possibly chocolate point.  Sealpoints
    will have black paw pads and nose leather, chocolate points have
    a brick red color on their paw pads and nose leather (at least in
    Birmans they do).
    
    Maybe Cin can give you more info about how to tell her color.  She
    used to breed Himies.
    
    Jo

    
    	Well on both her feet and cute little pushed in
    	face :-) it's kind of a charcoal grey/brownish 
    	color.  And her tail is a little lighter than 
    	that.  Hollie has offered to come up and see her
    	and tell us what to do about showing etc. and her
    	quality.
    
    	And also to meet my other three "monsters"!!
    
    	JJ
    

    JJ, she sounds like a sealpoint and since she's still young, will
    darken more with age.  My Kelsey is a sealpoint with the brown foot
    pads and at 11 months old, his coat is beginning to change from
    a creamy color to a light brown.  His points are a lot darker than
    his body.  I wish his body color would stay light but I have a feeling
    he's not gonna comply!
    
    Your new Himmie sounds GORGEOUS!  Love those blue eyes!!
    
    
    /Roberta
            
    

    
    
    	She is!!  I'll bring pix of my "gang" to the cookout..
    	I hope everyone else does too!! I've love to put some
    	faces and bodies with the wonderful stories!!
    
    	I hope she stays white....I wanted a white kitty....
    
    	JJ
    

    I have a new baby (my first...ever!) his name is Benjamin.  He 
    is a purebred sealpoint siamese, male, 2.5 years old, neutered 
    and declawed. He is beautiful.  He came from an abused home, and
    is SOOOOOOOOOO affectionate.  He's usually a joy to have around.
    
    He's got the appetite of a lion and the cry of a baby (any hints
    on how to discourage his talking so much would be appreciated).
    He's very big on tipping things over, trash baskets, plants, floor
    lamps, but he's generally very good about staying off the bureaus
    and kitchen table/counters, so I don't complain.  
    
    He has learned the lesson of the waterbottle in the 10 short days
    that he's been with me, and now only has to see it to stop doing
    whatever it is that is not allowed.  
                                                                    
    Thank you to those of you who have already sent me good wishes and
    helpful hints.  I'm glad I have a conference like this to look into.
    
    dm

    re: Benjamin and talking.....:-)  Now if you didn't want a
    talkative cat you never should have adopted a siamese  :-)
    
    Mao has got to be part siamese (even tho she's calico) because
    she sounds just like one and is by far, the most talkative of
    the bunch.
      enjoy your new Feline Family Member
       Nancy

    re: Benjamin and counters...that's cause he can't jump that high yet...
    give him a couple months....hee hee...
    
    Mary

Hi ya'll!!!!!!!!!

I've been a read only member of this notes file for about 3 months..
I have enjoyed it immensley, and learned alot...

so.. I guess it's time for me to introduce my crew....  My husband and
I are proudly owned by 5 cats, and 1 dog.

the kids....

First there is Tigger...  She was 5 years old in May...  We got her
as a kitten.  She is a very pretty tiger cat, beige colored and brown.
Her eyes are a khaki color, not quite green, but not quite beige...
As a kitten, she was always zipping around, running into things, jumping
off of things, so we named her Tigger, "their heads are made out of rubber,
and their tales are made out of springs..."   She is the cuddler, she
sleeps under the covers, curled up under my chin...


and then there is Moe...  He's an all gray kitty, with yellow eyes..
he was three years old last month...  I had always wanted an all grey cat..
he has a really unique personality..   He can be very affectionate, but on
his terms...  he likes to follow me out to get the mail, and when I walk the
dog out back in the meadow, he tags along, he likes to sit out in the lawn
when I garden..  but if he is doing something that he isn't supposed to
do, and ya yell at him, he flicks his tail...  my husband calls it the "kitty
salute"


then there is Lady Jane.. LJ for short..  she adopted us when we moved
into our house.  She is *approximately* 7 years old.  LJ is white and tigered.
The tiger part kinda runs diagnally across her face.  I brought her to the vet
to be fixed, and was told that she was fixed.  But she tricked us, that little
scar she had down there had nothing to do with being fixed, and a year ago 
March, she had 4 kittens...


We placed two of the kittens, and kept two..  BC, for Black Chin, a female
black cat with a white mask, and Skitzo, a male black cat with like markings.


I love them all to pieces...

Kathy

    e: .301  Welcome!!
    
    Dundee's birthday is May 5th.  When is Tigger's?  Also, Tigger sounds
    like a patch tabby and they are very pretty!  Are you coming to
    the Cookout on 9/3 in Braintree Mass??  If so, we'd love to see
    pictures  :-)
      Nancy DC
    

    
    Thanks....   Tigger was born sometime the beginning of May...  
    My husband found her..  he walked by her little cage, and she
    started meowing like crazy, he kept walking, but he looked back, and
    she was still watching him, so he went back and got her...
    
    Unfortunately, the cookout falls on my last free weekend before
    I start school, and we're planning on going away...  sounds like
    fun though.....
    
    Kathy

    re: .303
      well have a good time.  We'll be thinking of you  :-)

    Hi!
    
    I just added this notesfile last night, which is also when I got
    my cat ... She's actually the third one to live with me (no, if
    you count the kittens, the seventh), but the first one that I had
    anything to say about.
    
    First things first.  Thanks all for this file!  I've got a lot of
    learning to do, and I'm looking forward to reading a lot here. 
    Which is another way of saying, I don't know a darned thing, so
    pardon any idiocies I may commit here.
    
    I thought I was anti-cat.  We had a puppy when I was growing up,
    and I really enjoyed her.  I thought cats were too stand-offish
    and ... independent? ... evidently I had some issues about controlling
    other life forms I needed to work out!
    
    Right before we were married my fiancee took in a homeless cat in
    heat.  Needless to say, the kittens were born the day before our
    wedding.  I was pretty steamed about this, because I really didn't
    want _one_ cat in my life, never mind five.  We moved to a no-pets
    apartment in another city and found homes for them all.
    
    Then a couple of months ago we got a black kitten from a neighbor
    for our eight-year-old daughter.  My wife said that the girl needed
    some unconditional love that she wasn't getting in the home, and
    even though we've tested positive for allergies to cats I said okay.
    
    Well, my heart will never be the same!  Ashley is as loving a pet
    as you could ever wish for.  I miss her a lot -- not too long after
    she moved in, I moved out (unrelated events).
    
    Then a friend who lives in a no-pets apartment asked me to take
    care of her cat Ebony and parakeets Sunny and Sky while the landlords
    did some work on her place.  Ebony practically mauls me when I come
    home as she tries to make up for the hours of attention she didn't
    get while nobody was home with her.
    
    Last night I broke down and got my own cat.  A fellow DECcie is
    moving away and selling lots of his stuff.  First I bought a dinette
    and hassock from him, then yesterday made an offer on the rest of
    the stuff he didn't want to take, including Tiffany and her baggage.
    
    I figure I paid about $25.00 for: a registered blue-cream two-year-
    old Persian female, litter box, cardboard carrying box, dishes,
    food, toys, scratching posts with kitty-caves, ....  The only hitch
    is that the silly guy didn't have the previous owners sign the
    certificate of registration when they sold Tiffany to him, so he
    doesn't have one to sign for me so that I can get a certificate.

    And the previous owners moved out of town.  But I'm going to try
    to track them down.
    
    Gilley's Choice Tiffany Lee is pretty shy so far.  The guy I bought
    her from said when _he_ bought her (about six months ago) she hid
    behind his bed for two weeks and he couldn't find her at all.  She's
    doing better than that now; I kept her closed up in my bedroom
    last night and she slept in one of her caves and did actually come
    over and check on me once in the night.  I must have been pretty
    excited; I had a hard time sleeping last night!

    I thought her short legs and pug face were pretty funny when I first
    saw her, but she seems very pretty to me now.  Her eyes are a beautiful
    copper color.  (This is common for Persians, isn't it?)

    There's much for me to learn.  Such as, why does her rabies vaccination
    certificate from last November have a stamp on it that says NEUTERED
    when she seemed very much in heat about a week ago (the owner said
    she was, and she acted _very_ affectionate to this stranger)?  Well,
    this was from an Air Force vet ... maybe that explains it.

    I noticed some ear drops in Tiffy's stuff ... does that mean she's
    had or presently has something that needs to be cared for?
    
    Seems like there's as much for me to figure out as when we were
    having two-legged babies!  Thanks for bearing with me.
    
    						-- Ed

Ed... give her previous vet a call and ask him/her whether she is
neutered or not and what the eardrops are for. 

Then, bring your new buddy to her new vet for a checkup and all.

Good luck 

karen

    Ed -
      Does this mean you may join us at the cat shows???  You can
    show Tiff as an apparent purebred even without the papers. You
    will have to make sure she's neutered tho.
    
    Also, I'm having a cookout in Braintree Mass for the FELINERs in
    this area. (note 2702)  Hope you can make it.  (9/3)  Bring pictures!
       Nancy DC
    

================================================================================
Note 2760.0                      Meet Cassandra                          1 reply
GENRAL::BALDRIDGE "Now it's Summer!!!"               20 lines  11-AUG-1989 10:38
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	I've told fellow noters about the disappearance of 16 year old
Ada Mae Muffin and in various replies have told about 14 year old Orange
and White Short Hair, Peaches (Billy Joe Peaches) and 15 year old Black
and White Long Hair, Doobie.

	Today, I'd like to introduce you to 12 WEEK old Cassandra (Cassie,
Cass, Little One, etc.)  Cassie joined our household night before last and
after not having a kitten around for the last 14 years, it has been lots
of fun.  This morning she tried climbing the brick wall at the end of the 
family room to see what was in the built-in book cases.  She didn't quite
make it, but it looks like we're going to have to re-learn some kitty-proofing
lessons.

	Naturally, like any proud parents, we've already shot about a roll
of film.  Peaches and Doobie have been quite good about accepting Cassie, but
don't really think it's necessary that Cassie hisses when they get close.
I expect they'll all be sleeping together quite soon.

	More stories later,    Chuck & Jane
                                           

    Nancy --
    
    Please send me more information about shows (offline is okay)! 
    Do I understand that it's not only okay but required to spay her
    for showing?  Doesn't that get in the way of breeding should you
    find you have a championship cat?
    
    You know, it _would_ be possible for me to make it to the cookout
    9/3 because I'll be on vacation then.  However, I've already got
    plans to drive down from my home in Colorado Springs to Las Cruces
    to visit friends and hike in the desert.  Maybe I can _send_ pictures
    -- if you write off-line, tell me where to send them to and I'll
    take some of Tiffany and her visiting "friend" Ebony.
    
    (Last night I switched them around; I had kept Tiffy locked in my
    bedroom and let our guest have the run of the house, so I put Ebby
    in the bathroom and let Tiff run loose.  Oops! When I got back,
    Ebony had escaped from the bathroom and Tiffany was hiding in a
    back corner of my bedroom.  Tiff has claws and Eb doesn't, so I
    expected to see some blood or at least fur, but no -- just bad vibes.
    This morning they hissed at each other even though they were clearly
    interested in seeing each other again.)

    I think the papers situation will work out.  The CFA told me that
    I can just get the original owner to sign the certificate over to
    me and skip the guy in between, and it hasn't been that long since
    they moved so I think a letter will get to them.
    
    Thanks again!
    
    					-- Ed

    Hi, me again!
    
    It's a good thing I don't live in New England ... the health department
    would shut me down for taking in too many DECcies cats!  Sorry I
    can't help, folks.  Unless you want to ship them to me ....  Hmmm,
    it's so crazy it just might work!
    
    						-- Ed

    Ed,
    
    Where do you live?  I have shipped cats to the New England area
    without any problems so I am *sure* that it could work in reverse!
    
    :^)
    
    Jo

    Jo --
    
    Ooh, I didn't notice your node -- you're in Santa Clara, huh?  I'm
    in Colorado Springs, the Digital crossroads between the coasts!
    
    Right now Ebony isn't too pleased with me.  Like last night, I put
    her in the bathroom to give Tiffany a chance to explore the house,
    only this time I propped a chair against the door so Eb couldn't
    open it.  Poor thing!  She's trying to scratch it with no claws
    and meow her way out.
    
    And I'm still not to pleased with Tiff.  However, she did come over
    to the terminal when I opened the FELINE notesfile, so I told her
    I was going to be reading about kitties and see if I could find
    anything about Persians.  I asked her if she knew she were a Persian,
    and she just walked off.  Evidently she does.
    
    					-- Ed

    Hi gang!
    
    Something possessed me to go to the pet supply store today, I'm
    not sure what.  Must've been that $20 bill just wanting to hop out
    of my wallet!
    
    Anyway, they seemed to have been keeping a May issue of Cat Fancy
    just for me.  It was the only back issue there.  Inside are some
    articles on showing household pet cats which have already answered
    some of my questions (yes, Virginia, it does have to be altered). 

    I see that there's a regular column by cat therapist Carole Wilbourn.
    This is quite a concidence because I'm about half-way through her
    1976 book, Cats Prefer it This Way.  In it she's describing how a
    substitute-teacher-and-Playboy-bunny has found true satisfaction
    in living with a vet and opening a cats-only practice with him.

    Ebony and Sunny-and-Sky (tweet!) have gone home to their repaired
    no-pets apartment, and Tiffany now has the run of the house.  She
    still won't let me brush her long hair or pet her body, but she
    now mostly tolerates having her head scratched.
    
    She didn't appreciate the Vaseline I globbed on her nose, and wasn't
    as happy about the catnip I sprinkled on the floor today as she was
    yesterday, but she did accept my bribe of some tuna.

    For those of you who know what co-dependency is, my relationship
    with Tiff is one flaming case of it.  I desperately want her approval,
    which I don't think she has any interest in offering at this point.
    I guess I'm sicker than I thought.  I hope this gets resolved soon.
    
    Thanks for letting a newcomer chatter!
    
    						-- Ed

Several people have asked for news of Spuds (acquired from Mary Tamir,
as described in 415.something), so I thought I'd introduce our new arrival
and let you know how he's doing (we just got him last Friday night).

We are having a wonderful time with our newest addition -- renamed to
Scooter as that seems to be his only speed!  He just zips around 
everywhere, especially under your feet.  We thought he deserved a cuter
name than Spuds, and it was too close in sound to one of our other
cat's name, Spats.

He has adjusted wonderfully, just about the easiest introduction I've
ever had.  We let him stay in our bedroom the first night to give him
a chance to get used to us before being introduced to the rest of the
horde.  Then on Saturday I spent most of the day in the room doing some
paperwork and rearranging (we just got an antique bedrooom set), so he
and I had a good chance to become friends.  He purrs quite readily, and
was very willing to play; all I have to deal with is his biting.  We'll
work that out pretty quickly, he clearly isn't mean or anything -- but
it is not permitted to bite the hand that feeds!

Saturday night he met the rest of the crew, including the dogs.  With
one exception the rest of my cats just looked at him and said "oh, looks
like Mom brought home another cat, wonder if we'll get more food?"  My
eldest, who is a declawed marshmellow, decided to be greatly offended
and spent the rest of the weekend growling and hissing at everybody in
reach -- much to the confusion of the old-timers.  My head cat, Tweed,
who can be a real terror when he hasn't been properly consulted, and Spats,
who hasn't liked cats until recently (we don't know what he thinks HE is,
but it clearly isn't "cat"), were the two we watched carefully during
the introduction phase -- and they were totally unconcerned!  Scooter 
seems to like everybody, and he and Jaspar have already been observed 
washing each other.

Cleo, my fawn greyhound, just about wore her eyes out staring at him for
the first 5 minutes; the other two dogs glanced over, said "a new one,
I think" -- remember, dogs can only count to three (me, you, them).  Since
then they haven't even looked his way, and Scooter seems to think they
are just fine on the other side of the enclosure.  No reason to expect
he'll have any problem when they get to touch each other.

10 cats does make for a happy household, and lots of input and output!
But I wouldn't have missed out on Scooter for the world -- thanks to all
the rest of the noters who didn't adopt him!!  And a special thanks to Mary
Tamir for giving him to me.


Jan  who_suspects_her_cat_max_may_be_12

    	Well, I haven't had much luck giving away two beautiful kittens,
    so for the time being at least they stay with me.  I have already
    introduced Sneakers, but I never bothered to name Noname, his big(ger)
    sister.  Last night, however, my SO suggested Nova instead of Noname,
    so that's her name now.  Pretty little Nova, black and white long
    haired kitten, very friendly and talkative.
    
    	Together the two kittens make a wonderful pair.  They are always
    playing with each other and getting into kitten-trouble.  I had
    to rescue them noth from the cellar the other day.  They had knocked
    in a ground-level screen and jumped in, but they couldn't climb
    back out again.  I feared for them that night, not knowing where
    they were, but I awoke in the wee hours to a single, solitary "mew"
    which I recognized as Nova.  I "mewed" back, and she did also, and
    the search was on!  I finally opened the ceellar door, and there
    were four sparkling eyes peering back at me from out of the darkness.
    I picked them up, fawning over them like a mother hen, and brought
    them to their food and water dishes, where they munched for a while,
    and then climbed onto the bed to sleep with me.  They're so adorable.
    Nova is definitely turning into the friendlier kitten, frequently
    jumping into my lap when I'm reading or watching TV.
    
    	So, Nova's my latest.  Bear in mind, I'd love to have these
    two adopted.  I certainly didn't mean to have five cats this year,
    and I'd rather return to three.  Sneakers and Nova are healthy,
    happy kittens, and I'd love for them to be adopted by good homes,
    preferably as a pair at this point.  Any interest out there?  If
    so, please let me know.  If not, well, they'll always be taken care
    of.  
    
    	McQ
    

    
    
             I Have adopted to two cat from the Humane Society or should I
    say came to there rescue. Let me introduct my two friend or which I
    call my children .First there is Blackie a black and white cat who is
    2 year old and very independent who like to be outdoor and let you know 
    he what to come in . He is a male. He like to sleep at the foot of the
    bed at night. Also has a habit  of jump from the loft in are condo to
    are bedroom. Also like to talk and let you know he hungry. His name is
    Blackie.  He is neuter and enjoy the outdoor also best buddy with Moxie
    are dog like to walk with us went we take Moxie for a walk Has a great
    personality.
    
              The second on is a gray and white cat who is 3 year old and
    is a female and is neuter and is a indoor cat but enjoy sleeping in
    front of the sliding glass door and catch the sun rays. She is a fat
    cat and is very loveable. went she sit she look like a queen from
    old days. Her name is Cleopatra of the Nile  called Cleo for short.
    Like to sleep on the bed in the extra bedroom. Like to give Moxie a 
    hard time just for fun.
    
    Nancy / Cleopatra / Backie  and there friend Moxie the dog.
    short.
    
             
          
             

    Nancy - How WONDERFUL of you to give these two adult cats a home!!!
    I adopted Bumpytail at age 2 and have never for a second regretted
    taking an adult cat.  
      I hope you all have many many happy years together.
        Nancy DC
    

Well, we finally got our kitties!  I dragged my husband to the Lowell Humane 
Society two weeks ago - just to look - and we left with two 8-week old 
sisters.  Peaches is white with gray and peach spots all along from head to 
tail.  She also has two long brown lines coming out from the outside corner 
of each eye, making her look like she did battle with my eye-liner, and lost.  
She's the more aggressive one and is a little more vocal.  Snuggles is gray 
with some white and is the more affectionate of the two.  She loves to climb 
up on my shoulder, purr in my ear and just snuggle.  She follows me everywhere, 
when I'm in the shower she'll sit right by the tub and every so often peek 
around the shower curtain - to make sure I didn't go down the drain.  She's 
a little more timid than Peaches, she just stayed at the top of the basement 
stairs the other night, while Peaches ran down to terrorize a couple of 
crickets.  Peaches has had most of the run-ins with the spray bottle.  By the 
time she figured out she does not belong on the dinner table, she was one wet 
kitten.  And she still needs to learn that Mom and Dad do not appreciate being 
woken up at 3:00 am to find their toes being used as a midnight snack.  We 
haven't had any of these problems with Snuggles, I think she's watching and 
learning from Peaches' mistakes.

More kitty news as it happens...

Paula

    Precious!  Thanks, Paula!
    
    		  -- Ed

    re: .318 - Sounds like Peaches is a dilute calico-tabby!  What
    a gorgeous kitty.  Hope you'll be bringing her and her sister to
    the cat-shows with us.
      Nancy DC

    It is with great pleasure that I introduce the newest member of
    our family! Magic (registered name pending) is a lovely sealpoint
    Birman female ..just shy of four months old...
    
    The SCBF cat show in Medina, Ohio was wonderful. All those beautiful
    Birmans in one place at the same time! It was great to finally meet
    Jo and share the excitement of watching Latisse get "Best Cat" 
    ...and see her beautiful Limoges. It was a busy weekend, ..with
    alot of excitement and little sleep. The 'regulars' made us feel
    welcome ...and I'm already making plans for next year's show!
    
    ...and, best of all, ...when the time came to leave I was able to
    take with me this loveable daughter of Jo's handsome Grand Champion,
    Kalliste. Jo, thanks for everything ...and most of all for letting us
    bring home another beautiful Kalliste baby. He should be one proud daddy!
    
    Magic and I are hoping to see you Feliners at the shows this fall!
    
    Welcome home, Magic.
    
    Linda
                                                                 

    I would like to take this opportunity to introduce Meowzer.
    He comes from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is sort of a combination
    tiger and tabby.
    He is differeng shades of orange with a small amount of white under
    his chin.
    He is three years old and has the run of the house.
    We live in the country about 25 miles south of Albuquerque and he
    has plenty of room to hunt and play.
    He spends most of his time sleeping in the house in his favorite spot 
    behind a ice chest in the closet.
    I gave him to my daughter for her fifteenth birthday.
    Right now he is trying to recover from his second bout with FUS,
    and it looks like he"ll be ok.
    I've been reading this notes file for about a  year now, and
    figured it was time to get Meowzer's name on record here as one
    of the most loved cats in the country even though he is a simple
    peasant from questionable parents.    

	This is to introduce "Diamond", a 9-month-old female "puddy-tat"
who we just acquired last week from someone in Nashua, New Hampster. She's
all white, with emerald eyes. The former owner named her, and we kept the
name (former owner is a James Bond fan, as am I, so I decided not to change
her name).
	Diamond is the most affectionate cat I've ever seen. She'll sit still
for a long time to have her chin rubbed, she'll follow us most places around
the house (she was and still is an indoor-only kitty, she's happy with this),
she'll most times sit just outside the shower waiting for us to come out.
She's now taken to window-sitting frequently.
	We need to get a brush for her soon (she has long fur), because she
leaves a trail of fur balls wherever she goes (I can tell what she's been up
to while we've been at work, follow the fur!) She seems to be a 3rd-shift
kitty at present :^(, so we're trying to convince her that people sleep at
night, and not play or give lovin' at 3AM.
	She proved her hunting prowess is not sacrificed being an indoor
kitty, last night. At 2:30 AM, the dog woke me up with some howling activity,
and I saw Diamond in the doorway as I got out of bed to see what the dog's
problem was. I noticed she was stalking something earlier in the evening,
but couldn't see what it was. Lo and behold, kitty had caught the #$%^&*
mouse that I've been chasing for the last 2 weeks! She was proud of her
catch (she didn't eat it, wanted to show it off to us!). Lots of praise
("gooooood kitty!") followed immediatly...
	I guess she's still got a little kitten left in her still. At least
once a day, "wild and crazy kitty" comes out. Full-speed dashes from room
to room, chasing her tail, attacking our feet as we walk by. Happens every
day, so far. It's funny to watch ;^) .
	It's been many years since I've had a cat, and we finally bought a
house (after years of renting...), so the LOGICAL thing to do, of course,
was to get a kitty! Diamond's VERY inquisitive, when we brought her home,
she proceeded immediately to check out the whole house, every corner of all
11 rooms on all 3 floors. She's settled in very quickly, and seems to have
the desire to be an alarm clock too (just set to the wrong time!). Sunday
morning woke us up at 4:30 AM, our usual rising time during the week.
During the week she's wide awake when we get up (sometimes when we don't
get up right after the alarm clock goes off, she considers it her duty to
come in and roust us by walking on us and purring loudly. My wife calls
her "the purring machine").
	All in all, a great puddy-tat!

Fred ;^) ;^)

    
    
    	She sounds beautiful!!  And I love the name!!
    
    	JJ
    
    	We look forward to more Diamond stories!!
    

    
    This is to introduce GB and Grizzy, my two feline roomates.
    
    GB is about 8 years old; one day I pulled into my apartment parking
    lot, looked down to collect my purse and books, looked back up and
    there he was staring in the windshield at me. When I recovered, I got
    out and gave him some heavy doses of patting. My neighbor told me he
    had been in the neighborhood for some time, a stray, and everyone
    took turns feeding him. Well, from then on, it was my turn. He was
    about a year old then, and he's about 8, now.
    
    GB grew up to be about 17 lbs, and has been forced to diet down to
    about 13, now. He's black with a crooked white moustache, white double
    paws, white sagging belly which whips from side to side when he runs
    [well, he never really runs...trots, maybe] and half a tail. When I
    first brought my horses home to live at my house, GB fell in love
    with Candy, the mare. He would sit or lie near her and just gaze up
    at her beautiful face in rapt adoration. So, one day when Candy had
    a blanket on, I set him up on her back where he immediately got into
    his Sphinx position, purring and eyes closed. It is a match made in
    heaven, and he sits on her whenever I put him up there - he can't jump
    up himself.
    
    Grizelda (named after Cinderella's ugly stepsister) is so ugly she's
    adoreable. She climbed into my horse trailer one day at my friend's
    barn, and I took her home. She was only a few months old at the
    time. She's a feisty little thing, got away from me at home on that
    same day, and I had to put notices in everyone's mailbox in order
    to find her. Actually, she found the neighbor with the cutest dog. She
    has always liked dogs, and I have one just her size that she wrestles
    with. Grizzy is about 4 years old now.
    
    Grizzy is what I call a tortoiseshell cat - mottled orange/black
    with a couple of small tigered areas; she has no tail. She squeezes
    her face when she wants affection - eyes closed, face all scrunched up.
    She's a good hunter, and brings me her kill - if she doesn't eat it
    first - 2 or 3 times a week. I appreciate the dead rodents, but not
    the live ones (I scoop them up in a container and give them a new lease
    on life, out the front door), and not birds. I belled her once and she
    spent about 3/4 of an hour running away from herself. She knew I was
    laughing at her and didn't talk to me for a while. But the next day she
    had ditched the bell.
    
    These two love each other very much, and let the dog (Spike) in on
    their sleeping pile. One more warm body is a plus! And Spike likes
    it. They're so affectionate - I am finding that two hands/arms is not
    enough with this crew!!! I need more to pat with!
    
    -julie for GB and Grizzy

	 As of yesterday, Joshua officially has a brand new baby sister.
     Her  name  is Hannah.  She became an official member of the Romberg
     family when the vet's office reported that she was FELV negative.

	 Hannah is  approximately  10  weeks  old.   Her  mother and her
     siblings  were strays that were picked up by the Cambridge (MA) dog
     officer  and delivered to an 'unofficial' shelter.  This particular
     woman  takes  in the strays that the dog officer picks up and tries
     to  find homes for them.  They have 11 cats and a couple of dogs of
     their  own.   They live in an apartment.  It gets a little crowded,
     otherwise  no  cats would ever leave their house.  Anyhow, a friend
     of  mine  works  for  one  of the vets that this person uses.  When
     Elaine  heard  I  was  looking  for a kitten, she knew who I should
     call.

	 Hannah had  twice  been  adopted and twice returned.  the first
     person  thought  she  was  too playful (didn't like 3:00 am wake up
     calls).   The  second  person said she didn't 'fit'.  I think she's
     just perfect.  

	 Hannah's basic  color  is  white.  Her secondary color is grey.
     Her  head  is  grey  on the back, up over the ears and nown to just
     below  the  eyes, with the exception of a nose-wide stripe if white
     that  goes to mid-forehead.  She has a grey patch on each shoulder.
     She  has a grey patch over her right kidney.  The back of her right
     hind leg has a grey patch.  Her entire tail is grey, except for the
     very tip, which is white.

	 Hannah purrs.   And  purrs, and purrs, and purrs.  She loves to
     be touched, but she can't stay still long enough.  She's constantly
     on the move.

	 When Josh  first met Hannah, it was hate at first sight.  There
     was  much  hissing  and growling on Josh's part, with little hisses
     from  Hannah.   Hannah  would  puff  herself up with a punk hairdo.
     Boy,  dos  she  look funny when she does that.  But I think Josh is
     coming  around.  Yesterday morning he actually touched her and then
     walked away, without hissing or growling.

	 Anyway, at  the  vets, she was proclaimed to have brought fleas
     and  ear  mites home with her.  She has now received a Mycodex bath
     and a flea collar and ear mite medicine. Josh has also been sprayed
     for  fleas.   So has the house.  Now that they both smell the same,
     Josh  doesn't  mind  her  at  all.   He  just politely avoids being
     pounced on.  In fact, he almost gave her a kiss this morning!

	 I think it's gonna work.  Hannah has herself a new family.

    Time to formally introduce Little Bit, my third cat.  Someone
    apparently dumped him in our neighborhood last year, and for awhile 
    the nextdoor neighbors adopted him, but then they decided they
    didn't want him (right at the point when I was going to kidnap
    him because he wasn't getting proper care).
    
    H&S are totally indoor cats.  Little Bit has becoming more and more 
    indoor, especially as the weather has been getting chilly.  I
    hope to have him be totally indoors eventually.
    
    Like S&H, he is black and grey with some white.  He loves to be
    cuddled, but he is just starting to realize that he increases
    his chances of being cuddled 600% by coming over to where
    his couch potato mother is, as opposed to expecting her to come
    to him.  I am happy to report that he now "sleeps in" in the mornings
    until I get up, as opposed to his previous 5:30 a.m. wake up call.
   
    Holly is down to one hiss a day;  Sweetie, of course, never
    hissed at Little Bit at all.  I didn't think three cats could
    fit in my house....
    

    		
    		Introducing Jocko Fitzgerald Koolbreeze.
    
    	He's the most awesome cat in the universe, paws down!
    
    	My friend Beth just moved into an apartment where the landlord
    	was a 'joik' and wouldn't allow her to have Jocko. :-(
    
    	He's four months old and is mostly white with a cool patch
    	of grey on his top side.
    
    	My roomate Mary Beth (not to be confused with Beth) has a year
    	and a half old totally (like totally...) black cat named Luther.
    
    	They fought a little at first- Luther made some hellacious noises
    	when Jocko appeared upon the scene but he got over it and they
    	play all the time now. Mary Beth is getting married in three
    	weeks and Jocko will lose his playmate. Like, total bummer. 
    
    	If anyone has any advice I'd more than welcome MAIL because
    	I'm fairly clueless (when it comes to cats that is!!).
    
    	Bye,
    
    	Jeff

    ahem, ahem,   Introducing..............(drum roll please)
    
    		MIPS and BELLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    Two wonderfully beautiful Silver Tabby kittens who
    arrived at my house last night, courtesy of Jane Perkins
    and our own little "matchmaker", E.T.
    
    They have made themselves immediately at home, and totally
    confused my poor tabby Boogie, who can't figure out why
    these wonderful, full size toys have such a persistent
    attachment to her! ;-)
    
    At this point, my new addition's favorite habits seem
    to be eating, sitting under large dark pieces of furniture
    and mewing, but I'm sure they'll be expanding their 
    horizons soon. ;-) ;-)
    
    Dream believes I have forsaken "Mommy's Princess" and
    Niniane can't believe I've gone and done this again after
    the powerful (read smelly) "statement" she left us last
    time, but Boogie and Charm have so far been excellent.
    
    More stories to come, I'm sure.
    
    Thanks again E.T.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    Mary-Michael, Niniane, Charm, Dream, Boogie, Mips and Belle (whew!)

      Well, I was going to give this honor to Jack, since he's the one 
    responsible but he got a case of writer's block so I'm going to have 
    the fun......


    
                    SET CAT_MAX = CAT_MAX + 1



AND NOW INTRODUCING CAT # 5.5 .....  <Drum roll please>........



      >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>  FLAME!!  <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Flame is a 15 month old red tabby, exotic shorthair.  He's one of Cindy
Gerry's and is son of the famous FIRE.  Flame has two honors in our home
he's the youngest by one month, and by far the biggest, weighing in at
15 pounds.  And if he doesn't stop feeling that he must clean all five
plates he's going to be even bigger.  Poor Flame, he keeps going from
plate to plate nibbling and then tries to cover up what's left.  He can't
quite figure out why I insist on spreading the food around into all these
plates instead of putting it in one place where it would be easier to
keep track of.  Well, this morning was the first morning that Isis and 
Dundee ate with him so hopefully he won't have to continue with this 
awesome responsibility for much longer. (whew!)

We met Flame back in June when we visited Cindy's home and cattery.  Flame
walked up to Jack who picked him up like a baby.  Flame laid on his back
and closed his eyes as if to say "I like this human - I'll take him".  Well
it was love at first sight - on both sides and Jack's been talking about
Flame ever since.  Last Tuesday, Flame came to live with the furry foursome
and I don't think things will ever be the same again  :-)

Just when you think you've seen all the crazy things that felines will do,
along comes a new one to teach you the error of your ways.  

Flame is just about the most laid-back cat I've ever met - except for
Stripees and Lil perhaps.  Actually, after playing with him yesterday
with a new cat toy, I've got to say that next to Stripees, he's positively
Hyperactive!  He chases around the livingroom rug in an absolute frenzy, 
snuffling and snorting - almost sounds like barking sometimes.  

Flame's incredibly easy-going nature is the reason I decided that the
furry foursome might accept him.  This "california cat" pays no attention
to the indignant hisses and growls that have been directed his way since
last Tuesday night when he arrived in our home.  At this point, the
crew doesn't even bother to hiss at him anymore because Flame pays them
no mind - and then its no fun to hiss and growl.  

Flame has taught me that declawed cats still scratch!  I was quite surprized.
And he loves the Arubacats trees as much as the rest of the crew.  I may
have to enter a TICA show or two so I can show him, he's such a beauty.

Flame is also the softest, most cuddly cat I've ever met...which has earned
him the nickname of "puff-a-lump" (like the stuffed animals).  He's not
into lap sitting yet, but he's started to sleep on the bed with us.  Oh
gawd!  If I had trouble with four other cats taking up the bed, I can
see I'm going to be pushed out of bed this winter!

One last endearing trait of Flame's is that he does a GREAT waterdance!  If
we run the tap for ANY reason Flame is right there "maaa'ing" at us for
fresh water.  Then he patty-paws with all four feet while simultaneously
drinking the water.  Wow!  Our own Floor show!

  At this point, I'd say that Flame is a permanent addition to the family.
And for those of you who are confused as to why Flame is # 5.5:  
1. Bumpy
2. Xiao-mao
3. Isis
4. Dundee MacTavish
4.5 Jesse James II  (he's a stray so I can't really claim hes our cat)
5.5 Flame

  If any of you are coming to the Braintree cat show (10/21-22) perhaps
we can arrange for you to meet the Furry Foursome and Flame.

  Nancy DC & Jack

Hi, 
     Just a few months ago, I got two "mutt" kittens from a pet shop and I
am very happy to once again be a cat owner.  My husband is allergic to most
cats and therefore never liked cats much, but he conceded to let me get them.
It turns out he is not allergic to either cat and they have won him over 
completely!  He absolutely dotes on them - fortunately for me 8-) . They are:
 
Tasha : a grey stripey lap cat.  She purrs very loud and very often and 
	is never happier than when she is asleep in someone's (anyone's-
	she's not picky at all) lap.

Laveau : a solid black cat with very thick, glossy fur.  She was the reason
	I first poked my nose into this notes file when she got cataracts
	(she's only 4 months old, too!).  She's hyper and clowny.  Since she's
	black and my husband and I are from New Orleans, we named her after 
	Marie Laveau, the voodoo queen of New Orleans.  ('eau' is pronounced
	'oh' for those without a French background).

    Introducing that dynamic duo.....
    
    
    THOR THUNDERKITTY and LOKI!
    
    Thor is an orange-on-cream tiger with grey eyes that are turning green as
    he matures.  Adopted from a litter of barn cats, Thor clearly was
    paying attention when Mom was giving the hunting lessons!  He stalks
    and pounces on anything that even remotely resembles prey -- cat toys,
    dust bunnies, Loki's tail, his own tail... :-).  The "thunderkitty"
    part comes partly from all the noise he makes running across the floor,
    and partly from his clumsiness -- he's always banging into things as he
    chases his "prey" across the floor.  He's adopted our sheepskin rug as
    "Mom", and loves to stand on it and knead and knead... He's also a
    talker, miao'ing and prrupping his way through the day...
    
    Loki is silver-grey tabby who is clearly *much* smarter than his bigger
    "brother".  Adopted from a litter of house cats that were born about
    a week before Thor, Loki at first was the bigger of the two.  Thor has
    quickly passed Loki by in size (uh-oh, is Thor really going to grow
    into those ears? :-).  Now Loki uses stealth and ambush to deal with
    Loki, hiding behind doors, chairs, etc. to catch his brother unawares
    (and boy, is Thor unawares...)  Loki is the first to catch on to new
    tricks, like climbing the bookcase and jumping into paperbags -- it's
    hilarious to watch this confuse the heck out of Thor ("Now how the heck
    did he do that?").  Loki is also the lap-kitten -- anybody's lap, just
    as long as he can snuggle down and get warm and purr and purr.
    
    This week they're off to the vet for their first looksee... Oh boy....
    

Hi, I've been reading this notes file for a long time now, but I've
never wrote in. So now I've finally decided to introduce myself and Elsa. 
Elsa is my blue cream point Himalayan little baby. She is 20 months old
and I don't know what I ever did without her. Every day when I get home
she runs to great me with a big meow and the loudest purr I've ever
heard. And talking about cats training there mothers, well I could go
on and on with stories about how she has trained me, but unfortunately
I don't have much time. I have a meeting in about 5 minutes.

Stephanie

    Well, time to introduce our newest member.  NOW, the INN IS REALLY
    FULL!! (Thanks Elaine)
    
    Well, about 3 weeks ago my ex-husbands father died.  As a result,
    my ex-husband left here for his father's home in western NY state
    and asked us to watch his cat.  Turns out that he is going to stay
    there and so we now have his cat.  It originally was just until
    we could figure out how to get her to NY state, but she has fit
    in so well that it looks like we are keeping her.  My youngest son
    loves her sooooo much.
    
    So - introducing Zelda.  She is about a year old, all black except
    for about 3 dozen white hairs at her bib.  She has copper eyes,
    is tiny, and has lots of burmese in her.
    
    When Zelda arrived, I was told she didn't like to be held, she didn't
    particularly like other cats, and she never meowed.  The only trouble
    with all this advice was that no one told Zelda about it.  So, she
    begs to be cuddled, purrs like there is no tomorrow, fit in with
    the other 3 cats immediately - decided the kitten was her best friend
    - and talks to me constantly!!!  I can't remember when I have fallen
    in love with a cat so quickly.  She is so sweet and much better
    behaved than my other 3.  She is so petite that I worried about
    her at first, but she sure can hold her own.  She and Esmarelda
    tear through the house like a herd of elephants - it is so funny
    to watch this tiny black grown cat and this scrawny gray kitten
    who is the same size (not for long!) have at it.  They really love
    each other.
    
    So, the new cat-max is 4.  Of course, my daughter arrives home this
    weekend to ask if we can have another kitten!  and my college son
    calls to see if I will take his friends cat - friend is going in
    the Navy.  So far I have said "no" to both - just don't show me
    the kittens!!!
                    
    Now, if I can only get the right name with the right cat!! Let's
    see, if it is gray, it is Esmarelda, if it is long haired, it is
    Bob, if it is tiny and black it is Zelda, and if none of the above
    and moves slower, must be Bitser.
    
    Ellen

    Hello!
    
    Our Feline is:  "Scruffy" - she is 3 1/2 years old.  Was a stray in our
    neighborhood (which unfortunately is full of them).  Luckly, we live in
    a nice wooded area -- but I feel bad for them.... But they LOVE ME!!
    I feed as many as will come, and they come running around 5:00!  Dinner
    time and they know it!
    
    Scruffy - was called appropriately, for about age 1 she came around and
    my husband name her for her looks!!!!!  But she has turned into a 
    beautiful cat!!!!  All cats & kitties are beautiful to their owners,
    but she was the "ugly duckling!"  I believe she is 1/2 Maine Coon with
    her markings.  She coos like a pigeon, rather than meowing like was she
    is, suppose to be!!!!  She begs like a dog, and likes to be scratched
    like one..... She's very entertaining!!!!!!!!!
    
    			So Scruffy says "HELLO!" to all!
    
    
    
    

    re: .334 Zelda.  If she's 1/2 Burmese then don't worry about her
    :-)  Those cats are all muscle!  BEAUTIFUL!!  and much heavier than
    they look.
      Nancy DC
    

    I'm not sure if this note belongs here or under "bragging" since
    I sure am proud of the newest member of our feline family!
    
    Introducing:  Junsui Mistral of Patsucre. Mistral is a handsome
    sealpoint Birman ..a son of Lysander, the first Grand from Jo's
    Mysinhs cattery. At not_quite_seven_months_old Mistral already
    weighs in at 8 1/2 pounds and his big rumble-purr is evidence of
    his laid-back loving nature.
    
    He delighted me this weekend by earning 2nd Best Birman Kitten (his
    littermate was first) and 6th Best Kitten in one specialty and one
    all-breed ring at the National Birman Fancier's show in NJ.
    
    Thanks, Jo, for all the help in making it possible for this guy
    to be with us. I'm looking forward to showing Mistral this winter
    ...and to his children in the future.
                                          
    
    Linda  ...whose dreams keep coming true!

    This is to introduce the newest member of my household.  Only she
    is not a cat, yet.  Her name is Chinook Annabelle Leigh, and she
    is an 11 week old Bernese Mt. Dog puppy.  At 11 weeks, she weighs
    in at 26 lbs, believe it or not!  She is odd eyed (one blue, one
    brown) which gives her a very funny expression.
    
    So far, the cats have been very nonchalant about her.  I guess that
    after the earthquake and 3500 (no exageration) aftershocks, nothing
    can phase them now.  Limoges has even taken to fighting Annie for
    the dog food!
    
    Annie is fitting in really well since she is a calm puppy.  I will
    have to teach her to be a little more cat-like though, since we have
    two litters of kittens due in a week, and I don't want her to clumsily
    step on any of them. 
    
    Annie is the cutest thing I have ever laid eyes on, and I am so
    glad that we went ahead and took the plunge and bought her.
    
    Jo

    
    not to be outdone, i introduce my own gruesome twosome, the dynamic duo
    themselvez...
    
    stella starlight ("stella") and siamese stanley ("stanley").
    
    (no applause necessary...)
    
    they are both half siamese, but how could two catz look sooooo
    different?  stella is a solid bluish-gray, with silvery mask and pawz
    and chartreuse eyez. she is now 2 1/2 yearz old.  the first cat i ever
    had from kittenhood, stella almost didn't make it past 10 weekz old.
    (due to what we refer to as the "mongolian beef affaire", to be related
    at a later time...) she is definitely the strongest willed cat i have
    ever seen.  discipline by water bottle? hah! on authority of the vet, i
    put half & half water/listerine in the squirt bottle.  that calmz her
    down a bit.  i have determined she will not wear me down, and *will*
    behave. 'course, i'm not as young as i used to be...
    
    stanley is definitely the "good ol' boy" type.  he coulda been a
    trucker. he is a lynx-point--half siamese and half tabby.  he is very
    pale cream colour, with palest fawn-colour pointz, a ringed tail, and
    pale, pale blue eyez. he also, we must admit, is a lard-b*tt. he must
    have inherited his love of food from his mom, although we did not meet
    until after his first year.  late one january afternoon, he jumped up
    on my deck and never left. we talked many hourz through the screen
    door, dinner was finally served, afternoon turned into evening turned
    into night.  dr. who came and went.  by midnight, it seemed destined he
    would stay.  so he was brought into the house, endured an immediate flea
    shampoo, and the rest--as they say--is history.  the vet certified
    stanley fit as a fiddle and approximated his age at about 1 year. so we
    will celebrate his 2nd birthday this january...
    
    do these two innocentz drive me crazy?  well, it is no longer a
    drive--more like a short putt.  but i can't imagine thingz without
    them. they be they mama'z rowdy babiez and they know it...
    
    diane a.k.a.  dr. feline
                                     

            > Her name is Chinook Annabelle Leigh, 
    
    Uh, that doesn't sound like a Greek name to me! :-)
    
    Congratulations on the new member of the family!
    
    Deb

    re: .339 "I ain't as young as I used to be" - neither is she!
    You have the advantage - this from the voice of experience who
    has a part-siamese torbie & white, now 10 yrs old - She'll calm
    down by the time she's 5.  Take my word for it.  
      Tho Mao still "crabs" like a kitten when excited.
      Nancy DC and her "survivor plants"
    

    reply from stella'z mom...
    
    thanx for the wordz of encouragement.  i have belonged to several
    siamese in the past.  they are loud and raucous and demanding. but i
    have never seen one like this:  it'z her way or *no* way!
    
    but you're right; she is better now (at 2 1/2) than she was at 1 1/2
    than she was at 1.  i guess it all has to do with maturity. the
    darnedest thing is:  she *KNOWZ* when she is doing wrong, but doez it
    anyway.  maybe just to get attention, although it has gotten her put in
    the "penalty box" on more than one occasion...
    
    diane a.k.a.  dr. feline
    

    Yes, I know that I haven't been in this file as much as I used to be,
    but I've been quite busy and haven't had much time to note lately.
    
    But I do have to introduce my new addition.
    
    Introducing:  (Dum, da, da, daaaaaa)
    
    
    Tu-tone's Sweet Sixteen!!
    
    For my neice's sixteenth birthday, a friend of hers gave her this
    BEAUTIFUL red tabby Cornish Rex.  Of course, considering the occasion,
    he just HAD to be named "Sweet Sixteen".  We call him "Sweetie" for
    short. (Hey Karen!  Now we've got a sweetie to go along with the
    Holly!).  He is absolutely adorable.  He eats ANYTHING that doesn't eat
    him first!  Once he's done with his plate full, we have to take him and
    put him in the other room until the girls are finished.
    
    He seems to get along fine with 4 of the 5 girls (Silver never gets
    along with ANYBODY except Tabitha).  In fact, he and PITA are BEST
    buddies!!  The other day he made a slight mistake, though.  I think he
    may have accidentally mistaken Silver for PITA (It's QUITE difficult to
    tell them apart.  Even I get confused every once in a while).   He ran
    up and attacked Silver (in a playing attitude) when all of the sudden
    Silver swiped at him.  He looked at her as if to say, "What's the
    matter with you?  Aren't you my friend anymore?"  
    
    Well, I promise that I'll be in this file more often with wonderful
    stories about sweetie.
    
    Holly
    

    It sounds like both Sweetie's have the same Food Policy :-)
    

    Hi, fellow feline lovers:
    
    I just discovered this note and would like to indroduce myself
    and 2 kitties.  My name is Jill Weyer, and I live in Irvine
    California (40 miles South of Los Angeles).  My two cats are
    both female, named "Maui" and "Casino".  They are tabbies; Maui
    being grey and Casino brown.  Both are from the same litter and
    9 months old. They are indoor pets but have the run of the back
    yard.
    
    It's fun reading about other cats' crazy antics - I'll share some
    of my cats' as they happen.  I also like the helpful tips that
    are noted here.
    
    Bye, Jill

    I haven't been in notes for a while, but since that last time we
    have managed to adopt two new fur friends to keep Punzi company.
    We adopted littermates fromr a fellow DECie.
                               
    They are three months old and adorable.  Their names are Jezebel
    and Zeus. 
    
    Jezebel is very, very petite.  She has a white belly and calico
    markings on her back.  One eye's outline extends to the side of
    her face in black the other in orange.  She loves to cuddle and
    crys when she feels like being picked up.  Her favorite place to
    sleep in under the covers with me.
    
    Zeus is a little chubby fur face.  He already weighs as much as
    Punzi who is 6 months old. (6 1/2 lbs).  His hobby is eating.  He
    also enjoys eating, eating, and eating.  He also has a white belly
    with black and gray down the back with a white spot right in the
    middle.
    
    I thought we would have problems introducing them to Punzi but I
    let her find them ( I left them in a carry case for a while so she
    could sniff them out).  I left them separated for a day then just
    opened the door the next day and watched.  Punzi has now adopted
    them.  They sleep together all curled up into each other.  Jezebel
    has tried nursing off of Punzi a few times.  I think shes beginning
    to realize that she's doing it for nothing and seem to be stopping
    it.
    
    Having three cats certainly adds excitment to a household.  The
    mad dashes through the house and feeding time trios.  (The cat litter
    leaves a lot to be desired.  What I wouldn't give to have them use
    the real thing. But we do love them and I am thrilled to have them.
    
    Well enough bragging.
    
    Doreen.
    
    p.s.  Nancy thanks for trying to set us up with a kitty from MA.
    
    d

    
    	Just a tidbit of info..
    
    	As of tomorrow morning my cluster name is changing from
    	VIDEO to ROYALT....so if you see ROYALT::MORRISSEY, it isn't
    	a new person, still li' ol' me but on a new name...
    
    	JJ
    

    Hi!
    
    My name is Lisa and I live in a village called Great Shefford (UK) 
    - thats about 30 miles from Reading. I have two ginger cats; one
    male, Percy and one female. Pookie. Percy has a white chest and one 
    white toe. He is quite big and VERY soppy. Pookie is all ginger and
    is petite. She is friendly, but she does nibble you when she gets
    carried away!
    
    Percy is always getting into scrapes and he is the one that ends
    up at the vet at least once a month. He hates the vet! He cries
    alot if we take him to the vet without pookie, so she usually
    comes along for the ride.
    
    Pookie had cat flu when she was very small - I stayed at home to look
    after her, and she has never been ill since.
    
    I got them from a farm near Reading. The people at the farm are 
    really animal crazy - 8 cats 5 dogs 4 horses etc!
    
    My mail address is wessex::lisa, DTN 830-3441.
    

    I've been waiting to enter this note until I knew what their names
    were, and now I know.
    
    Let's see ... yes, Tiffany came back the same night I brought home two
    kittens that a Colorado Springs DECcie was taking to the shelter.  I
    had been intending to get Tiff a kitty anyway to see if she would liven
    up.  Mostly she tries to ignore them (she's Persian, remember), but
    occasionally she'll hiss at them if they look too friendly.
    
    They're about four months old, grey and black tigers, one a good 25%
    larger than the other but still littermates.  I'm _told_ the bigger one
    is the boy, and he was called Tigger for a while, but since they both
    run like heck when I get near them I have been unable to either 
    determine their genders or ask them their real names.
    
    Finally a couple of nights or mornings ago, in a moment between sleep
    and some kind of awakeness, the names Bonnie and Clyde came to me.  I
    didn't know why, but I knew these would be their names.
    
    Of course!  They're always knocking things over and running for it!
    
    The last two nights Tiffany has hogged the bed, but the two nights
    before that Bonnie and Clyde hopped up and spent some of the night
    sleeping with me.  I woke up in the middle of the night for some
    reason, sensed fur at the foot of the bed, and quickly reached down.
    
    Caught with their defenses down (hey, we were _asleep_ dude!) they
    enjoyed being petted and just purred their little brains out.  For
    about 10 minutes, until they thought I was gonna nab 'em, and then
    they scampered away.
    
    They looked so cute yesterday snoozing together in the afternoon sun 
    on top of Tiffany's grey kitty-cave in front of her favorite window!
    
    I've had respiratory problems for the last 10 weeks, though, and I'm
    concerned that my cats are playing heck with my allergies.  I just
    can't seem to get well, and I'm very exhausted.
    
    Anyway, for now -- it's me 'n' Tiff, Bonnie and Clyde!
    
    						-- Ed

    Welcome to Bonnie & Clyde!!
    
    Ed,  I hope you'll be taking them for a "well visit" to the vet
    in the VERY near future.  You want the vet to get familiar with
    them when they're healthy.  It makes it much easier for him/her
    to treat them when they get sick.
    
    re: allergies - do you have allergy medicine?  If so, take it on
    a regular basis.  My husband and I are both allegic to cats - Jack
    much more so than I - and he just takes his medicine.  Also, he
    will "adjust" to cats he lives with.  His allergic reaction dimin-
    ishes after extended exposure to them.  So his allergies kicked
    up when we first got Flame and Jesse, but they're calming down 
    now.
      Nancy DC

Welcome to Bonnie and Clyde - Tiffany will come around...

Re: allergies

Get all cats started with a daily grooming...make it part of their
special daily attention...and brush/comb daily.  Also, as one who is
always allergic and always will be allergic, I can tell ya, indoor-only
cats are easily managed, but I cannot be around cats that go outside...
they get pollen, dust, all the no-noes on their fur and their feet and
then they pollute my environment....making me totally miserable.  I have
no real problems with my indoor-only "short and hairy" roommates as long
as I brush them daily.

All my "hundering therd" LOVE their brush time now - I call them to be
groomed by calling "xxxxx-brush time" (replacing xxxxx with the cat's
name) and Hannah, Nick, Sam, or Tabby will come running....with the
other members of the gang fast in pursuit in case they're missing
something.

    Hello, everyone!
    
    By way of personal introduction, i'm Jim Paradis, a contractor
    in the Ultrix Engineering Group at ZKO.  Since contractpeople
    don't get into elf, I'll tell you right now that I'm reachable
    at DTN 381-0435, physical location is ZK3/3T17.
    
    That aside, I'll introduce my menagerie.  We're currently owned
    by six furpeople.
    
    Athena was the first cat to grace our household.  She's a beautiful
    blue-point Siamese.  She's rather crosseyed, and when she's about
    to pounce on something she'll bob her head back and forth first
    to try and get a bit of depth perception.  She also has a thing for
    ladders... which can be interesting because we're currently renovating
    our 100-year-old house.  We'll prop the ladder up in the room we're
    working on, and sooner or later we'll turn around and there she is,
    perched on top, happy to have a nice view of the world!
    
    We got Athena from my mother-in-law's family; her second husband's
    daughter (a lazy frump if I've ever seen one!) had cats around and
    just let them breed and breed... we got Athena out of one of the
    litters.  Well, after the frump had her third baby, the cats started
    getting jealous, and so she said she was going to take them to the
    pound.  Well that, of course, was our cue to rescue the whole family!
    We took all four cats that she had, gave away two, and kept the
    mother cat (Cleo) and the father (Chalkie).  Cleo is a beautiful
    slate-grey half-Siamese, and Chalkie is a blue-point Siamese who's
    basically a bigger, chunkier Athena.  The two of them make GREAT
    bookends! 8-).  Like all cats, they have their quirks; Chalkie
    likes to be held like a baby being burped -- up on my shoulder.
    And like a child, he can be demanding at the most inopportune times
    (like, I'm cooking dinner and he'll pad by the stove and look up
    at me with an expression that says, "Daaadddy, PLEEEEZE hold meee!").
    Cleo, for her part, has an AMAZING craving for coffee.  When I make
    coffee in the morning, she practically claws her way up onto the
    counter to get a snoof... she'll even eat beans and grounds!  And
    if I'm not careful, she'll stick her snoot into my mug and try to
    get a few licks in that way too...
    
    We bred our cats a couple of times, deliberately.  Athena we bred
    once before fixing her... she had one (!) kitten, which we were
    able to promptly give away (we NEVER breed cats unless the kitties
    are all spoken for beforehand!).  Later on we bred Cleo to a Siamese
    stud and she had five kittens; the four that looked Siamese we gave
    away, and we kept the last all-gray one.  That's Sparrowhawk.  He's
    insane.  He seemed to be a wonderful, wide-eyed, inquisitive kitten,
    but now he's a wild-eyed manic-depressive.  He's either rubbing up
    against you, purring like mad, or else he's crouched in the corner
    hissing his lungs out at you (anybody want a free cat? 8-)  )
    
    Lessee... that's four.  Number five came to us one day in the arms
    of two little girls.  They showed up at the door saying, "You wanna
    kitty?!"  Seems they'd found this stray that mommie wouldn't let them
    keep, so they were trying to give it away.  It was all black, and at
    first I didn't want it 'cause I thought we had enough kitties already.
    Then I made the mistake of holding her (Pet stores know this, by the
    way: if they can get you to hold an animal, they KNOW you're a goner!)
    I said, "well.... let me ask my wife".  I brought the whole troupe to
    her, and she didn't want the cat until SHE held her!  She's a beautiful
    soft little black cat that we named Ebony.  She's also a little devil
    of a trouble-cat, always getting into things.  Small and fast -- she
    weighs 5.2 pounds (fully grown!) and usually she's nothing more than
    a black streak skizzing across the floor.
    
    Finally, there's Ralphie, again from my mother-in-law.  Ralphie was
    a gray tabby fat-cat that Mom had taken in, and when Mom got sick
    she wanted to cut down on her animal population.  Since I always
    loved to give Ralphie a hug when I visited, we were glad to take him.
    He's a big fat scardey-cat, and it's fun watching him try to run
    away from something while he's on a hardwood floor.  He can't get
    enough friction to move his big fat bod very fast, so he slips and
    skids as he tries to come up to speed.
    
    Well, that's the (short!) introduction to the family.  No kids; never
    had 'em, never will... our cats are our children.  The rest of our
    menagerie includes two rabbits, two hamsters, two chinchillas, and
    a tankful of fish...
    
    -jim paradis, UEG, DTN 381-0435
    

    re: .352  Welcome Jim.  That's quite a crew you've got there.
    We've also got six and intend to get a show quality Scottish Fold
    to breed.  
      I just wanted to mention that we have a 10 yr old torbie &
    white (calico to most folks) who also bobs her head just before
    she jumps.  We think she's part siamese because she's got the
    traditional siamese body and sounds like siamese.  its interesting
    to find other cats who do the head bob - in your case side to side
    - too.
      Nancy DC

    Now tha
    t I am as addicted to Feline as I am to Equitation I guess
    its time to introduce my feline barn managers to all you kitty lovers.
    Pussyfoot was the first kitty to find our barn, we fed her for 6
    months before she let us touch her for first time. After she got
    used to us we later discovered she is declawed in the front and
    her sh5yness was her survival. She is still the best chipmonk catcher
    on the farm. The house is now nearly finished at the farm so I am
    hoping she will want to move in with us, but she may not like The
    Dogs. Chessie, the eternal kitten, was found in the weeds behind
    my sisters house. We heard her crying for 3 days before we found
    her, everytime you got close, she shut up. The vet figured she was
    about 4 weeks old, and the only thing that saved her was she was
    too young to do her business by herself. My sister fed her with
    an eyedropper and had to use a cotton swab on her behind to help
    her go, until she was old enough to eat kitten chow and use a litter
    box. As soon as she was spayed she came to the farm, as my brother-in
    law is deathly allergic to cats. Tinkerbell came from my father-in-law
    when he retird. He wanted to travel so he told us he was going to
    take her back to the humane society where he got her. We told him
    that was very unfair to our 5 year old sister, and we wanted her.
    All 3 cats are expert ladder climbers and live in the hayloft. They
    do not have fleas even though they are outside though we do have
    to worm a lot because they do get into wild food.
    Sandy
     
    
    

    
    	Hi Sandy!!  Now we have something else to chit-chat
    	about besides our horsies!!!!  Welcome...
    
    	Sherry
    

    Hi everyone,
    My name is Gina Franceschi, I work in LTN1.  I have 1 kitty, who when I
    moved back home with mom and dad recently, took over the running the
    house.  Mom and dad have 2 kittys and a dog.
    My kittys name is Medea.  She is 8 years old, a beautiful sable
    Burmese.  She is an indoor, declawed up front kitty, and was spayed
    after breeding by her previous owner.  She is soooo loving, she just
    loves everyone and everything (except other kittys - and she just about
    tortures my moms kittys, so although I would love to have at least
    another kitty, I don't think I will be able to get one)  Her favorite
    place is cuddling under the covers with me or in front of the heating
    vent in the bathroom, or the greenhouse window in the summer, she hates
    the cold!  She is also extremely playful, so much so that if she is
    cuddling up with me and her grandmother or anyone runs a finger in
    front of her nose, she can't resist.  She follows me everywhere in the
    house, and has to be in my lap or in a baby burping position (the only
    way she will let anyone standing hold her) no matter what I am doing,
    even drying my hair with a hair dryer or vacuuming.  She likes going
    for rides in the car (except to the vet) and since I've moved home she
    has been trying to get outside since she escaped once.  Before she
    saw her catmates she is forced to share her home with, she never had a
    desire to go outside and even avoided open outside doors, now she
    dashes for them... 
    Her catmates are Midnite, a nervous black kitty my brother brought home
    from a shelter, and Popsicle, one of our many many long line of
    descendants of big fluffy orange tabby cats, who got his name because
    someone in the house opened the freezer and Popsie, when he was a baby
    somehow got in it, and was found probably at least an hour later with
    Icicles on his whiskers.  We suspect it was an oversight on my Dads
    part who has a penchant for popsicles, hence the kittys name Popsicle.
    I really enjoy this notefile, and hope to become an active participant.
    
    Gina  and Medea

    
    
    	Well although he's only our foster kitty, I think I'll
    	introduce him anyway....
    
    	Say hello to Jiffy Jeff.  An 8 week old kitten (approximately)
    	that was abandoned on a friends porch.  She's allergic so Cary
    	and I have taken him in and are trying to find a home for him.
    	Which I hope will happen soon because the longer he stays, the
    	harder it will be for me to give him up!!  And we really can
    	fit in or afford a 5th kitty.
    
    	Jiffy is part Maine Coon and looks just like my Sasha kitty
    	except he has exquisite sand colored eyes.  He is extremely
    	frisky.  Can jump quite high when Cary teases him with the 
    	kitty tease.  He loves the stairs and runs up and down, up
    	and down.  Eats like a little pig.  And loves to cuddle and
    	purr up a storm.  Likes to sleep on your neck or cradled in
    	your arms like a baby.  He is Dukie's little shadow.  I never
    	thought I'd think Dukie looked big until Jiffy came along.
    	Duke's like "Wow!  Someone littler than me!!"
    
    	That's him basically.  He's making his first trip to the 
    	vet on Saturday unless someone takes him before then.
    
    	JJ
    

    Well, I guess it's now time to introduce the brood.  But first some
    history.  If you have read 3060, you know this has been a horrible year
    for me as far as cats are concerned.  I mentioned losing my three but
    there's even a little more to report.  Before Tarbaby was killed, I was
    asked by someone at work if I could adopt his cat.  He had a new baby
    that was allergic.  After consulting with my housemate, Marsha, I said
    I would take the cat.  "Indy" short for Indiana Jones arrived and
    became vicious within a few hours.  After three days, he was still
    boldly attacking anyone that came into the house so we decided to take
    him to the humane society.  We didn't really like doing that but
    couldn't live in a house where people would be attacked.  Well, We were
    going to take the cat to the humane society on a Wednesday.  Normally,
    Marsha and I carpool.  Tuesdays, I have a committment after work so we
    each drive in to town.  So, on the Tuesday before the day we were to
    take Indy to the Humane Society, as Marsha went to leave, "Killer" (he
    acquired that name the first day) bolted through the door.  We felt
    horrible.  Our Vet is across the street from our house and we found out
    the other day that Killer had developed an abcess in his head and
    gotten very sick and been brought in by a man up the street.  The man
    has since adopted him.  He's still rather wild but in a good home.  We
    were glad for the happy ending.
    
         So, sometime after the above, Tarbaby was killed and Darwin, the
    kitten was found (I'll introduce him in a bit).  A coworker had offered
    me a cat when we were catless and I had accepted.  Friday, 11/17, the
    cat, "Sis" arrived.  Sis has siblings at her old house and after a week
    of pining and not eating and not coming out from under the bed, she
    went back to her old home where she is very happy.
    
         This brings us to last Friday 11/24.  Marsha and I had decided
    that Darwin needed company since we work all day and we decided to go
    to the Humane Society and get him a kitten.  We did this.  There were
    prettier kittens but this cute little calico female seemed to have the
    right personality.  We brought her home and she and Darwin fell in love
    at first sight.  They have been alternately romping and sleeping ever
    since they met.
    
         While we were at the Humane Society, Marsha walked by this cage
    and this beautiful full grown cat looked at her, she looked at it and
    they both looked at me as if to say, "Can we keep her?"  So, I told the
    cat we could keep Marsha and Marsh that we could keep the cat.  So we
    find ourselves in a 3-cat household (all indoor this time) once again.
    
         Having said that, here are the introductions:
    
         Darwin is about three months old.  He is a really cute grey tiger
    striped cat with a white stomach and white around his eyes, nose and
    mouth.  He smiles all the time and the vet says he will be big.  He was
    found along with 2 litter mates duct-taped into a box out where some
    hotair balloons were landing.  One of the balloonists found the box
    after hearing crying and all three kittens were taken home by pilots. 
    He was named Darwin because he is a survivor.  He is a talker.
    
         Curie (as in Madam Curie) is a Calico female 4-5 months old and
    came from the Humane Society last Friday.  The Humane people were able
    to tell us she had belonged to an elderly lady who broke her leg and
    could no longer care for her.  There were some really pretty kittens at
    the shelter, but this one picked us and it was a good choice.  She and
    Darwin have fallen in love.  This is the ultimate lap kitten.  Four of
    us were playing cards Saturday and Curie had to try every lap.  She
    purrs and talks all the time.
    
         Amber is 4-5 years old.  She was found somewhere in Albuquerque
    last week sometime and is gorgeous.  They called her a Maine Coon at
    the shelter and she has the size, ear tufts and personality to indicate
    that might be true although there are not many of these around here. 
    Amber still hides under Marsha's bed but if you walk into the room, she
    comes out for attention.  She seems to be somewhat of a snob.  Although
    there are no papers, I think she probably is a purebred something and
    has been the center of attention in a household.  She still cries a bit
    and I think she misses her old home.  When she is not hiding, she is a
    nice cat.  She is big and mostly tiger-striped.  She seems to have a
    nice personality and is a lover when she allows herself to be loved. 
    Like the other two cats, she is a talker.
    
         At times, it sounds like a symphony of cat cries in the house. 
    All cats seem happy and are doing well.  For someone who wasn't sure
    she wanted a cat again, I seem to have come into felines very quickly.
    I must admit that there is a nice feeling when I drive home and know
    that the fur-faces will be waiting when I get there.
    
    Denise
    

Well, I guess it's time to introduce our new family member, seeing 
as it's been a week already.

Murdock is a five month old, show quality sealpoint male Birman kitten. 
His breeder named him and although my husband and I detest the name, 
it really does fit him, so Murdock he will be!  We tried out all 
sorts of M names on him (it's the M year for Birmans) but nothing 
was suitable.  He's a real pistol!

Murdock arrived last Tuesday, via my sister, who was driving home 
from Virginia for Thanksgiving and offered to make arrangements 
with the breeder to take him along.  After eight hours in the 
car with him, she was ready to purchase him herself!  He is 
adorable, with excellent gloving, round, blue eyes, and a soft, 
thick coat.  He weighs six and a half pounds.  His temperament is 
very loving and affectionate and he is playful beyond belief!  
Nothing is safe from this little guy.  He and Kirby became 
buddies instantly and were barreling around the house within the 
first half hour.  Murdock walked out of his carrier and into our 
home as if he'd lived there all along.  He's a real sweetie and I 
can't wait to start showing him.  His breeder was very honest in 
her evaluation of him, so honest in fact that I wasn't expecting 
him to be as cute as he is.  She sent him up with my sister with 
the agreement that I could send him back if for some reason I 
didn't like him.  My husband wouldn't let me return him even if I 
wanted to so he is staying (he sits on Dana's lap -- hooray!) 
with us!!  The only thing I'm not used to is the roman nose -- 
which his breeder feels is a bit too long -- since I'm used to 
looking at Kelsey and Kirby's short, button noses.  It just looks 
so funny on his cute little face.  I keep trying to picture what 
he'll look like all grown up but I guess that will have to wait.  
Right now, we are thoroughly enjoying his kittenhood.

Murdock will be in Haverill on Saturday.  It is too late to enter 
him but he'll be sharing Kirby's cage and getting used to the 
show circuit.  Stop by and meet him!


--Roberta
 

    Re: .358
    
    I wonder if the reason "killer" was attacking people was that he
    already had the abscess and was in pain.  Did you ever take him to the
    vet yourself to see if he was sick?
    

    RE: .360
    
    No.  He seemed very healthy and showed no signs of any problem.  He was
    very sedate and calm with his previous owners up until he was placed in
    the cat carrier and handed to me.  The previous owner says he was never
    like that before.
    

    Come on Roberta, you really didn't think you could get away with
    not entering his breeders name did you??? :^)
    
    Congratulations on your new addition.  I know it has always been
    a dream of yours to have a Birman and a Ragdoll, so I am happy for
    you.  
    
    Good luck with him at the shows.
    
    Jo

    Jo, it took me forever to write that intro!!  I figured most folks
    wouldn't know the breeder anyway which is why I left it out.  But
    it is Charlene May.  Nancy Jenkins told me about a show boy Charlene
    had for sale back in early November.  I called Charlene and we spoke
    and she said she had several people interested in purchasing him
    for a breeder... but she wasn't sure of his type and wanted to grow
    him out for awhile.  He had just turned 4 months the first time
    I called her.  Charlene does not build up her cats when she speaks
    about them.  She really had me thinking that Murdock was going to
    be ugly!  She said his nose and muzzle were a bit too long.  His
    muzzle has broadened out (since our first phone conversation),
    but his nose still looks funny to me!!
    His eyes are round and nicely set (I want a cat with *big* eyes
    but I don't think his will get as big as I am picturing) and his
    ears are nicely set too.  His point color is still a bit light --
    more of a chocolate brown -- and his eye color is on the light side
    too.  Both will probably deepen as he matures.
    
    His dad is of the Dunnydeer lines (he's a "Bean" son -- probably
    only you will know what that means!!), and his mom is a Tabu queen.
    Charlene said that this is her favorite pedigree to work with because
    the lineage is old English and very different from the other Tabu
    line (she said there are two Tabu lines -- I'm still new at this
    and know you have different lines than she does) that she has. 
    She feels he will do very well in Premiership but was reluctant
    to sell him into a breeder home when she was "iffy" on his type.
    She offered to grow him out for another month if I wanted to since my 
    sister is coming back for Christmas,
    but I decided to take a chance and have him sent up since the flaws
    she notices would probably not make much difference to an untrained
    eye like mine.
    
    I have a picture of Bean at home and am in love with his look. 
    I don't know much about the Tabu cats.  Delores Leterneau has Tabu
    lines and although I think her Magique is very nice, her male is
    not what I would consider a nice looking Birman.  Charlene assures
    me that Murdock is not from that line of Tabu.  When we finalize
    contracts and such, she will send me a copy of his pedigree.  That
    should help clarify things for me.
    

    I think Birman Fever ran rampant this holiday! Congratulations,
    Roberta, on your new Birman boy. I am anxious to see his at
    Haverhill this Saturday. Enjoy him!
    
    ...And I am delighted to introduce the newest member of our growing
    Birman family.  'Baby M' (temporarily named while we look for that
    perfect M name..) is a 5 month old bluepoint Birman female breeder
    kitten. After many months of dreaming of having a kitten from Jo's
    Kaitlin ..that dream has finally come true. ..and Baby M's dad is
    none other than Jo's wonderful Kalliste. This is our third Kalliste
    baby out of four Birmans ...so you know we love them!!!!
    
    Baby M arrived at Logan last night ...and has settled right in to
    our hearts and home. Our thanks to Dian Wilde for 'holding Baby M's
    paw' on the long trip from the west coast. We didn't have to worry
    about how she would make the trip when she was in such excellent
    care! Dian, I'm glad we finally had a chance to meet!
    
    This little girl is in 'the Kittery' with Charm. This area consists
    of two small connected bedrooms ..presently shared with my son,
    Ken, ...whom Charm "owns" and is only 'considering' sharing with
    her new Birman half-sister!   It looks like the two girls are
    well on their way to being 'buddies' already. I have given Charm
    (our resident Spaz cat) instructions to *not show* Baby M all of
    her tricks! :^)
    
    Baby M is a real sweetie. ..very loving and cuddly. ...and she shows
    every promise of growing into the lovely Birman we are hoping for.
    I love that nice wide muzzle, roman nose ...and those blue eyes! 
    
    It will be great fun looking forward to the wonderful babies we
    hope she will have in the future ....and enjoying the many hours
    of sharing her loving companionship in the meantime.
    
    Does anyone have any great suggestions for an M name that has no
    more than about 15 letters? Her sisters are Charm (Mysinhs LaCharmante
    of Patsucre) and Magic (Mysinhs Magickal Childe of Patsucre). Now
    to come up with just the right M name ...hopefully in the same
    'theme'...
    
    Linda  ...Who will never be able to thank Jo enough!   :^)  :^)
    
                                  

    I do know Bean, while I don't have Bean in my pedigrees, I do have
    Attimore Tanglepaws Tor, who I think is Bean's father.  All of
    the Birmans that are in the US have come to us from import lines,
    since Birmans didn't originate in the US.  We all have some similar
    cats in our pedigrees, you just have to go back far enough to find
    them.  My lines are predominantly English, but I also have quite
    a bit of French and Dutch mixed in there. 
    
    Again, congratulations on getting Murdock (I like the name, but
    if he is not registered you can still change it.  If it is registered,
    but he hasn't been shown under that name, you can change it too).
    Good luck with him in the shows.
    
    Jo

    Wow!  Sounds like everyone got kitty babies.  Congratulations to all.
    Sure hope you all show them CFA - that way I'll get to see them all.
    The Exotics are judged right after the Birmans and are generally up
    in the ring at the same time unless there are 'so' many Birmans we
    have to wait.  With the Birmans becoming so popular, we Exotic folks
    may have to wait a 'long, long' time to be judged!!!!
    
    Roberta, you couldn't get him on the late page???  I heard that they
    were looking for kittens,  Did you call Sheri Mitchel?
    
    E.T.

    Linda,
    
    I still think Mysinhs Mystical Childe of Patsucre is cute.  You
    could call her Mystic or Mysty.  I currently have seven M kittens
    to name, so I am having trouble coming up with my own M names. 
    We had called her sister Moonstruck and her Moonshadow for awhile.
    I liked those names since both girls were blues (get it, blue Moons??)
    
    When Patsy got her male kitten from me, she named him Mysinhs My
    Man of Kattah because he was to be her only stud cat.  When we saw
    her in St. Louis, and she wanted Moody, she said she would call
    him "My Other Man"... Maybe you could borrow Patsy's theme and call
    her My New Kalliste Baby!!  ;^) ;^) ;^)
    
    Or how bout Morgan Le Fay??  Or Mordred, or Merlin.
    
    Jo

    Charlene showed him once and registered him as Murdock with CFA.
    So since I can't change the name, I might as well keep it.
    
    Congrats to you too, Linda!  Haverill will be jam packed with Birmans
    between Mistral, Magic, Marrakech, Breezy (to keep Marrakech company)
    and Murdock!  Now we can put all our babies side by side and compare
    looks.
    
    Let's get those CFA shows mapped out soon!!!
    

    re: .358 (my own introductions)
    
    Just an update here.  Darwin and Curie are inseparable.  They play,
    sleep, eat, do everything together.  Amber came out from under the bed. 
    She has hissed occasionally at the kittens but all three curled up with
    Marsha this morning and tried to convince her to spend the day in bed
    with them.  Amber is going to be a nice cat once all her fear is gone
    and the kittens are almost perfect.  It's nice to have a family again.
    
    Denise
    

    Introducing...		ALTAIRA
    
    Altaira is a 3-year old female calico cat I brought home this summer!

    I was in the market for a mature cat, after the death of my 14-year 
    old orange tabby, George. I went to look for a cat at the Humane
    Society of Santa Clara Valley. At lunch I would drive to the shelter, 
    find a cat I liked, then (not wanting to make a snap judgement) I
    would wait a day. When I returned the next day to pick up the cat, 
    someone had inevitably beat me to it! Honestly! These mature cats 
    (anything larger than a kitten) were going like proverbial hotcakes!  
    This happened to me 3 times.

    Finally, I saw this calico cat. She had a striking Egyptian profile and
    was stoically enduring the situation. Her deep green eyes betrayed
    that unmistakable trace of sadness the older Humane Society animals have.

    I adopted her that day.

    Altaira is named after the 1st magnitude star, Altair, in the
    constellation Aquila, the eagle. This constellation is located above
    the more popular constellation, Capricorn, which lies in the plane of
    the ecliptic. (An additional reference to the star, Altair, was made
    in the 1950 Si-Fi movie, "Forbidden Planet". It's a classic.)

    Altaira and I are Humane Society 'Hug-a-Pet' volunteers. One Saturday
    each month, we visit a convalescent home and spend time with the
    residents. I think of it as a form of pet-assisted therapy.
    
    Also, we are entering our first cat show this weekend in San Francisco.
   
    Best Regards, Theresa Bromar, Santa Clara, CA
    

    PLEASE IGNORE 1.371 - I'M NEW TO THIS NOTES GAME!
    
    I adopted Arthur 2 years ago when he was about 6 years old.
    He's what I call a liquorice allsort - he's a long-haired moggy
    with white paws, a white nose and a white bib.
    
    I love him to pieces, but he will insist on playing one game that
    really irritates me and I can't seem to stop him from doing it.
    
    Every now and again he gets a bit frisky, as most cats do, and grabs
    my leg with his front paws and bites my ankle!!  He lies in wait
    on the landing and pounces just when he thinks I'm not expecting
    him to!  It's most disturbing and is costing me a bomb in new
    stockings!
    
    Has anyone else experienced this with thier cat/s and does anyone
    have any ideas of how I can stop him?  (He has already been castrated!)
    
    All suggestions welcome.
    
    
    "Terrorised" of Reading!!
    

                Well, I guess I'll be able to join in again now tha I
        have some new owners (only they haven't discovered that htey own
        us yet - it won't be long!).
                
                Picked up last night two beautiful Egyptian Mau kittens
        from a local breeder. Both are males. Both intended as pets
        (indoor only - of course). So far they haven't done much
        expoloring (they arrived about 9pm) except for some of the room
        they are being (temporarily) confined to at night. They are
        littermates, one is about 50% larger than the other due the
        little ones having had a bout with the runs as a little kitten.
        He's the lively one of the pair (so far) but also the more
        afraid one.
                
                Well, I really don't have any more to add at the moment,
        having only seen them for about 2 hours! We haven't even come up
        with names for them yet. More later, I'm sure.
                
                /s/     Bob
                
 p.s. This really helps fill a void left this spring when we had to put
        our 18 1/2 year old Siamese to sleep with full kidney failure.
        It's great to have some furfaces in the house again!

    Re: .372
    
    This probably belongs in a different note, but about the puss
    attacking ankles, this is usually a sign of boredom.  You can try
    playing energetic games with him, or getting him another cat to keep
    him company.
     

    re: .373
      Bob - I'm happy to hear that you are once again "with cat" or
    cats in this case.  May they bring you many many many years of
    joy.
      Nancy DC

    My current guests are Calvin and Hobbes.  They came from the Nashua
    Humane Society, they are now 18 months.  Hobbes is, of course, a tiger,
    a neutered male.  Calvin is a black female, spayed, her hair is of a
    medium length neither long nor short.
    
    Since I moved into the Condo in Hudson, they have both gotten into the
    habit of "going out."  Hobbes for much longer periods of time than Cal.
    The first time he was out overnight he was gone for three days.  I just
    happened to be driving into Fow Hollow when I saw the Animal Control
    Officer pulling him out of a storm drain.  I think he wandered into a 
    pipe and got lost.  The rain had been incredible the day before, it's a
    miracle he didn't drown.  I figure that's one down, eight to go.
    
    Since then he has been out about 6 nights, I worry each time, some of
    them were pretty cold.  I just don't let him out after noon any more.
    He'll even stay out for 4 or 5 hours when it's 10 deg out.
    
    Calvin is much more dainty, as I would expect -- all of my previous
    cats were females.  She likes to be adored and sometimes returns to
    playing like a kitten with a little coaxing.  They both like the Cat
    Dancer but Hobbes will hog it if he can.
    
    I also 'have' a stray whom I call Spook, a long haired black male who
    comes around on occasion.  He knows he can get a few pets and some
    attention and food of all types.  I let him in but try to keep him from
    wandering far.  He urinated in a corner once and is absolutely panicked
    when put near a litter box so I only let him in when I can supervise
    him.  He comes around every few days so I figure he has several units
    where he mooches, I know I'm not the only one who feeds him.
    
    Oh, Hobbes is a mooch too.  When he was missing I asked around and
    found that there were lots of places where he has begged for food.
    
    [on the depressing to pet lovers side, <next unseen> if you want to
    avoid being offended]
    
    
    I'm glad I found a file with people who care about animals.  I'm
    impressed.  I was very deepressed after I read some notes in a
    different file -- this creep actually bragged of aiming for animals
    which didn't belong in the road.
    
    Keep it up.
    
    ed & Calvin and Hobbes, and Spook
    
    

    Dear Terrorized in Reading:
    
      Take the upper hand with your frisky kitty.  Two can play that game.
    Some day when you have the time, lay the trap for him and be ready
    with a squirt bottle.  It will probably take patience to catch him in
    the act, but I'll bet that if you win this game a few times, he'll get
    the hint.  On the other hand, he might like the game, then you'll
    really have fun!
    
      I'd like to take this chance to introduce my kitties.  I've been
    reading for a while now, and I've even entered a couple of notes.
    
      Tabatha is kitty number one.  She moved in to my apartment with me
    the day I did.  She's black and white w/green eyes who needed a home.  She's
    probably around 5 years and she's very sweet and timid.  I suspect she
    would have been happier as an only cat, but that's not the case.  She
    doesn't play much and has a jelly belly.
    
      Tabar is kitty number two.  I got him from the Harvard Humane Society
    to keep Tabatha company.  Tabar has a special place in my heart, as well 
    as most women who meet him.  He's also black and white and looks as if he's
    wearing a tux.  He's about 4/12 and 1/2 siamese.  All 4 paws are white and 
    he's got a white bib.  He's long and slinky with long legs and tappered
    paws and he sounds 100% siamese.  His fur is very short and glossy and
    feels like velvet.  His eyes are green and very beautiful. Tabar has
    already used up at least a few of his nine lives.  He had some illness as 
    a kitten and was given to the HHS because his first owners didn't feel they
    could give him the care he needed.  I got him when he was about 5 or 6 
    months old.  He contracted Feline Leukemia Virus about a year later and 
    was so near death that I thought I would loose my best friend.  If anyone 
    doubts that a cat can beat feline leukemia, call the Hudson Animal Clinic..
    they tried a new drug on him (can't remember what they called it) and his 
    fever which was very high was gone the next day.  He was still weak for a 
    months but he was retested 6 months later and tested negative.  The vet
    said I (we) must live under a lucky star.  I believe in miracles!  
    
    Tabar lost another life a year after that.  He's not what I call an
    outdoor cat because I live on a dangerous road.  I used to put him out
    on a harness and rope... but there are too many tree's in my yard and
    he came close to hanging himself a couple of times, so I started
    letting him loose when I was there to watch him.  Well, I grew more
    lax as time went on and one day during the summer I left him out on
    his own while I went out.  It gets terribly hot in my apartment so
    that's partly why I let him out.  Well, I got home around dusk and
    he was not at the door waiting for me, but I could hear him crying
    for me.  I found him in the cellar on a pipe.  He was obviously
    terrified, but I couldn't see the problem because it was too dark.
    
    I got him in the house and discovered his face was a mess.  He
    could barely breath.  I rushed him to the vet and they told me he
    had been hit by a car.  I took him to the Acton Emergency Hospital.
    I did not like their service at all.  This was on a Sunday, and the
    next day I picked him up and brought him to Hudson.  He had two small
    fractures in his jaw and also one in his cheek bone.  He wouldn't
    eat because of the pain so they finally inserted a tube in his neck
    and I had to put baby food down it about 5 times a day for about 2
    weeks.  He recovered totally, without the need for wires or pins AND
    his beautiful delicate face was not disfigured.  You can be sure I
    have not been lax with him getting out alone since.
    
    Cat number 3 has an equally heart touching story.  He was a wild cat
    who got caught in a leg trap.  I had seen him around for about 5 
    months before the accident and I was feeding him.  He never came near
    me and I never forced the issue.  He did hang around a lot though and
    he was always on time for his meals.  He's also black and white, but 
    mostly white with black patches on his back with a black tail.  His
    tail is about 3 or 4 inches too short, so I suspect something happened
    when he was a kitten.  I never planned on taking 'Tom' in because he
    was so wild.  Not until the accident that is.  His hind foot was a 
    mess.  He's got big wide feet to begin with - 2 extra toes on the 2
    front paws, and an extra toe on the 2 hind paws!  His paw looked 
    squished.  It took me two days to catch him.  People told me not to try
    because he would turn on me.  I had no problem once I got my hands on
    him.  He was hungry and hadn't eaten in 2 days, so I put food down and
    snuck up on him.  He was full grown, but so light that I grabbed him by
    the scruff with one hand and shoved him into a cat carrier.
    
    I played nurse for weeks after that, changing his bandage with my
    mother's kind help.  I was more afraid to do this nursing that Tom was
    as a patient - and he was so good.  He never tried to bite or scratch
    and he never cried.  He just shut his eyes until the business was done!
    In the beginning, the vet didn't think the foot could be saved.  He
    talked about amputation which I would not have considered because of
    the circumstances.  I cried for Tom that night and just like Tabar's
    rapid recovery, Tom was much better the next day.  The swelling was
    gone along with the smell - his foot was beginning to heal.
    
    Tom was extremely fortunate because his foot healed completely and his
    wound was almost to the bone.  It was amazing.  He has also turned into
    one of the biggest slobs ever.  He is timid with strangers and used to
    hide, but he comes out sooner now and trusts some people completely.
    He's also never been a problem at the vet's, unlike some cats who have
    never been wild.  He has come a long long way.
    
    Cat number 4 is Sunny, who I consider a foster child.  I recently
    put a note in about him to try to find him a new home.  He's orange
    and white, his legs and chest are white, and he's orange from the
    top of his head, down his back and his tail.  He also got caught in 
    a trap, and although his wound wasn't as bad as Tom's was, two of his
    toes got dislocated in the ordeal and his foot is not 100%, although
    it does not stop him from running like crazy, jumping great heights
    and climbing tree's.  He's got a lot of kitten in him, and I estimate
    his age to be 1.5 years.  He's very tall and still slim, but as he
    fills out, I'm sure he'll be a large cat with a sweet personality.
    
    As you can probably see, I love cats.  My problem is I don't seem to be
    able to say no, although I am learning.  For the most part, all my cats
    get along well.  There are problems between Sunny and Tabatha though,
    but Tom and Tabar truely love each other and sleep with paws wrapped
    around each other often.  Tabatha loves Tabar and tolerates Tom, but
    Sunny is the outcast in her domaine!  Sunny is just this dumb smuck 
    who thinks everyone loves him and wants to play all day.  The boys
    like him but he hasn't got a way with the ladies yet.  Everyone is
    'fixed', although I know Tom fathered at least a daughter.  I'll
    put that story in some day, along with some others that are very 
    touching!
    
    We all wish everyone here in FELINE a wonderful new year!
    
    Tracey
      &
     Family
                                                                       

    Happy new year all.. it is with great pleasure that Pookie, Happy,
    and I make the following announcement... Drum  roll, please..
         On 12/26,  we added a new addition to our family, as most of
    you know.. Happy had indicated she wanted a "Baby".. and thanks
    to Cin Gerry,,,  Happy does have her Baby..!!! Her name is
     Cattyshacks Precious Gem, she is brown and white tabby(exotic 
    longhair).. she is 10 and 1/2 weeks old, coppered eyed,, and absolutley
    adorable.. teehee.. She is the daughter of Stripees,and Silly..
     and to answer the burning question on most peoples mind..
    How does Her Royal Highness feel about her.. weelllllll... she really
    likes her.. she is being very maternal. very maternal.. as a matter
    of fact.. they had "brunch together" on Wednesday morning.... Happy
    just wants to play.. and Pookie has decided  that she is tooo
    little... and of course there are more important things for her
    to learn frist.. ie financial responsiblity, (1 bank acct in Pookies
    name.. she collects from both of them and deposits  the money
    in that acct, one must eat genteely, no slurping allowed,
    if ohne is going to tumblesault past her Royal Highness,
    one will be ignored(sort of.. we check with only one eye ..)
    also one must have ones face washed,,etc and abouve all No crying
    and Disturbing her Royal Highnesses beauty sleep.. it is  quite alright
    if one.. seeks Happy out, but do so quietly.. and please do not come
    and give her Royal Highness a description of what ensued.. and above
    all, please remove ones leather jacket before coming to see her Royal
    Highness,, and do not use thr tiara, or pearls as an accesory to the
    jacket, it gives Her Royal Highness  " the vapors".. also..
    please remember to keep Daddy as a Mossh,, it does get all
    of us more treats..Daddy is agreat big moosh... tee-hee..
    Again many thanks to Cin and to Stripees and Silly.. Precious
    is indeed quite precious.. Fyi Cin.. on sat we became
    odd eyed, by the way.. today.. we are getting our copper eyes.....
    gorgeous copper eyes,, and we are looking more and more owly..
    just like Happy...
    Kate, Pookie, Happy, and Precious

    I've been reading this file for some time now, and have shared in
    both the good and bad.  I think its time someone set up a note for
    the specific purpose of sharing the good news of adoptions.  I searched
    for a specific note, but found none.  So from here on in, let this
    note serve as a place for us to write about new members of our "feline"
    family.  This will be a place to cheer us all up when we are down,
    and help us to feel that we are doing some good.
    
    I will start.  My roommates and I recently adopted a kitty that
    I found through the adoption note.   Her name is Tatiana.  She is
    all white with green eyes.  She was found by Sherry, hanging out
    near her fiancee's (now husband's) barn.  She was starving and they
    took her in, but couldn't keep her.  Well, happily I decided to
    take her.  She is such a joy!  She's about nine months old, very
    spirited.  She loves to be cuddles and petted.  Loves to play with
    my other kitties.  She no longer is starving, and even leaves food
    in her bowl when she is not that hungry. (For the first few weeks
    she ate EVERYTHING in sight!)  We thought she was pregnant when
    we got her, but it turns out she's not.  The vet thought that maybe
    she just had kitties.  Anyhow, this is just the first story with
    a happy ending in this note.
    
    Zoe
    

    
    
    As I mentioned in the Adoption note a short time ago, we adopted
    a kitty from the Animal Emergency Hospital in Acton the week before
    Christmas.  Her name is Scooter - she is 6 months old, very small
    and is grey and white.  Her tail is grey except for the very end
    which is white.  The doctor at AEH told us that she thought the
    kitty had been hit by a car at some point because she has nerve
    damage to her left front leg, so she can't put much weight on it.
    She also has a sinus problem which we are now treating with
    antibiotics.
    
    Scooter is really sweet with a non-stop purring machine.  She is
    very curious and entertains herself quite well.  Our dog Muffin
    (Lhasa-Poo) really likes her and constantly follows her around.
    Our other three cats - Pistachio, Amber and Buster Brown - are
    not as enthused ;-)!  Amber has swatted her a couple of times,
    Buster has done his share of growling but is now settling down
    a bit, and Pistachio growls and hisses whenever she gets within
    10 feet of her.  I am sure that over time they will all relax.
    I keep reminding them that they were in her paw-fur at one time!
    
    Scooter loves to have her face and stomach rubbed, but doesn't
    like being picked up.  She will come up and sit on my lap *very*
    rarely because she is just too busy investigating everything!
    When she meows she is VERY LOUD!  I can't believe that sound comes
    out of that little body!  Our vet in Hudson saw her on Saturday
    and said that she will probably stay small - maybe a maximum of
    6 lbs. - which I can't believe because our other cats are so
    big.
    
    She is great fun and a joy to have in our home.  So glad we found
    her!
    
    Carole

    I began to write in to this notes file when my husband
    found a litter of kittens in our woodpile the day we found
    that the stray mother had been hit by a car.  We had to
    find homes for all of them (this notes file was one way)
    because I had tested allergic to cats in high school and
    we had a motion-sensor alarm system in the house.  Not to
    mention the VERY busy road outside the house.
    
    Well, love masters all obstacles because one of the four
    is still with us!  We had saved him for my husband's father
    who was trying to move to a place where he could have cats.
    That took so long that recently we begged to keep Ditto for 
    good.  We call him Ditto because he looks just like his
    mother AND his twin brother Spike (who went to another
    DEC person).  He is a solid, soft gray with yellow eyes
    and dark gray rings on his tail, and several extra toes
    in front.  He's an indoor cat, and we've rigged up the
    alarm so it senses motion only in the study, where the
    computers are and Ditto can't go, and also senses tampering
    with the doors.  We figure, even if people break in, they
    have to open a door to get the stuff out.  And the computers
    are the most valuable things we own.
    
    Ditto is full of spunk, but loves to cuddle too.  Sometimes
    he tears around the house like a crazy cat, sometimes he
    stretches out at my feet to listen to me play the flute.
    He loves people and always hangs around to join the party 
    when we have guests.  Other than that, he's pretty much
    just as lovable as a cat can be (stomping on my stomach
    in the morning, shredding paper in the middle of the night).
    We're happy with him.
    
    Another happy ending (the females, Peeper and Chocolate, also
    found happy homes).
    
    Susan
    
    PS.  I have not had one allergic reaction to the kitties.
    Mind over matter?
    
    

    I think it's about time I introduced my two 'kids' formally:
    
    Henrietta and Sophie were given to me as a belated birthday present by
    a friend who knew that had been a secret cat lover but that I had never got
    round to getting any.  They are now approaching 10 months old.
    
    Henrietta is the classic black & white shorthair with a little pink
    nose (that turns red when she's been outside) and a black 'mask' over
    the rest of her face and most of the body.  She has little white
    'socks' and a white tummy.  She's incredibly mischievous and has a very 
    determined character.  She doesn't say much except when she's hungry
    and she sees you making something in the kitchen.  She's also a
    bathroom tap freak and spends a lot of her time in the bathroom sink! 
    She loves laps and will sit with you for hours.
    
    Sophie is also black and white, with softer, slightly longer fur than
    Henri and with a little black 'beauty spot' on her face, but there's more 
    white on her face than on Henri's.  She was a much more timid cat than 
    Henri and talks none-stop.  If she sees you coming, she rolls over on her 
    back (just like a dog) and says "come on and stroke me - you know you want 
    to!".
    
    The two of them 'gang-up' on all the neighborhood cats and *hate* any
    other animals.  They have learned to put up with dogs though, and are
    now beginning to be quite 'cocky' with dogs that dare to visit our
    house!
    
    Ruthie, Sophie and Henri

    re: .381
    
    Susan...
    
    is it possible to "outgrow" an allergy, maybe?
    
    diane, stella & stanley
    

    Yes, I believe I did grow out of my allergies
    since high school.  Attitude has a lot to do with
    it, especially if the allergy is mild (I know the
    real sufferers would hate me for saying so, but I
    have found that my allergies vary with mood).
    If you really want the cat, there are ways to cope
    with the dander.  There are discussions of related
    issues in notes 155, 215, 881 and 905.  AFter my
    experience, I say GO FOR IT.  A lot of kittens
    need homes.
               
    My brother is so allergy-prone that he has to
    inject anti-allergy drugs in the summer.  He was
    another reason we weren't going to keep the
    kittens.  But we found that if you get started
    with a particular cat as a kitten, you can learn
    to tolerate it fairly well, even with only periodic
    exposure.  We decided that the reason my brother
    reacted to the mother cat was that she was a relatively
    unclean stray.  The litter that we adopted have 
    been indoor cats since they were tykes.
    
    Just a thought,
    Susan

    	Could this be the same Jesse that was talked about so much in
    2890?, 1/2 wildcat?, maybe he got switched at the vets.
    
    	All kidding aside it looks like Jesse has changed alot since
    he was taken in and so well cared for by Nancy DC.
    
    	I know that each and every cat is a 'one of a kind' cat, but
    this guy takes all the top honers as a one of a kind cat!.
    First of all he is BIG!, full of energy and kind of bounces around.
    Second he looks in great shape now but like he spent alot of time in
    some past life finishing second best in fights (alota fights!). He
    has a badly mauled ear and some broken theeth. 
     
    	Last Friday night when I picked Jesse up I was not feeling very
    confident about how we would fare during a 2 1/2 hour ride home.
    Well, he just lay in the carrier like he was right at home for the
    whole trip. I thought his adjustment to his new home might be eased
    by getting aquainted as soon as we could. So I talked to him most
    of the way home. That may have been a good idea, but what does one
    talk to a cat about for 2 1/2 hours?. It's good he's a cat and not
    a Parrot, or he would have gotten to his new home saying things
    like "Look Jesse only 75 miles more, that will get us home around
    11". Etc.
    
    	All the 'trip reports' and whatever else I talked to him about
    must have helped. After a few minutes of exploring his new abode
    he acted like he had lived there forever and known me about as long.
    Every other new cat I have brought home has started out hiding so
    well that I sometimes have wondered if I only dreamed that I came
    in with a cat.
    
    	B.T.W. Nancy, I know how he got homeless, and wild in the first
    place. His first owners got down wind of his litter box and.........
    
    Kirk
        
    

    Hi All!
    
    I would like to introduce Rocky (Rock-n-Roll). He's also a black and
    white tuxedo kitty.  He has three white paws and one rear boot. I like
    his eyebrow whiskers--they're black.
    Rocky is almost 2 and very playful. He stalks the birdfeeder and
    superballs. He is a talker, telling me what he's doing (I'm chasing
    this or that). Also he talks through the bedroom door on weekends--time
    to get up Mommy! (I have limited sniffles, so he can't sleep in..)
    
    
    Susan and Rocky

    re: .385 (Jesse)
    
    Hey Kirk - As the vet commented about Jesse's broken teeth etc
    "Imagine what the other cat must have looked like."
    
    And, um....  I think you're right about the um.... catbox (ACK!)
      Nancy DC

    
    	I would like to introduce my 8 week old kitty!!!  His name
    is "Maximillion" or just "Max" for short.  Like all kittens
    he's ADORABLE!!!  He's a Cream Persian with big Copper Eyes!!
    
    	This is my first day away from him, and I'm sooooo depressed.
    
    Sharon
    

    High time I introduced Oliver properly, I think.
    
    Oliver is at present about 9 months old - we can't be sure because
    we got him from a rescue centre.
    He is black and white with lovely yellow eyes. He is black on top
    and white underneath. His face is white underneath, but he has a
    'masquerade' type black mask over the top of his head and face,
    with black 'eyeliner'. He looks very pretty. He is VERY talkative 
    and very affectionate - loves being fussed and cuddled. He has the 
    loudest purr that I have ever heard in a cat, and it takes very
    little to set him off!
    He is also VERY hungry - that's why we call him Oliver. He will
    try ANYTHING once! Favourite foods are too numerous to list!
    He is clumsy in a lovable way, but has the entire family at his
    beck and call. He is also a bit of a fighter.

    
    We have a new kitty to introduce!  
    
    'Beau' is a chocolate lynx-point colorpoint shorthair (or Siamese if
    you're in TICA), and he's 16 weeks old today.  His full name is
    Beau-dacious, but it looks like too much for him right now.  He's got
    cute little chocolate ears, and an adorable stripey tail - what a doll!
    
    We got him last week, and he's just now starting to get brave enough to
    explore, and frisky enough to play.  The neatest thing is that the
    other Siamese have accepted him almost totally.  Jenny isn't too happy
    yet, but is getting better.  I would have expected that the male, Tas,
    would have rejected him, but he's been a real big brother to Beau - was
    the first one to flop on his back near the kitten and offer to play
    with him - it was *so* cute! :^}
    
    Sandy & the Gang of Five (now)
    

    
    	re: Sandy
    
    	He sounds like a cutie!! The woman in the apartment next to
    	us has a lynx-point and he's a doll!
    
    	JJ
    

    
    my stanley is also a lynx-point.  what never ceases to amaze me is the
    subtle shadings of his colours, from his pale blue eyes to the delicate
    fawn-brown on the tips of his ears.  and that ringed tail!
    
    diane & stella (1/2 frost point) & stanley (lynx point)
     

    
    Hi JJ, Diane!  Yeah, he's turning in to a real beauty!  I've got a copy
    of The Ultimate Cat Book, and there's a great picture in there of an
    adult chocolate lynx-point - *very* dramatic!  I can't decide what I
    like best, though - the milk-chocolate ears, the blue eyes, or like
    Diane said, that tail! :^}
    
    Sandy + 5
    

    Yes, it's me again!  Introducing my newest young lady:
    
    
            Mary Lou's Mardi Gras of Meadowlark
    
    Miss Mardi Gras is almost 2 years old and is very pregnant with
    hopefully 5 shorthaired baby girls (hope, hope, hope).  She is
    a Tortie Exotic Shorthair and sweet as sugar!  The babies are
    due about mid March. 
    
    
                        E.T. 

    Oh...E.T.... How many is that now?  18 + 1 + 5....or have
    I missed some.... :-) :-)
    

    E.T.did you check with Mardi Gras to determine if her kitty contract
    stated if she wants to be called Miss,Ms, Mrs, and will she
    be retaining her maiden name?.Ask Cin, torties are real funny
    about their identities... as you well know..ergo Pookie(HRH)
    Right Cin.
       Who is the daddy?..
       Wait until Pookie hears this,, she will probably want to
    have a kitty shower for her.. Or given her name perhaps
    Happy(AKA Happy Hour should consult on this one.. ummm..)
    Kate
    

    Well I'm new to this conf. so you will forgive any mistakes.  I
    am one of those people who stop and talk to cats in the street,
    in the rain/snow/sunshine/etc....
    
    
    Enough about me.... I would like to introduce the Imaginitivly named
    
    PUSS - (originally called SNOOPY due to her markings... but that
    didn't last long)
    
    She is a four year old female (obvious huh!) pussy cat. No pedigree
    no style/no finesse/no sence of humour.
    
    Enough about her,  I am looking into this mainly for info on cats
    in general, but also to look for hints at some of her less desirable
    behaviour.
    
    
    Bob

    Wellll, Karen, funny you should ask.  The count will stay the same.
    sort of.  One of my friends has decided to open a ZhivagoCat annex
    in Plaistow NH.  Misha, my silver tabby american shorthair will be
    going to live there - he will have 3 other silver tabby americans
    for company and a couple of other shorthaired friends (less than
    he has now, which is better for him cause he is a little timid).
    
    So Karen, it will still be 18 + however many babies Mardi Gras
    decides to give us!  We think that she is really packin' 'em
    in - time will tell.  Not very much time either, about 18 days.
    
    She was bred to a Meadowlark boy, a cream Persian. Colors ought
    to be interesting - I'm hoping for lots of reds !!!! hope, hope.
    
    E.T._who_is_changing_many_more_litter_pans_than_ever_before_in_
         every_room !!!

    I have a litter due too, Elaine, and the excitement is on.  This
    is really exciting since I don't really know when she is due!  Thanks
    to my Moody Blue, she is as big as a house, and not saying when
    they will be coming.  I think it is a conspiracy between Joui and
    Moody to keep me in the dark about this.  I think she is gettin
    close though, cause she started sleeping under the covers with me
    two nights ago, and she likes to have her kittens in my bed.  Maybe
    she wants to be under the covers "just in case"?
    
    Anyway, I too have a new cat, but I am not sure whether to add her
    to the count or not.  She will be living with me until her owner
    returns from Hawaii.  Kaisha, AKA CH Sacrechat Jacynthe, is a seal
    point Birman female, about 3.5 years old.  She is unbelievably
    gorgeous, but a bit on the shy side right now.  She was living with
    another breeder before me, but that wasn't working out.  She didnt'
    care for his other cats, and was fighting with them alot.  So far,
    I haven't introduced her to all of my cats yet.  She has met Kyrielle
    and Lyscentia, but prefers Kyrielle.  I can see it now, the two
    of them will be partners in crime!  Kyrielle is the type that likes
    to start squabbles, so she and Kaisha may get along too well. :^)
    
    Jo

    Yes Jo, 18 days and counting!  I try not to think about it but
    when I let myself, I discover that 5 days have gone by and it's
    even closer than before, if ya know what I mean!  
    
    She really loves all the kids and has decided to eat with everyone
    in the morning at the puppy pan - it was a hoot.  She just wormed
    her way in between 2 kids and started to chow down!  No one seemed
    to mind much.  While I was dressing this morning, I turned around
    and looked in the bathroom - Mardi Gras and Lily were in the bath
    tub playing with a toy - batting it up and down the tub to each other.
    I looked and then did a double take - not one flat face, but TWO !
    They were really having a good time!  They both love to play.
    I called them, and all I could see was two pair of HUGE round
    eyes looking up at me wondering what I wanted and not to bother
    them!  cute!
    
    Well, I guess we do have to count them Jo!
    
    E.T.

    Na, Jo doesn't have to count hers, after all, she doesn't really own
    it!  ;-)  
    
    cin...who never counts a head that isn't staying!
    

    Looks like I don't have to count her for two years then, cause that
    is how long Sheri has left in Hawaii!!
    
    I thought of a good name for one of Lil's babies, Shanghai Lil!
    Actually, that is the name of a cat in Kaitlin's pedigree, but when
    I was typing it last night I thought of you and Lil, Elaine.
    
    Jo

    Hurmp, two years - you better count her when you add up how much
    she will eat in two years!  
    
    Jo, that's a great name!  I will add it to the list - Thanks!
    If her kittens are anything like her, it will be quite a good
    fit!  At least you type your pedigrees, some breeders I know
    should have been doctors or they should live in China !!!!!!!
    Lil should be ready to be bred mid April - so I'd better start
    gather names again, I guess.  I will also have to start thinking
    of names for Mardi Gras kids - I'll need those first.

    Elaine,
    
    Wait till you type your first pedigree!!!  And Mardi Gras came with her
    baby pedigrees already prepared for you!!!  
    
    You know what I always hate....when you get to the 5th or 6th cat on
    the 5th generation and realize that you missed the 2nd cat down, and
    now the whole 5th generation is screwed up, and you have to start over.  
    
    I hate doing pedigrees!!!!!
    
    Your lucky, I didn't give you a copy of Tigee's and Little Fi's!!! 
    That's what alot of breeders have given me when I buy a girl!  Of
    course, that give me the added benefit of an extra generation!
    
    cin...trying to make excuses for terrible handwriting!
    

    I have bought cats that only came with mom and dad's pedigree, and
    not one done up for themselves.  What a pain.  But, like you, I
    appreciate the extra generation too.  
    
    I have done a "master" pedigree for every breeding combination in
    my house, and I now xerox them whenever I sell a cat.  That way,
    all I have to do is add the name of the cat, the reg #, the color,
    and sign and date the bottom.  Saves time.  Actually, I don't mind
    typing pedigrees, I see is as a kind of therapy. :^)
    
    I wish I had thought of the name Mardi Gras when we were in the
    M year!  I think it is terrific.  All her kittens should have a
    "party" theme to their names.  Maybe you can borrow a name, like
    Happy Hour.  Then there is Garden Party (fairly well known Himmy
    was named this a couple years ago), Carnival, Girls Just Wanna Have
    Fun, Confetti (good for a tortie girl), Festival, etc.  I know,
    some of these stink, but you get the idea.  I love trying to come
    up with names.
    
    I have a litter due soon out of Joui and Moody.  I am need of some
    really terrific N names.  Problem is, there aren't many great N
    names.  
    
    Jo

    Cin, I didn't say you had bad handwriting, did I ????????
    
    Yeah, I have made copies so I won't have to write it out again !!!
    
    E.

    
    if mardi gras has a biggggggg baby, you could always name it "fat
    tuesday" (the translation of mardi gras)...
    
    and, for some reason, i think a baby of jouissance could be named
    "naissance" (french for "birth").  pretty appropriate, n'est-ce pas?
    
    diane (former french major), stanley & stella (masters of cat-tongue)

    Diane,
    
    Do you do name consulting?? You could come in handy!  Pretty good
    memory for you to remember that Joui was Jouissance!  I usually
    just refer to her as Joui.  I like Naissance, and will add it to
    my list.  I like to use french names, so if you can think of any
    other names or phrases, pass them along.
    
    I actually like "n'est-ce pas?" as a name too!
    
    Jo (who will name a cat anything remotely french)
    
     

    re: names -
      Once when we were visiting Tony (Dundee & Bonnie's breeder) he
    showed us a little unnamed Aby kitten that he had.  He said she
    was a Little S&*t (jokingly).  Well, in the tradition of the great
    Phil Glover I suggested that Tony name her LS which got translated
    into ALICE.  I don't know if she did end up with the name of Alice,
    but if she did, I wonder if her owners will ever know the derivation.
    Good for a smile anyway.
      Nancy DC

    
    jo...
    
    being the french scholar that i am <coff, coff>, of course i remembered
    jouissance. (great name!)
    
    since this is the "n" year, i will put my brain to the task...
    
    the first thing i thought of was "nouveau riche", for some reason...
    
    ;-)
    
    diane, stanley & stella (who appear to be named for tennessee williams'
    characters)
    

    The only French phrase beginning with N that I'm familair with is:
    
    N'a pas termin�
    
    I got aquainted with it when we failed to finish a rally we entered in
    New Richmond, PQ in July last year.  Not a very glamorous name for a
    kitten, but it is French! :-)
    
    Dave

    I like Nouveau Riche, Jan sent me mail this morning with it and
    some other great names.  How do you like Noblesse Oblige?  I still
    like Naissance and N'est-ce pas? (with the question mark of course).
    She usually has a litter of five so with N'a pas termin, we have
    enough.  (if doesn't have to make sense, no one will know what it
    means anyway.  I have a cat at home named Kyrielle and everyone
    thinks that is a gorgeous french name, little do they know that
    it means rigamarol!)
    
    Jo

    Just thought of another one, Nostradamus!  Wasn't he french?
    
    Jo

    
    don't know about him, but that reminded me of "notre dame" (for a
    female only, of course.)
    
    how 'bout "nettoyant" (pronounced nett-twa-yon)?  it is the gerund form
    ("cleaning") of the verb nettoyer which means "to clean"...   
    
    perfect for a cat!
    
    diane

    
    p.s....
    
    i think the other should be "n'a pas termine'"  the last letter is the
    e with the accent aigu.
    
    diane
    

I would like to introduce my new little boy, Snickers. He is my first cat.
I adopted him from the Humane Society, and he is approximately 10 months
old (the vet says that is as good a guess as any). The animal control 
officer found him with no tag on.

This is a big step for us, in the 10 years that my other half and I have lived
together, we have never had a pet. It was time!!!

Snickers is blond and charcoal and looks just like a little tiger. He has
beautiful blond tufts in his ears, blond paws, and the most wonderful
blond tummy with polka dots all over it. He is extremely affectionate, a
real love bug. The vet that I took him to says that I am very lucky to have
found such a healthy, happy baby at the Humane Society. It's too bad that
some careless person lost him, they must be missing him dearly. The first
day that I had him home (I had to wait a day while he was neutered, wasn't
that torture for me) he spent hours following me around purring up a storm.
He is SO happy to be owned again!

Snickers favorite things to do are chasing bugs and spiders, playing with
all of his toys (including the rabbit fur that he stole from the den), and
spending hours beating up a paper bag.  He loves to watch us take a
shower, he sits on the towel that you place on the floor at the entrance 
to the shower (our shower is huge and doesn't have a door) and then he 
goes into the shower after you are done and licks all of the water from the
tile. I am sure that one of these days he will take a shower with us.

He is a real help getting ready for work in the morning, after he is done
drinking the shower, he attacks everything, feet, hands, ears, shoes,
socks, you name it. Doing morning stretches and getting dressed is
great fun.

I have been using a C.A.T. to get him to not claw the rugs, and it
is more of an amusement than a deterrent. He jumps up in the air trying to
see where the water is coming from, and once he came over and started licking
the water from the end of the squirt gun.

If it hadn't been for this notes file, I might have never gotten a cat.
Over the past couple of years I have been cat-sitting for a friend, and
I started reading this notes file because I didn't know anything about
cats and wanted to know what in the world this cat was thinking or was
trying to tell me. Reading this file has helped me get to know and
appreciate cats. I keep saying things about cats and my other
half says 'how do you know that?" and I say, ahem, well, I read it
somewhere. I love all of your stories!!! I feel like I know all of 
you (actually, I do know PMURPHY, hi Pat). I live in Bellevue, Wa., and 
I don't think there are any other feline noters in this area, unfortunately.

Debbie and Snickers                              

    Welcome Debbie.
    
    I am from California, but I sometimes venture up to Washington for
    cat shows.  Next time I do, I will let you know.
    
    Glad to see that this file has another "convert".
    
    Jo

    Re .-, yes, let me know. I would love to go to a show.

    Welcome!!  Snickers sounds beautiful!!  He sounds like a 
    Golden Spotted tabby.  That's what Christie is (one of the
    foster kitties) and its a beautiful coat color.
      Nancy DC

It ain't french, but there's 'Nice 'n Naughty'  (for one of those troublemaker 
little boys)  (Other N-words for starters: Noble, Nifty, Noisemaker (for the 
screamer)...that's about all I'm good for on a Friday pm.)

    Hi
    
       I want to introduce Alex.He is a 1 year old male we got from
    a freind when he was 3 months old. He is double clawed on one paw.
    He is black and white and is very hyper. He waits for me every morning
    to jump on my feet.He,unlike most cats,likes his stomach scratched
    he never scratches,hisses or bites except play bites.I find this
    kind of unusual.

                          Te Guglielmo

    
    	Louis (pronounced Louie, as in Louis XIV, the Sun King) came to
    live with us in October.  He is 8 months old now, grey and white with
    some tiger stripes.  He has a grey goatee under his chin which makes
    him look like his mouth is always hanging open (VERY sophisticated).
    He has four thousand cat toys to keep him busy, but nothing is as in-
    teresting as the chickadees and mice that he drags in.  He runs his
    household with an Iron Paw, and yesterday just graduated from Iams
    kitten food to grown up Iams Cat food.
    
    			We are happy to be part of this notesfile.
    
    			Louis and his cat slave, Carl
    
    

    
    I would like to introduce Rusty.  Rusty adopted me on January 2, 1990. 
    He is an orange tabby and a little over a year and a half.  It took
    some time for him to adjust, but now has the run of the house.
    
    

Ferlie is a Scottish term meaning "unusual sight or sound".  I figured that 
a tortie and white kitten would have unusual markings, and being a Scottish 
Fold (straight eared), I wanted a Scottish name.  We picked Ferlie up from 
Tony last Saturday and it's been entertaining ever since.  Becky and Velcro 
are still trying to figure out what to do with her.  There has been relatively 
little hissing or growling, but they have both been "laying down the law" with 
bops to her head.  Trouble on the other hand has been in a snit, hissing and 
growling at any and everything.  She will have nothing to do with Ferlie <sigh>
and I was so hoping this time it would be easier.  

One interesting thing I noticed was that contrary to my belief, Becky and 
Velcro really have grown into cats (they are a little more than a year 
old).  We were still referring to them as "the kittens" and that's how they 
still looked to me.  Not any more.  Velcro has grown into a very handsome 
gentleman with his dark gray spots/stripes on gray, and Becky has become 
quite a nice little brown mackerel tabby lady.  

I'm still not sure if I want to show Ferlie in the HHP category, but I'm 
leaning that way.  I know there is a show in August in Manchester (not sure 
if it CFF or CFA), but I'm still undecided.  For now, I'm just enjoying 
watching Ferlie discover life.  

Bernice
Mother_of_Trouble_+_3
    

    Just thought my little bundles of joy and I should sign in....
    
    I've been catering to 3 of the little monsters (as Robert and I
    affectionately call them..8-)  )
    
    Dogger is one of the oldest at about 9 and a half to 10 months old and
    is also the biggest (and will hopefully get bigger 'cause he hasn't
    grown into his feet yet)...about 12 pounds.  He is most definately part
    siamese but not in attitude...he HATES heights...if he is on anything
    higher than a chair seat he freaks.  He has got seal colored siamese
    markings and also lighter seal colored tabby stripes on a pale cream
    colored body.  He started out as Solte (pronounced like the spice salt)
    and went through stages of being called by that name and also Salty-Dog
    before deciding that he acted too much like a dog to be called by a
    cat's name...hence, Dogger (sometimes Doggins).  He comes when he is
    called, curls up on the floor right in front of whomever he has decided
    is king/queen of the house at the time, acts like he's house broken
    (all the cats are indoor cats), and likes to watch the water go around
    in the toliet when it is flushed.  Dogger is definately the favorite.	
    Part of the reason I KNOW he is part siamese is that, a few months ago,
    when he had ringworm, he developed a rash from the topical solution and
    it was decided that he have a biopsy to discover if it was just a rash
    or SOMETHING WORSE.  They had to shave two parts of his head to do the
    biopsy and now Dogger has a dark brown square growing in behind his
    ears.  
    
    Peppare is about the same age as Dogger and weighs in at a whopping 5
    and a half pounds.  She is black with a light, smokey grey undercoat. 
    Her name is also pronounced like a spice, pepper, but since the vet
    can't get the spelling right and no one calls her Peppare anyway...it
    really makes no difference.  Right at this point she has 3 names -
    Baby, Beebbles, and Bitty.  Most of the time it is Beebles.  Don't ask
    me where they came from 'cause even though I'm the only one to call her
    anything but Baby, I haven't a clue.  One of her favorite "tricks" is
    to crawl up into someone's lap, curl up so that her face is right at a
    hand or bare skin level, get very comfortable, and ..... BITE!!!  She
    starts out just putting her teeth on your hand and as she gets more
    comfortable, her bite gets more painful.  I keep threatening to have
    her teeth removed but she doesn't listen to me and keeps on
    biting...she must know I'm a softie...
    
    And the "baby" of the family is Trouble and does his name hit his
    personality right on the head!!  Trouble is a 5 and a half or 6
    month old bundle of mischief!!  His coat is white (mostly) with crean
    colored spot on his sholders and upper body (from about the middle of
    the rib cage) that reminds me of a saddle.  His ears start out white at
    the base and suddenly goes black with one ear (I think it is his left
    one) having a white spot on the tip.  He has a small black spot at the
    outer corner of his right eye and a black dot (which keeps getting
    darker as he grows) right between his nostrils on the non-furry part of
    his nose.  Trouble's favorite atttention getter is attacking the other
    cats.  Not maliciously, just annoyingly.  Beebles or Dogger will be
    sleeping (usually on the couch) and Trouble will sneak up to the couch
    and suddenly jump up and swipe at the cat on the couch!!  Want to see
    something funny, catch him before he can touch down on the floor
    again.  Lately he has decided that he does not like the litter box the
    day after it has been changed.  The bathroom has become a mine-field.  
    
    I also am part-pet to a cat in northern Maine.  She is a long haired
    calico-looking mutt-cat.  Her name is Ayla.  She was my second furry
    friend.  My first, Gaffe, I had for about a month before he had to be 
    put to sleep for an upper respiratory infection.  I think that if he 
    had lived, he would look just exactly like Dogger only Gaffe would be 
    just a little older (by about 2 and a half years)....
    
    Well, it's now the end of my shift and if I stay too much longer they
    will try to get me back on the phones....
    
    Be purring with you all from here in Colorado Springs!!!
    
    -Wendy, Dogger, Peppare, and Trouble-
      

    Oh no, double Trouble :-) .  My oldest cat is also named Trouble. 
    Welcome to FELINES.  
    
    Bernice
    Mother_of_Trouble_+_3

    Does anyone remember seeing that nice black domestic short-hair that
    Kitty Angels had up for adoption at the Boxboro show on Saturday named
    "Smudge"? 
    
    Well, I'd like to inform all of you that from now on he will be known as
    "Kostas S. Pussycat, Esq." He is a two year old neutered male with a
    very loveable catsonality.
    
    He's getting along quite well. There has been a bit of hissing but no
    fights. He has really in fit so well I can't get over it.
    
    Deb

    Deb, Is smudge the BIG black cat that they had there on Sunday??
    I know I saw a cat named Smudge, but I can't quite remember which
    one he was.  Congratulations to you and Smudge.  A kitty couldn't
    ask for a better home.
      Nancy DC

    I remember Smudge!  My eyes filled with tears when I saw all those
    wonderful cats begging for homes.  Congratulations Deb!  He sure
    is a cutie.
    
    Love the new name!!
    

    Well, the Smudgster is good a good sized boy, but I adopted him on
    Saturday.
    
    Deb

    Gee, Deb, maybe I should have walked you out to your car!!  
    I didn't hear about your new acquisition until Sunday morning,
    when Ray told me!  Congratulations to all!  Enjoy him - he sounds
    like a baby doll!
    
    E.T. + ?

    Yep, I adopted right after you left, while Arty was looking at my
    pictures of the household residents lounging on the cat trees he sold
    me.

    I was standing right by that poor sweetheart's cage when I couldn't
    take it any more and had to have him. The woman from the shelter told
    me he had a friend there named "Ralphie" (luckily for me he wasn't there
    that day or I'd have probably had two new cats).

    Deb

    Well, that could be dangerous, Deb!  I do like the way K.A. operates.
    I can't take any of their babies (and they do have pretty ones) but,
    I do donate when ever they are at a show.  I saw your boy there - he
    is a real cutie!  I also saw pics of your kids - they really are 
    PRETTY babies!  You know, I think that your LARGE baby has my biggest
    boy beat for size!  Argus, I believe?  He's HUGE.  Handsome, but HUGE.
    Good luck with your newest!
    
    E.

    Congrats on your new baby....... Hmm.. does this mean Argus has
    taken on a partner in his Law firm?.. giggle..
    Kate

    
    kate...that was gonna be my question.  do you think argus j. would
    accept him as a partner--or does he hafta start out as an associate?
    still, with HRH throwing so much business his way, maybe argus j. needs
    some help.
    
    stella, stanley, & diane
    

    Actually, they are all named Something S. Pussycat, Esq. Pip is the
    senior managing partner (aka topcat), and the rest are all associates.
    However, Argus makes a point of personally handling HRH's business.
    
    Deb

Hello fellow kitties,
	
	I would like to introduce myself and my brother, unfortunately we 
haven't got any names at the moment but we do come from a VERY good family, well 
almost. You see our cat mummy is a VERY posh Siamese from very good stock, she 
went round to see a Siamese tom who also comes from a very good family however 
while she was staying with him she went out for a walk on her own and... here we 
are. I don't think our cat mummy's owners were very happy when we were born 
because she gave us to the toms mummy to try and find some new parents for us 
and our two sisters.

Anyway our first sister was taken away by someone last week, then last night two 
more people came round to the house while we were having a nap, we were very 
rudely woken up and paraded round like a cow at a cattle market, don't they 
realise that we come from a VERY good family, well almost. These two people then 
put us in a cat box and took us for a nice drive in their car, so we had a nap, 
then they woke us up AGAIN and took us to a strange house. By this time we were 
getting a bit fed up with being woken up all the time but we had a good look 
around the place. 

Then these people decided it was time for bed so we got our own back, he he he. 
Just as they were going to sleep we knocked a saucepan off the pan rack, boy did 
they run down those stairs, he he he, anyway the pan rack now lives on top of 
the cooker. 

This morning they came down for breakfast and.... no pussies, they couldn't find 
us anywhere, so after a few minutes I stuck a tantalising paw out from under the 
freezer where we were hiding, but it still took them a while to move the freezer 
and get us out, he he he . Our new daddy tried to be clever and taped a piece of 
wood over the gap we crawled down, he couldn't imagine how we squeezed in 
there!, then he went to get ready for work but when he got back the wood and 
tape were in the middle of the floor and guess where us kitties were, he he he. 
This time he had to get more wood, a hammer, nails and a saw to block the gap 
up, and he was doing all this in his work suit, he he he, this made him late for 
work, he he he.

It looks like we are going to have fun in our new home with our new mummy and 
daddy, and by the look on the lady's face when we left last night I think our 
last sister will be staying there for a long time.

I think our new parents might call us Calvin and Hobbes, I am Calvin, and am 
black with a very dark brown tiger stripe and they think I me am a bit 
mischievous, and my brother , Hobbes, is much paler with a very pronounced tiger 
stripe. 

Whatever they decide to call us I hope they are not going to be common names, 
after all we come from a VERY good family, well almost.

Bye for Now

Cat 1, Cat 2, and Martyn & Denise.
    

    Deb, I can just see the two of them  now, dining and discussing "
    kitty business.. tee-hee..especially Argus.. sitting there..
    snapping his fingers calling .. mew,, Garcon'..and the Lovely
    Pip and HRH having a cat-chat..,,
    Kate

	It is now time to introduce --** PURRKINS **--!!! Cassandra had her
first birthday last week and Jane and I felt it was time to get her a
playmate, so she would quit bugging 15-year old Peaches so much.  Monday
evening, we contacted a fellow Deccie who had 3 little girls and one
little boy so we had to go see. The litter came from their mama cat who
looks almost exactly like Cassandra. Needless to say, we were smitten by
the lot, but we had previously agreed: "Just ONE male kitten!"  One of the
little girls was born with a deformed left front paw, but it didn't seem
to deter her as she raced around with her littermates and it was REAL
difficult to not take her too, but we stuck to our agreement.

	Purrkins had his first vet visit yesterday and was found to
weigh 1.8 lbs and healthy.  He had his first shots, which he didn't really
care for.  Jane said the vet put Purrkins in the pocket of her lab coat and
said he was a real good kitty.  He is a black and brown tabby with very
light tan fur around his eyes so he looks like he is wearing spectacles.
Peaches has accepted him O.K., but Cassandra starts every "conversation"
with: "Pfssst".  Right now he seems to be all head and eyes. He will be
8-weeks old this Friday. After not having kittens for such a long time,
Cassandra was lots of fun and now we have Purrkins.

Chuck, Jane, Peaches, Cassandra and now PURRKINS!

    Hi my name is Mallory I am Two months old and went home from the
    pet store yesterday. I am Alex"s new sister. I am all grey and kind
    of afraid of being in this big apartment.My owners got me because
    the MSPCA wouldn't them adopt because they live in a apartment where
    pets are not allowed(they have an agreement that you don't throw
    it in th landlords face and he let's you have them)The MSPCA did
    not see it that way.
    
    TED

    Welcome Mallory!!  You sound very pretty.
    
    re MSPCA - Don't be too hard on them.  They're trying to protect
    cats from being abandoned.  There are many many instances or
    abandonment (just look at Weymouth Commons) and the folks at
    the MSPCA can't tell who will and who won't.  I'm sure its 
    nothing personal to you, its just one of their rules to protect
    the cats and dogs.
      I also require a "pets allowed" apartment when I am adopting
    out cats.
      Nancy DC

    
    Hi Ted, hope you're little girl works out just fine.   But you really
    should get another one and call her Jennifer!!  And maybe a fourth
    one and call it Keaton!  Anyway, now we can trade multiple kitty
    stories at work.
    
    Your fellow team member,
    
    Debbi and the gang

    An addition to my family was made this past Thursday.  
     
    She is an 8 week old, seal-point, mostly siamese ball of fur.  Her name
    is Pisces.  My fiance keeps calling her Chicklett, though.  Lots of fun
    having little needle sharp teeth scraping your neck trying to bite a
    chain when you are trying to sleep.  
    
    -Wendy- (Dogger, Peppare/Beebles, Trouble and now Pisces/Chicklett)
    
     

    RE: 2.438
    yeah, Kate I too can just envision them (Argus- "Garson, another twin
    lobster platter, but make the drawn butter 'low-calorie'; and send the bill
    for all of this to my human)". I understand that HRH is bringing the
    little one with her to learn how business is conducted in "polite
    company" (and to try to counter-act Happy's influence).

    On another note, I just got Kostas's adoption papers in the mail and I
    noticed that his adoption fee was listed as a "donation". So, I sent
    Kitty Angels a note along with a matching gift form. They do have a
    tax-exempt number, so DEC should match my contribution. I mention this
    because I recall someone else in this conference recently adopted
    through Kitty Angels and thought that maybe they could do the same
    thing.

    Deb

    Deb,, I can just  see thme now.. Pookie in her "evening attire",
    Argus in his dinner jacket, Precious in her "sunday best,,:.. little
    dress, maryjanes, lace stockings,, tee-hee..
    Kate

    re: .444  Deb, Kitty Angels told me that they are not non-profit.
    Is the tax exempt number all that's required for Dec to match a
    donation?
      Nancy

    From the looks of the matching gift application that is about it
    (there of course is the fact that gifts aren't matched for religious
    and political groups). It would seem to me that Kitty Angels falls into
    the same category that a humane society or shelter falls into.
    
    (Also, when I wrote the check I was told it was a tax-deductable
    contribution).
    
    Deb

    This morning I tried writing my introduction but was zapped off
    the system twice.  Hopefully I'll be able to complete this one.
    
    After years of living in apartments and not allowed pets, I ran
    down to the Humane Society a week after I moved into my new home
    and adopted Sidney.  Sidney (a.k.a. the Attack Cat From Hell) is
    a calico with a beige stripe up the center of her face, a combination
    black and pink nose, and a very affectionate nature.  I got her
    when she was 8 weeks, she's now 4 months.  She went from this
    teeny-tiny multi-colored fluff into a feline Bo Jackson.  This kitty
    is solid!  What do they put in Science Diet anyway???  She
    loves to be petted and cuddled.  Also loves to jump
    into the refrigerator every time I open the door - and then doesn't
    want to come out.
    
    I felt horrible about leaving Sidney alone all day while I was at
    work so three weeks after I got her I adopted another kitten from
     my manager (I'm sure that will help at review time 8^) .  Nymets
    (pronounced Nimitz like the aircraft carrier) is dark grey and white
    with a bright pink nose.  Seriously folks, I've never seen a pinker
    nose on a cat.  My brother calls him Rudolph.  Anyway, Nymets' coloring
    makes him look like he's wearing a batman mask.  He's very adventurous
    and playful and even though he's smaller than Sidney he thinks nothing
    of lying in ambush for her or chewing on her tail when she's trying
    to sleep.  His favorite plaything is a large rack I use for drying
    clothes.  He thinks it's his personal jungle gym.
    
    I thought that once I had two cats that my maternal instinct would
    be satisfied, but lately I've been thinking that maybe I would like
    to adopt another one.  My main concern is how Sidney and Nymets
    would react.  Should I get one the same age as them or is one younger
    okay?  Would it be better to wait until they're both "fixed" before
    I bring another one into the house?  Any input you can give me would
    be appreciated.  Feel free to send me mail off-line if you don't
    want to post here since this is the introduction note.
    
    Also, thanks for your entries on litterbox woes as it certainly
    came in handy when Nymets liked the carpet for awhile instead. 
    I can happily report he no longer leaves me "presents".  I also
    really enjoy this file.
    
    Terry
    
    
                     

    GO for it Terry.  Since they're both young the adjustment should
    be fairly easy if you bring in another kitten about the same age.
    You may want to go for a younger one just to save you the expense
    of having the spay/neuter three cats at the same time.  And be
    careful to get that done at the right time.  
    
    When you add a third cat you may find that you need to run two
    litterboxes rather than one.  That point happened when we went
    from three to four cats in our house, but it differs in different
    homes and with different cats.
    
      And Welcome to Sidney and Nymetz (sp?)!
      Nancy DC

    
    Well, I did it.  I got a 3rd cat last night.  3, definitely my cat max
    :-)
    
    I found the kitten from this file.  I was told that he was light orange
    and female.  I expected a cute, short haired, female. (really had my
    heart set on a male).  When I picked him up, the owner realized that he
    may be a boy.  Looks like a boy to me (yahoo).  He doesn't have short
    pale orange fur, but long beautiful blond fur.  White belly, face and
    paws.  Big blue eyes.  Looks like he is going to have tufts between his
    toes (one of the things I love about the Maine Coons).  
    
    When I got home, I locked him in the bathroom with some food, a little
    milk (I know, it's not good for them, but I figured he deserved it
    after the hour ride in the car), and a litter box.  I wanted to keep
    him separate for a while to calm down, before I introduced him to Zula.
    A could hours later, I opened the door.  Zula walked in, gave him a
    kiss, and started purring away.  Zula LOVES him.  Thinks he is his new
    play toy.  The kitten on the other hand (Ziggy) wasn't as thrilled.
    He arched his back and started hissing at Zula.  I thought "Oh, no,
    here we go again".  Poor Zula, nobody likes him.  I left to get
    changed, came back 2 minutes later and they were playing together.
    
    Zula doesn't leave his side for a moment.  He's acting like his big
    brother.  Zula spent the night sleeping by my side, as usual, and
    Ziggy, slept on my pillow by my head.  Didn't take any time at all
    for Zula to adjust to him.  Zula is such a doll.
    
    After they got aquainted, I gave Ziggy a bath (just in case he had any
    fleas).  Well, I thought he was pretty when I brought him home, but now
    he is beautiful.  He is a big puff ball now.  He's so fluffy and fuzzy.
    He was crying through the bath, and Zula started crying when he heard
    Ziggy crying.
    
    Ziggy still hisses at Zula now and then, but it's only been about 12 
    hours.  He's 8 weeks old and I'm sure he'll adjust quickly.  I guess
    he just has to get over the trauma of leaving his lettermates and
    mother and getting used to his new home and his BIG brother.  Zula
    is a riot.  He is really showing off right now.  Everything Ziggy does,
    Zula shows him how he can do it better.  He's a little over
    enthusiastic right now.  Zula at 11 months old is far more active than
    this tiny 8 week kitten (hard to believe).  He's so excited.  He's 
    acting like a dog acts when his owner comes home from work.  
    
    Chewy, well she stayed out all night.  I think she sensed something.
    She came in this morning and hissed and ran up to the cabinets :-(
    
    Pam, Chewy, Zula and Ziggy too. 

    I got Ziggy from Scott Britton.  He has 3 more if anyone is interested.
    8 weeks old.  He has a grey fluff ball with double paws, and two 
    calicoes.  He believes they are females.  It's hard to tell because he
    is so fluffy.  
    
    You can reach him on CSRAIS::FSDEV::SBRITTON.
    
    Pam

    
    >> Zula at 11 months old is far more active than this tiny 8 week 
    >> kitten (hard to believe).  
    
    Well, Zula IS an aby after all.  ;^)

    
    Well, it's been 5 days since I brought Ziggy home.  He adjusted very
    quick.  Now, Zula is used to Ziggy and isn't quite as wild.  Ziggy on
    the otherhand is getting more and more active.  He chases Zula around
    all day.  They are inseparable.  Zula tries to drink water and Ziggy
    attacks his tail.  Zula doesn't seem to mind though.  He acts like a 
    big brother towards him.  Ziggy jumps all over Zula.  Zula is smart
    though.  He doesn't do anything but stick out his paw and holds it
    on Ziggy's forehead to keep him an arms distance away.  Zula has this
    nobile look about him now.  His facial expressions are like a male 
    lion.  
    
    How are the other Aby's doing?
    
    Pam, Chewy, Zula and Ziggy too.
    

    Just an introduction, since I've already entered my reply to the Humor
    note.....
    
    I (well "we" that's hubby Jon, and son AJ and I) are the proud parents
    of a "grey calico"  I just think she's just plain fun!  She's 7+ years
    old, has been spayed and declawed and is a total joy.  Fortunately for
    all of us she's afraid of the outdoors and has no desire to be out
    there.
    
    She came to us from the Agway store in Northboro for free.  I went out
    one day to do some shopping, and found this huge box with a sign "free
    kittens"  here was this tiny ball of grey fluff.  I decided to call
    home and at least warn my the "new" husband what I was bringing home.
    the deal was that HE had bought a Robin computer system, which I felt
    was unnecessary.  So the deal was if HE could have a computer, then I
    was going to get a cat!  So I called from AGway and informed him that
    since he got the computer, well guess what's following ME home!!  Now
    this cat thinks hubby is his best friend!
    

    Introducing....
    
    Larry Bird!
         
    (Now, we have to call him Bird and not Larry because it's the whim of
    someone in the household who shall remain nameless...well,
    he does sort of look like a bird the way he's so small and
    fluffy...like a Rhode Island Red chick.)
    
    My husband and I found him through this notes file and it was
    (mutual) love at first sight!  He's a fuzzy cream-and-gold
    mackerel tabby (Nancy DC guessed "cream tabby" from my description
    of his personality -- how does she do that?) and a real fireball.
    
    Ditto growled at first and was in general not disposed to approve.
    But at 10 months old, he quickly adapted, and the two became
    inseparable friends within a week -- and without bloodshed or 
    the dread "elimination problems" either.  Now it is common
    to see Bird "nursing" on Ditto (a neutered male) and Ditto 
    cleaning out Bird's ears at the same time (Kodak moments...).
    
    Bird does cute stuff too numerous to mention, but by far his most
    endearing attribute is that he purrs anytime anyone goes near him
    -- like, continuously -- and if you pick him up, he puts a paw on
    your face and licks your nose in greeting.
    
    Two cats are definitely better than one.  I've been able to regain
    my dignity now that it is no longer necessary for me to provide
    my own pitiful rendition of "kitten play" to keep Ditto exercised
    and happy.  Instead, we have the nightly "thunder races" around
    the house. And the savage cries of "Oh no, you're killing me,
    please don't stop!"
    
    It's great.
    
    Susan

    The Mandile crew:
    
    Casey & B.K., my two 3 yr old neutered male Korats,
    & Rusty & Pepper, the domestic SH & LH "barncats".
    Casey is an overweight, sometimes grouchy "lump" of
    cat that likes to fetch, chase you, grab your ankle,
    eat, be blow dried, vacuumed, eat, & drop his cat toys
    in your drinking glass, especially hubby's beer! :-)
    B.K. is a slimlined version of his his brother, hates
    the vacuum & blow dryer, loves to join you in the shower,
    will play endlessly, and perches on my husbands chest
    every night to serinade him to sleep.
    Rusty & Pepper are my starving foundlings from a barn.
    Fleas, earmites, worms & starvation, what a mess....
    But now both 1 yr old and looking vastly improved.
    Of course, you'll never call Rusty beautiful, but he
    has a million dollar purrsonality.  Pepper is now a
    beautiful mackerel tabby, not bad from being the runt
    of the litter!  Rusty is orange tabby & white, long nose,
    knockneed in back, big feet, bushy tail.  
    But I think I'll keep him, anyway :-)
    
    Lynne

    Hello!
      I've been reading this file for several months now (yes, I've gotten 
    through all the notes!), and feel it is about time to introduce my
    brood!
    
      First though, I'd like to thank Nancy DC for making me feel welcome
    in this file before I have even really begun, your suggestions with Max
    (who is still looking for a home-note 415.707) have been very helpful 
    and welcome!
    
    Onward to the kitties:
    
    Current Crew:
    
    	Muffet:  13 years old, used to be all black but is getting an awful
                 lot of white hairs (never knew cats got white hair too, 
                 seems fair, they cause so many!).  Muff wandered into my
                 house after being mistaken by my husband for one of my
                 cats-He had been dumped in the neighborhood about 2 weeks
                 previous.  He decided he liked regular meals and stayed.
                 We named him Muffet after the dagget in the old Battlestar
                 Gallactica series, his ears rotate just like that dogs
                 did!  He is the must affectionate cat I've ever seen, and
                 gets along with everyone/thing (except Max!).
    
    	Oscar:   Bought him at a pet store from the owner's kittens for
    	         $5.00-He was on sale!  He's 12 years old now, and also
                 pretty mellow - Another all black at except for a small
                 circular white freckle on his cheek where he had a run
                 in with a tick and the hair grew back white!  He used to
                 be extremely timid (most of my friends never saw him, he
                 would disappear to parts unknown whenever the doorbell
                 rang -even if it was on TV!), but he is getting more
                 tolerant as time goes by, and now comes out for some of
                 my friends as long as there are no kids involved!
    
      	Pandora: Very aptly named!  Panda is another all black kitty, but
                 her hair is very glossy, she is beautiful...She also has
                 a real attitude.  One does not do anything she dislikes
                 including adding cats to the home without hearing her
                 immediate and continued displeasure....She still hasn't
                 forgiven me for bringing home my Siamese, and that was
                 2 years ago!  Sigh!  Panda is 4, maybe she'll mellow with
                 time, but I doubt it!  She does have her times though,
                 She insists on being the the shower with me in the morning
                 and will purr like crazy when I get out (mom didn't
                 drown, I'll get breakfast!), then maybe sometimes again
                 at night she'll sit in my lap and purr, but that is IT!
                 Otherwise she will just growl or hiss if you try to pick
                 her up or do anything she finds unpleasant!
    
    	Cocoa:	The Siamese mentioned earlier - She is a seal-point, either
     	        appleheaded or perhaps a Tonkinese.  She was dumped at my
    	        mother's farm (happens all the time!  Grrr) and I fell in
    	        love!  Cocoa is 3 now, is the most mellow animal I've ever
    	        seen, sometimes I think she's on ludes, she's a little too
    	        out if it a lot of the time!  She takes everything in
                stride, even Panda's bad attitude.  She is becoming more
                and more affectionate as time goes on as well.  I've
    	        always owned black cats, but Cocoa makes me not ever to
                want to be without a sealpoint, she is so sweet and a
    	        beautiful kitty besides!
    
    Past Cats:
    
    	Angie	The first kitty that was really all mine, again an all
    	        black kitty-See a pattern here!  She always knew when I
    	        needed comforting and was always there.  It was really
    	        rather unsettling that she would always know and be there,
                since she was usually a bit of a loner the rest of the
                time.  We used to play on the stairs, she would run up at
                me and sometimes climb my leg (always wore jeans when we
                played this game...Ouch!).  She died of a stroke the day
                after we moved to Hollis (and I will never use the Hollis
    	        vet because of that, but that's another story).  I had
                named her Angie after the Rolling Stone's song, that song
                *still* makes me cry.
    
    	Munchkin:  Munchkin took refuge at my mother's farm when I was
                still living at home.  He had been very badly abused by
                someone.  Both of his front legs were broken and had set
                at an angle that made him both shorter and bowl-legged for
                the rest of his life.  He had a b-b shot hole through his
                back leg and was so malnourshed that we had to feed him
                milk only for a few days as that was all he could keep 
                down.  I had Munch for 3-4 years after that, he was the
                most grateful, friendly cat after all that abuse.  When-
                ever we would pat him he would get so happy he would drool
                heavily all over you!  Munch was all black as well (they
                find me, honest - My husband is always saying if I had
                lived in the 15-16th centuries I'd have been burned as a
                witch!).  Munch was never neutered and took to roaming,
                I certainly learned the hard way the error of my ways on
                that one....Munch was hit by a car wandering in the road
                about a mile from my apt. at the time.  I have both never
                forgiven myself for that, nor forgotten the incident.  It
                was very traumatic and I found out the hard way how little
                city's care about animals (I was told to throw him in the
                trash!, needless to say, I did not!).  I still miss Munch,
                but at least I know he was very happy for just a few years
                of his short tough life!
    
    	So, there's the brood, past and present.  Quite a gang!  I love
    them all, would never be without kitties, and still miss the lost souls
    terribly whenever I think of them.  
    
      	I'm looking forward to actually participating in this file, I
    always have funny stories to add, and have found some very helpful
    advise in this file so far.  I feel like I already know some of you
    already just from the notes!  It is very good to know there are so
    many caring people around!  If anyone is interested in MAX (note
    415.707 again) please contact me, I'd love to find him a home!
    
       Sorry to have run on - I'm just a sucker for these little fur-
    faces!
    
              -Heather

    Re: .457

    Welcome, Heather! Sounds like you have a wonderful furry family.
    If you are "sucker for these little fur faces" you will be right
    at home here with the rest of us suckers! Hope you find a good 
    home for Max.

    I'm glad to know I'm not the only one with a "thing" for black cats. 
    Three of my 5 are black and I'd like to have more! Gee, maybe this 
    would be a good time to formally introduce my addictions, er, feline 
    family, since I've never done that. Here goes:

    Misty is a 15-year-old spayed female sealpoint Siamese. I got her from 
    a "free" ad in the newspaper 3 years ago as a companion for my then 
    17-year-old Siamese Junie; they were good friends until Junie's death 
    2 years later. Misty was declawed by her previous owners at age 9 
    (grrr!). She is the least vocal of all my cats and spends most of her 
    time sleeping, preferably in someone's lap. 

    Cubby is a 3-year-old neutered male with short, plush brown-black 
    fur, and is possibly part Siamese (I really think he looks like a 
    Havana Brown). He was a FELINE Notes orphan, adopted at the age of 4 
    months from a nice young couple in Leominster, Mass. who rescued him 
    from under a wood pile. Cubby is long, tall, sleek and very handsome 
    (in spite of his shrunken, blind eye), and very intelligent. He can 
    open most doors in the house -- to the cabinets, closets, bedrooms, 
    basement, and the sliding screen door to the deck. So far he can't yet 
    open the doors to the outside, the oven, or the microwave -- if he does, 
    I'm in big trouble! Cubby is very affectionate but is not a lap cat 
    unless he's sick. He cuddles and kneads me relentlessly when I'm in 
    bed at night. He has a very quiet, soft voice when he talks, and often 
    "mutters" without opening his mouth.

    Tweetie is about 3 1/2 years old, medium-haired, spayed female, and all 
    white except for a gray cap and the top side of her tail. She was a 
    FELINE Notes stray (remember "Pregnant Mom to be Put to Sleep"?) almost 
    2 years ago. Tweetie was probably abused by people and cats in her 
    previous life -- she had broken teeth, feared anyone but Donna (her 
    rescuer) and me, and was terrified of my other cats. She now has lost 
    her fear of people and is very affectionate; she purrs loudly and 
    practically non-stop. She still doesn't get too chummy with the other 
    cats but is *much* better than she used to be. Tweetie can tolerate
    sharing the couch or bed with the other cats if I'm on it also. She 
    now will occasionally groom Toby and allow him to groom her. I have
    hopes that in time she will forget she was ever afraid of other cats.

    Toby is a 2-year-old, neutered male, medium-haired, black marshmallow;
    he is Mr. Personality. He's also a former stray, who I adopted from 
    FELINE at 5 months. Toby is very sweet and loving, and so cute! He is 
    friendly to everyone, people and animals alike. He dotes on Tweetie, 
    and played a big part in socializing her. His favorite interests are
    food, food, and food.

    Peanut is also a former FELINE stray (whadda ya mean I have no will
    power?? :-), who was rescued by Jo Ann Cordes Brown in California last 
    summer. Peanut is a neutered male, short-haired, black imp, around 2 
    years old. He may be part Siamese. Although Peanut is only bigger
    than Misty, he is not the least bit intimidated by the others and has 
    appointed himself as top cat. This led to quite a few conflicts over 
    several months but he seems to have mellowed out now. He is quite a 
    talker (also known as Mr. Yakky Yak) and follows me around the house 
    telling me what to do and how to do it. Peanut knows how to open some 
    doors, but because he is so small he can't reach the door handles unless 
    there's something to stand on nearby. His best buddy is Toby, and he
    likes to curl up to sleep with (or should I say "on") Toby and Misty. 

    The now-departed who will always be fondly remembered: Alfie, Alice, 
    Junie (all sealpoint Siamese), Nikki, and Fuzzy Wuzzy.

    All the cats are indoor-only and seem to like it just fine. We --
    plus my husband, Joe, of two months -- live in Nashua, NH. 

    Linda

    P.S. If you know of any more nice cats who need a good home, please 
    don't tell me!  :-)

    Hi Linda,
       I know how you feel, I have a very hard time saying no as well
    (actually, I don't think I really ever have!).  I have someone who
    may be interested in Max (I hope/I don't hope, I'm getting attached,
    stop me before I adopt again!)....Sigh!
    
       I have a sleep on your chest'er too - 4-5am is her favorite time,
    such fun!  And, since it's about the only time she is affectionate, I
    hate to discourage her (they *know* who the sucker in the family is,
    she never does this to my husband!).  Great alarm clock, only I don't
    have to get up until 6:30!
    
      Thanks for the hello, now that I have a bit more time, I'll probably
    be adding my $.02 here and there from now on.  ;-)  
    
              -Heather

I adopted by first cat Snickers about 3 months ago (2.416). He has turned out 
to be the rowdiest, most outgoing, outragious cat I could have found. My S.O.,
who never particularly liked cats, just loves this cat. They wake up every day 
by wrestling with each other. This cat even likes going to the vets, he gets
in his pet taxi by himself when I put it out in the hall, and has a wonderful
time exploring the vets office. He even occasionally gets in the taxi just to
see if we can go somewhere!

Well Dave came home one night last week and said 'Snickers needs a buddy'. So
I thought about it a week and went to the Humane Society again on Wednesday.
I was a little worried about what kind of cat will get along with Snickers,
that he won't totally drive crazy.

I found Snickers sister, Raisin. She is a year old (the same age as Snickers).
She was living at an apartment complex, and had a litter this spring. Someone
caught her and brought her to the Humane Society. A H.S. worker liked her, so
she had her spayed and took her home to recover, then brought her back on the
condition that she would take her back if no one adopted her (I got the
feeling that this worker was at pet-max + about a hundred).

Raisin looks a lot like Snickers. Snickers is a blond spotted tabby, and looks
very much like a proud little mountain lion. Very wild and sleek. Raisin is
also a tabby, but a litter darker, with longer fluffier (now that she has had
a bath) fur. She is very loving.

My biggest problem right now is that Snickers thinks Raisin is his personal toy,
and he won't leave her alone for a minute. He wants to wrestle with her and
chase her ALL THE TIME. After 24 hours of this I separated them last night,
and gave her her own bedroom to sleep in. That seemed to help a lot. They
were wrestling when I left for work this morning, but she was much more
tolerant of it. Luckily, Snickers is not jealous at all. He loves her.

Raisin has fleas, flaking skin from poor nutition and worms. All very 
correctable. Oh, and she has beautiful teeth and gums (says the vet).
It is hard to believe that she and Snickers are the same age. They are just
like human teenagers, she the female is mature and a lady, he the male is a 
rowdy immature kid still :)).  After her bath last night, she let me comb and
brush absolutely ever square inch of her body. She turned over, around, up and
down for me. What a lovey.

The vet said that she has been a stray for quite a while, but definitely not 
a feral. She is too friendly. She even purred while the vet was doing all sor
ts of indignities to her. I figured she wasn't feral either, she knew kitchen
counter patrol and drinking from the toilet immediately upon entering the
house.

Well the 3-day weekend is going to be very welcome, I will get to spend lots
of time with both of them.

Debbie with Snickers and Raisin (and Dave of course)

    Well,Ms. Baird you asked for her sooooooo... Here's Jennifer.We had
    heard a cat crying outside the apartment for 2 weeks. My Fiance
    can't deal with that.So friday a neighbor finally caught her. She
    looks to be at least part persian.She is not more than five weeks
    olds(I doubt if she is even that). She is very scared always hiding
    from the other two cats.She is also not litter box trained(UGH!!).I
    am hoping in a few weeks she feels confortable enough to come out
    she is going to be a beutiful cat.
    
    Any Ideas
    
    TED

    Re: Jennifer
    
    She probably isn't using the litter box becuase the other cats
    frighten her.  Or, maybe she is too young?  Kitten people out there,
    isn't 5 weeks awfully little to be away from her mother?  Does she
    need special care?
    

    She came out yesterday she does not seem frightened of the other
    cat's now. Just the Big people.If she does need some special care
    please advise.
    
    Thanks 
    
    Ted

    If she's a feral she'll be scared of humans.  Just have patience
    and try not to startle her.  If you find that you've got to stalk
    and catch her to have any contact, I'd suggest you confine
    her to a single room.  You don't want to make every contact with you
    a traumatic one.
    
    I would also strongly urge you to take her to a vet ASAP.  Feral
    cats pick up all sorts of nasty things that you don't want passed
    on to your cats.  A period of isolation is an excellent idea.  She
    probably has the following:  upper respiratory track infection, mites,
    worms, fleas.  She may be older than 5 weeks, which is definitely much
    too young to be away from mommy, but her growth may be stunted due to
    malnutrition and worms.  Another excellent reason for getting her to
    the vet ASAP.  Also, have her tested for Feline Leukemia.  The test
    costs about $25 and is well worth the money.  Expect your first
    vet visit to be on the expensive side.  It will be well worth it
    when you see a beautiful healthy cat instead of a little stray kitten.
    And PLEASE keep us posted.  Feel free to contact me off-line - I have
    some experience with ferals.
      Good Luck
       Nancy DC

Hi,

My wife and I have been reading this notesfile for quite some time now, and 
feel it's time we made it public!

Introducing:

BORIS:  Lilac (grey) point British shorthair male, neutered. AKA Boris 
Yeltzin pussycatski, (well before B.Y became Pres of the Russian 
Federation). Not too bright (according to the recent cat I.Q), in fact only 
just average), green eyes, and a penchant for cheese (Cheddar). 
He's just coming up to his first birthday.
Although not a good climber, being on the tubby side, his paws are 
enormous, just right for batting insects.

PENNY: Seal point British shorthair female, spayed. Sister to the above. 
The "huntress" of the two, although to look at her, butter wouldn't melt in 
her mouth! She's much smaller, petite even, but more adventurous, and a 
MUCH better climber than her brother.

Both are very much outdoor cats, since where we live is well off main 
roads, and there are plenty of open fields, they have a cat-flap.They also 
have collars and tags, 2 sets, so that we can take them to my parant house, 
and let them out there.

Kills so far:

A squirrel (tree-rat), 4 birds (one de-capitated in the kitchen (YEUCH!), 
quite a few pieces of stale bread, and some twigs.

Simon TMCUK2::MOXLEY  and Jenny HAMPS::MOXLEY

    Hi,
    
    her name is mew she is 5 years old
    
    I payed 10$ for her at the mall pet shop
    she has been my best cat of all time
    she's very small and smart about life
    she has a kitten called little mew
    and now little mew is bigger than big mew
    by the way she's indoor only cat (long life type)
    she eats very little and uses very little litter
    
    When I'am sick she parks on my chest and looks into my eyes
    (makes me feel better!) truly remarkable
    I never thought I could love this cat as much as I do, 
    I know a cat (herman) who is 22 years old, I hope Mew lives this
    long.
    
    			Long Live the cat's of the earth.
    					Bye,
    						tommy b.

Now I've got him, I'll introduce him properly ......

I collected Rolf from his breeder on Sunday. He is a sorrel abyssinian
and he is 12 weeks old on Wednesday. His "real" name is Janeena Orange
Pekoe - yes he is named after the tea!

He is small and sooooo cute. I have introduced him to Pookie, lots of
growling and hissing from Rolf, but at first Pookie just looked at him
as if to say, You want ME to worry about *THAT*!

Rolf is sort of a reddish sandy colour. He has a cream/white chin and
neck and he has HUGE ears with little tufts. His legs are very long -
I think aby kittens are quite unique!

I am giving Pookie lots of fuss because she is sulking. I am sure they
will get to be good friends (I hope!).

In case you are curious, we decided on the name Rolf because he does
sort of look a bit scandanavian (ie fair and angular :-) and Rolf
just seems to suit him - an off the wall name for a cat that will grow
up to be very elegant!

Anyone in the UK who is going past Great Shefford, drop in and meet
the new addition!

Lisa plus Pookie and Rolf.

Lisa,

if my friends' adventures with their Abbys are any indication, you are
in for a delightful adventure....nail EVERYTHING down, lock all doors,
and be prepared!

			Welcome to Rolf, and have fun!

					D

    RE: 2.455
    
    Well, what's in a name?
    
    We've renamed Bird "Simba (the Destroyer)" because he's fast
    outgrowing his baby name.  In his book A Cat Is Watching, animal
    researcher Roger A. Caras refers to lions as "Simba."  Something
    about it just struck me, especially since, in personality,
    Simba is a heck of a lot more like a lion than a bird.  And
    he will, at full size, look a lot like a baby lion.
    
    So, Bird is SIMBA.
    
    Ditto loves to play with Simba, but we've had trouble getting
    Ditto to respond in his usual affectionate way towards us.
    He plays little games, being within reach but not quite,
    walking by but not stopping, sniffing the hand but shying
    from the touch, and so forth.
    
    Recently through trial and error we've learned that if we
    isolate Simba from Ditto, Ditto returns to his old self.
    I think that all the corrections we have to do with Simba
    and his undesirable behaviors (naturally he has lots of
    desirable ones too) make Ditto very nervous.  He's figured
    out that he's not the object of the correction, but he
    still doesn't like it.  So we're hoping that as time goes
    on, Ditto will relax and return to normal.  
    
    Does anyone else have a cat that will be purring and struggling
    to get away at the same time?  What could be going on in his
    head (Ditto's)?  This is the strangest of his adjustment
    behaviors.....
    
    Happy to have 2 of them, though.
    Susan
    
    

    Introducing Cinderella (answers to Cindy):
    
    The first week of April Cindy was tossed out of a car at a farm
    near my home. The few farms that are still in the area have become
    cat dumps.
    
    Cindy is very small, and VERY young. When I found her she was dirty,
    thin, her coat was a mess, but otherwise she was in good health.
    
    I made a plan with the vet to have her spayed later in the spring.
    My vet won't take cats or dogs in unless an agreement is made to
    bring them home on the day they are ready to be released. So
    I had to schedule a vacation day to to pick her up. Between my
    commuting and work schedule the only time I can get to the vets
    is on a weekend unless I take time off. Well... the kitten was
    so young, and was going to be indoor only and after all Jesse has
    been altered, and the poor kitty needed to have plenty of good food
    and shelter so she would be stronger to better deal with her operation
    so what's wrong with waiting a few weeks. (by now y'all know where
    this story is going, right???).
    
    In about 3 weeks Cindys coat had recovered, she had turned from
    a 'rag-bag' into a purrrfect long haired silver tabby. Some where
    around week 6 I couldn't help but notice that at long last Cindy
    was 'filling out' a bit, yes, nice soft flesh on the rib cage,
    no more bony cat, hmmm, soft flesh...AW MY GAWD Cindy, those
    are nipples!!! (reminder: call vet, reschedule spay for sometime
    in summer, after kittens are weaned.) 
    
    I figured that If it was too late to spay, that a little under
    fed, half grown kitten wouldn't have more than a 'handful' of
    kittens.
    
    	(continued in birth anouncements)
    
    
    
    
    
   

    
 Even though I ony have one cat....
    
    
                  I have one cat he could be two of the cutest cats in the
    world, I have yet to see him be the friendliest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    His name is Shamu any way that is what we call him but his full name is
    Shamu Stinker Stopar the Second. We had a Shamu Stinker Stopar the
    First but he didn`t have the name. His name was just Shamu.I got to
    name #2. I named him that because he looks like Shamu the whale at Sea 
    World but the word whale is not what Shamu the cat is. :*) He is an
    European bi-color shorthair ... so if you around don`t sing the Star
    Spangled Banner!:*) He is the colors black and white. His paws are
    white with funny shaped black stripes that srtech up onto an almost all
    black back, that has a few hundred white hairs.He has a black mask
    that doesn`t cover his eyes. The rest of his face is white and his
    stomach is white.  My dad has given Shamu a few thousand names like
    Bunnhips, Vipper (stupid, Huh!!!). 
    
    
    julie stopar, 
    
    
        p.s. Shamu says hello too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Welcome to Julie & Shamu!!

    Boy, was I dumb!  I never really read this note, but just now found out
    it was current!  Well, let me introduce ourselves:
    
    Karen : mother of all and supplier of good food
    Ruby : White Oriental, The first of my cattery "Moonsta", very spoiled
    but oh, God, those blue eyes!!! Very smart and a great little Rubis
    Toobis. Full name: Moonsilk's White Sprite of Moonsta
    Stinky : Ah yes, the old buck! ( he doesnt know he's neutered, but
    doesn't spray). MY CAT, neurotic as hell with others. I can do anything
    with him and he likes to give me paw pats and bite my chin! A Chestnut
    Oriental that has roan-like white hairs mixed in. (I think it came from
    his first leuk shot years ago, wasn't born with it). Full name:
    Majula's Full Sienna Moon (Shin Khaan)
    Wing: A blue point siamese that HAS to play "string".  She loves those
    long shoe laces and will carry it around for hours. If you don't play
    with it for her she gets all huffy and runs away.  Typical newspaper
    ad, home breeder type cat. Old style head.  Daddy's little girl! Full
    Name: Wing Tu
    
    That's all for the cats, we have five Cockatiels and two red fan
    goldfish.  Everyone gets along pretty well. 
    Karen Fallon
    Paw pats to all!
    

    Hi!
    I'd like to introduce my furry six shooters:-))
    
    There is Joseph - a sable brown long haired fellow who is one
    of easiest goin souls I have ever met.
    Then there is Tumbles and Jumbles - the fearsome twosome littermates
    who are as freindly as they are mischievious.
    Next is Jemima, my chubbykins,with a sweet disposition and
    painfully shy.
    Then there is Tristan the newest member just three months old who
    thinks Joseph is the greatest guy ever :-))
    and last but by no maesn the least is Sasha, my saucy Siamese
    and dear little friend.
    they are variong ages between 4 1/2 to 6 years of age..'cept tris who
    is the baby :-)
    
    Fay Spinney
    

    
    Hi Fay!
    
    A great big HUGE welcome to your and your six shooters!  (I love that!)
    
    Feline Fine,
    
    Sue & Panther & SPot
    

    Welcome!  Glad to see you survived your initital welcome!
    We can be a robust group at times - but the bottom line
    is that WE ALL LOVE AND CARE ABOUT CATS and their humans!
    
    Your kids sound great!  Keep the stories commin'
    
    E.T.

    My name is Yvonne Sobot and we have a beautiful Chinchilla kitten
    called INDY (from Indiana Jones). his littertray is called "the
    temple of doom"!!!!! I am looking for chinchilla notes but cant
    seem to find any. Can anybody help me???
    
    Regards, 
    
    Yvonne.

    Cin Gerry could probably correct me but I think that the Chinchilla is
    some kind of a Persian?
    
    Deb

    Hi Deb, Cin is on vacation this week.  I 'think' Chinchilla is color -
    on the silver line?
    
    E.

    Yup, chinchilla is a color on the silver line.  It's lighter than the
    shaded silvers.  Basically white with just a TOUCH of silver tipping.
    
    Holly
    

    chinchilla= GORGEOUS.
    
    I just got a copy of The book all abouts Cats. Wow, ALL the pictures
    are so beautiful.  They make you want one of each breed. There are
    pictures of all the silver shades recognized in this country and
    Europe.
    
    Barbara

    I adopted kitty #3 this past Friday night.  He's
    approximately 4 months old, black & white, and he hasn't stopped
    purring yet.  Sidney and Nymets (both 7 months old) hissed at him a
    couple times, smelled him all over and within 2 hours they were all
    buddies.  I guess it's true that the younger they are the easier it is
    for them to adjust.  He went for his first vet visit Monday and was
    diagnosed with coccydium (sp) but antibiotics will take care of that.
    He's real good about taking his medicine.
    
    This little guy is such a joy.  He purrs and "tweets" constantly.  I
    guess if I lived in a shelter environment for as long as he did and
    came pretty darn close to being euthanized, I'd be a happy little guy,
    too.  No name yet.  He has so many endearing traits to work a name
    around, not to mention he looks like he's wearing a tuxedo, I'm kind of
    stuck.
    
    First I had one kitty, three weeks later I had two, four months later
    and now I have three.  This is it though - three's the limit.
    
    Yeah, right.     
    
    Terry
    

re: Note 2.482 by XCUSME::KENDRICK 

>    No name yet.  He has so many endearing traits to work a name
>    around, not to mention he looks like he's wearing a tuxedo, I'm kind of
>    stuck.
    
Fred Astaire, of course!  Fred for short.....    

    
    	Although the kitty I'm about to introduce isn't really mine
    	I feel a kind of 'bond' with him because a friend of mine
    	adopted him from the Nashua Humane Society where I volunteer
    	and donate food too every week when I do the grocery shopping.
    
    	So here's to Goober!  (I still can't believe he named this
    	gorgeous cat Goober)  Goober is a 3 month old stray that
    	was brought to the Humane Society.  He is all grey with 
    	golden/copper eyes and the blackest little nose.  And he
    	has the softest fur I've ever felt, it's like silk!  He
    	purrs from the minute you pick him up and he likes sparkly
    	things. (he went after my necklace while holding him)  He 
    	loves to lay on his back and have his belly rubbed and he
    	loves to play with the little ball with the bell inside.
    
    	Seeing him makes my standing up for 4 hours working Bingo
    	worth every minute of it!  =)
    
    	JJ
    

    Introducing my two cats, Kevin and Emma, recently emigrated to Ireland.
    They like our new house but are completely terrified of all the cows in
    a neighbouring field. 
    
    Name: Emma
    Real Name: Colberta Emma
    Breed/Type: Persian Cream/White
    Age: 4
    Interests: Eating, Sleeping
    
    History: Given to me by an old lady, who wasn't able to keep up with
    grooming, etc Persians need. Emma spends all day looking pretty, and
    rarely gives any serious consideration to any subject, till dinner
    time. Has a distinguished pedigree, 5 of her great-grandparents were
    Grand Champions.
    
    Name: Kevin
    Real Name: Unknown
    Breed/Type: Shorthaired Tabby
    Age: 3
    Interests: Bird Watching, Athletics
    
    History: I was once stuck with a large white rabbit (please, don't ask
    me how it happened!) and was completely unable to devote the time to
    looking after him properly. Cats, however take a lot less looking
    after, so I exchanged my rabbit for a small striped kitten who had a
    reputation for misbehaving. Kevin is far more independant than Emma,
    as, no doubt were most of his great grandparents.
    
    Dave

     Well here they are....
    
    Miss Priss - Better known as Prissy.  Was a very lovable stray whom
    had kittens on my porch. (My husband says that she knew exactly
    what she was doing when she picked my porch to have her kittens.)
    Prissy is very smart, manipulative, vain, elegant and looks like a
    Main Coon.  She's probably 5.5 or 6 years old.  She loves being
    told how beautiful she is.  Prissy was an only child for about 3
    years.  She was the sweatest, most gentle loving cat until Willa's
    arrival.
    
    Willa Jean - Also known as 'Nilla Bean, Jean-Jean, Silly Willy.
    We have had Willa Jean since she was 3 weeks old.  We decided to
    get another cat since Prissy was spending so much time alone due
    to the long hours we were putting in at work.  I wanted a gray cat
    so when Willa presented herself she was perfect even thought she
    had little yellow smudges and patches of white mixed in with the
    gray.  The little yellow smudges turned into big yellowy-mauve smears.
    Willa was probably the cutest, tinniest little thing I had ever
    seen.  She was meaner than spit, tough as nails, and quicker than
    lightening.  She loved to play, climb curtains and ride around on
    my shoulder.  She hated being touched or held (she was a shoulder
    only cat)  Her favorite past-time has always been annoying Miss
    Priss, and she is extremely successful at it.  She has calmed down
    considerably now that she has turned two.  She will but up with
    being held for only two minute intervals.  She would eat 19 meals
    a day if given the chance.  She has learned that once she has gobbled
    her food down, if she sits over by Prissy and watches her eat, it
    will upset her, hence she will leave the room, leaving her dish
    unattended .... yep, more food for pear-shaped Willa.  
    
    After a little over two years, Miss Priss still HATES Willa Jean,
    and Willa Jean LOVES Miss Priss.  Prissy hisses and takes lunging
    swipes at Willa, and Willa still sneaks up behind Prissy and scares
    the living daylights out of her.  Visitors to our home are convinced
    the two will due each other in at any moment.  I'm used to their
    interactions, and just ignore them.
    
    Well enough about the girls.  I could rattle on all day.    

    This is the first time doing this so bear with me.
    
    I have an only child - Bud!  I come from a family that always had dogs.
    When I moved out on my own I decided that kittens were the most
    adorable things.  I acquired Bud against his will.  I work in Landover
    Maryland near the Metro Station.  A couple of ladies in my office
    noticed a Morris looking kitten near the drainage on the side of the
    road every evening.  We decided that I was the one that would take this
    beautiful and lonely creature home.  I would purposely drive around the
    office park looking for this kitten.  The first time I saw him and
    stopped, he ran into a drain pipe.  The second time I saw him (it was
    pouring down rain - with no umbrella) he ate out of my hand and then
    ran away.  I was determined to get this kitten some how.  By this time
    my husband had seen enough tears.  I called the humane society and
    requested a cage.  They gave me a squirrel cage because it is only a
    kitten (the cage was free - as long as it is returned within a week). 
    I called the vet and told him that I was planning on catching a kitten
    Friday afternoon and needed an appointment.  I picked up the cage
    Friday morning and placed it near the drain pipe around 12:00.  I
    checked it at 1:30 no kitten, I checked it at 2:30, no kitten - but the
    cage door was closed.  This means he tried to get in.  Oh forgot to
    tell you that I put food in the cage (kitten chow - yum yum!!)  I tried
    again at 3:30 - YES Kitten!!  I had never heard a cat hiss before. 
    Well I got an ear full.  I put a towel over the cage and put him in my
    car.  I went back to the office and asked one of the ladies to take him
    to the vet.  For the next two hours I worried that he would be to wild
    and I would not be able to keep him.  When I arrived at the vet - there
    was this cute little kitten cuddling on the vets shoulders.  I
    carefully placed him on my shoulder and have been in heaven ever since. 
    I thought he was about 6-8 weeks old but the vet said he was 4 months
    old.  I tell him all the time how lucky we both are to have each other. 
    
    He doesn't like strangers and gets very upset when there are other
    people smells on his couch.  It is a very nice feeling to go home and
    have this very loud cat at your feet begging to be picked up and loved.
    
    Bud's mom

    What a wonderful thing you did taking in this little lost baby!
    It makes me feel so good when I hear stories like this.
      Nancy DC

    Lucky you to have a Morris type pussycat. and lucky Bud!
    

    Does anybody know of Cat contests (magazines, local stores, etc.).  I
    would like to put Bud in a contest.  Not in a show but I would like to
    show him off.
    
    Bud's mom

    I have two.  Kiana, a tiger/tabby mix, who has been spayed and
    declawed.  She is loving, but can be a real grouch if she doesn't get
    her own way--which is most of the time.  She wants to go out, but can't
    because of the other animals in the area, or the litter isn't clean
    enough for her pristine tastes, or she'd rather be left alone than
    loved by an eight year old girl.
    
    The other is her son, Tiger.  He's an orange tabby with different
    markings--a stripe on each side is actually almost a complete circle.
    He was so beuatiful I couldn't let him go when we gave away the rest,
    so he's still with us.  He's seven months and about to be neutered and
    declawed like Mom, although he's never learned to use his claws the way
    most cats do.  He thinks he's part Dog, though, and the dog he thinks
    is daddy also believes he's the daddy (he's the same color as the cat)!
    
    Ellen
    
    

    RE:  2.487   This BUDS for you.  What a wonderful story with a very
    happy ending.
    
    Sandy (Tamba, Poco, and Barkley)

    RE:  2.491...welcome to feliners.  You sound like you have a wonderful
    family.  Don't you just love them dearly...even if they can be grouchy.
    
    Sandy (Tamba, Poco, and Barkley)
    
    
    

    Atlast, I have been so busy and yet so desperate to enter this.
    
    Those of you who read my note re: bringing in a new kitty when moving
    will be glad to know that we have done just that.  
    
    And you were all right.  Spooky has been so interested in the new
    house that she really hasn't bothered at all with Murphy......
    
    Ah but of course you won't know Murphy.  He is a light and dark
    grey striped kitten (looks like a little tiger), he is roughly seven
    weeks old and eats like he has never seen food.  On visiting my
    in-laws last Tuesday I had a beautiful little kitty thrust into
    my hands with the explanation of "We found him sitting on the road
    and he was all alone". 
    
    He had runny eyes, runny nose and a cough so a visit to the vet
    and a couple of shots has put him right.  
    
    Spooky after less than a week, is even letting him share her meals
    and they look lovely together.
    
    I'll give you an update as we go along.
    
    Regards
    Happy Mom and Dad Wason 
    Happy big sister Spooky 
    and baby brother Murphy

    Pip S. Pussycat, Esq., Sr. Managing and Chief Financial Pussycat
    is pleased to announce that Haralambos S. Pussycat, Esq is now a named
    partner in THE FIRM. Furthermore, the law firm of Pussycat,Pussycat,
    Pussycat,Pussycat,Pussycat,Pussycat,Pussycat & Pussycat would like all
    participants in the FELINE conference to know that henceforth The FIRM
    will be known as Pussycat,Pussycat,Pussycat,Pussycat,Pussycat,Pussycat,
    Pussycat,Pussycat & Pussycat. 

    "Harry" is a feral longhair that was living outside of my house. He is a
    very tall and long cat, and quite intelligent. He was a bag of bones
    but is starting to put on some weight. He is rather unusually
    marked. Consider a tuxedo marked long haired bi-color in gray and  white.
    With white gloves and boots. Add to that brown tabby markings on the
    edge of his fact, and stripes on his arms. That is right, this guy is 3
    colored! I brought him to the vet, and he got the works (neutering,
    fleabath, ears cleaned, etc.) He is kind of shy, but is a real love.

    Deb

    Yo Harry.. Welcome..!!!!!!
    Regards
     Happy, and Preschie... Kate( IT is very nice to meet you.. Harry..)

    Welcome to the new kitties Harry & Murphy and congrats to the
    new kitty mommies.  Two more kitties have wonderful homes :-)
      Nancy DC

    
    Wow Deb!
    
    Pussycat to the nineth!  Congratulations!!!  (Princess Panther Jane
    still prefers that Argus J. the MOST senior partner handle all of her
    legal matters, but welcomes Harry warmly.  Spots wants to know when the
    open house will be?)
    
    Feline silly today,
    Sue & Panther & Spot
    

    When we lost Percy to a car in March, we decided to get Pookie a friend to
    keep her company. Rolf duly arrived and she loves him! She washes his
    face and they play now and again.However, Rolf just has soooooo much
    energy (he's an Aby) that he always wants to play :-} So, we just had
    to get HIM a playmate, hence this note!
    
    We collected *** FLORENCE *** from the breeder last night. It was a
    long (and noisy!) drive home and it took us about 2 hours. She didn't
    let up all the way!! When we got home, I took her out of the carrier
    and she PURRED and PURRED. She is so cute, here are the stats,
    
    Pianki Florence
    Female :-)
    16 weeks old
    Chocolate ticked torty tabby oriental (try saying that with a mouthful
    of peanuts!)
    
    She has loooong legs and a long sort of pointy head. She has ginger/red
    tabby markings on her head legs and tail. Her body is tortoiseshell
    ticked with chocolate. Her head has choc tabby marks on ginger. She
    really is a one off!
    
    There is a down side to this :-{ She's done nothing but growl and hiss
    at Rolf since this morning and Rolf is DESPERATE to play with his new
    friend!! Also she bit Rob on the hand this morning and his thumb has
    gone numb! Still, she is beautiful, and I'm sure she's going to settle
    in soon! I'll keep you posted!
    
    Lisa plus Pookie, Rolf and Florence.
    
    Mmm, I wonder when Florence will need a playmate :-)
    

    Welcome Florence.   Be good to Rolf...he will be your protector
    one day!
    
    Congrats to the new family member.  
    
    Sandy
    

    Welcome to Florence!!!!
    Kate, Happy, Preschie..

	Congratulations, Lisa - I *love* that name! :^}

    Love that name too, Lisa!
    
    Keep us posted on developments...
    
    Karen (and Georgie)

    
    
    	Ok, I finally did it.  I convinced Cary we need another kitten!
    	I wanted to adopt a chocolate point siamese at the shelter but
    	she got really sick and they had to put her down....SO!  we're
    	adopting one of her sisters!  A little lynx point siamese.
    	Hopefully I can pick her up tonite.  The shelter is closed on
    	Mondays but I'm hoping that since I'm a volunteer, they'll make
    	an exception.
    
    	No decision on a name yet or anything....I'll keep everyone
    	posted!  =)
    
    	JJ & Brandi, Sasha, Chloe and ??
    

    
    
    	Well I picked her up last night!  Cute as a button and 
    	is definitely siamese!  No name yet though....anyone have
    	any ideas?  She's a lynx point siamese...light tabby markings
    	with dark ringed tail and dark ears.  Sapphire blue eyes.
    	Loves to cuddle and loves to talk.
    
    	I kept trying to keep her in her box last night so we weren't
    	paying a lot of attention to her and making sure to pay
    	attention to the other three but the little bugger insisted
    	on sitting in my lap!  After about the fourth time I gave up. =)
    
    	I want Arielle and wants Sable for a name....but we're open
    	for suggestions...... =)
    

    JJ, I like Arielle a lot but find that 3 syllable names can be
    cumbersome at times.  Sable is nice, but not really fitting for a
    Siamese.  Arielle is a very nice name, very different for a cat.  I'd
    go with it, despite the 3 syllables!!
    
    Actually, I have a name choice but am saving it for a future cat, so
    mum's the word!!  It isn't a girl's name anyway, so not to worry!
    

    how about Cerell? I have two perians furston and laston, one's a
    white pigface, the other black normal whaterver that is!
    hayden 

    
    re: Roberta
    
    	thanks... we'd probably call her Ari or Relli for short or
    	something.
    
    	re: -1
    
    	Our landlord suggested that too...or Ariable.  =)
    
    	JJ
    

	JJ, is she a chocolate lynx-point?  That's what Beau is, and his
	colors are getting more and more beautiful as he gets older (he's
	11 months now).

	Arielle is nice, but when I saw 'Sable', I immediately thought of
	'Sable Mabel' :^}

	Sandy

    
    
    	I'm assuming that's what she is Sandy.  She was dropped off
    	by a breeder who couldn't find homes for her, her sister and
    	her brother.  They were just marked as chocolate point and
    	lynx point.  But I would guess that since one was a chocolate
    	point that my baby would be a chocolate lynx point.
    
    	JJ
    

    
    and a big hello from fellow blue-eyed lynx point stanley!  his colour
    is red (genetic) although i would say reddish-brown (or brownish-red!). 
    loved that ringed tail!
    
    diane, stanley & stella
    

well, Hannah ("carrot" red lynx-point with ring-tail and saphire eyes) would
like to welcome your new addition...and she definitely leans towards Sable
as a name....it sounds almost regal enough to fit such a superior breed of
cat, dontcha know....

			Love them nosey little beasts...they are into
			everything...be prepared...

				D

    Re .510
    
    She doesn't necessarily have to be chocolate just because the litter
    mate was.  It is likely that she is a seal lynx point.  Seal is
    a dominant color and the chances are greater that she is seal lynx.
    The best way to tell would be her paw pad colors.
    
    Jo

okay, I knew I'd get nailed eventually....we DID hold the line at 4 cats
for at least 2 years, but....

when I got home tonight, my roommate presented me with a cat carrier
containing an 8 month old kitten -- she needed a home immediately 
because her owner adopted her KNOWING she couldn't have pets...and, of
course, the landlord found out and the kitten had to go or the owner
would be evicted...

ANYWAY, she is a smoke lynx-point javanese - flawed facial points
because she has a white muzzle (which I think looks adorable) and she
has some shading on her body which look like she was dipped in a
"wash" of gray/tan in several places.  She has perfect aquamarine
eyes, a delightful ringed tail, and that "what can I get into next?"
personality.....I was a goner the minute she came out of the carrier
into my arms...

So, welcome the lastest addition to the Wilde-Brown residence, cat
number five, Amanda....

Although Hannah is, at the moment, NOT thrilled -- I know she will enjoy
this playful companion in the future - and Mandy is the perfect complement 
to Hannah, my favorite "redhead" lynx-point now has a picture-perfect
match.

Family concensus so far:

Hannah and Tabs are both studiously ignoring the new "child"...Sam is playing
tag for the first time in years...and Nicholas is besotted with her, chasing
and being chased all over the house.  We got a winner. 

    
    	re: Jo
    	Well her pads are brown? Or do you mean the fur on the pads?
    	If so, that's charcoal grey to black.
    
    	Anyhoo....welcome to the world Audrey!  Don't ask me where
    	it came from.  She was curled up in my lap last night and
    	out came Audrey.  Cary likes it, I like it and she seems to
    	like it ok.  The more I thought about it I guess I must have
    	had Twin Peaks on the brain or something.  She fits the character
    	of Audrey...curious, brave and she's light with dark features
    	(on TP Audrey is fair skinned with black hair) and the blue eyes
    	to boot! =)  She's found a favorite spot and that's curled up
    	on Cary's shoulder.  Although this morning she curled up 
    	underneath my chin.
    
    	As I said before Chloe is the most curious and will definitely
    	take to her first.  And Sasha surprised us all to heck this 
    	morning by starting to clean Audrey!  This is the same cat who
    	not 7 hours before was hissing and batting her on the head.
    	She loves the stairs but seems to be a bit confused as to where
    	the litter box is.  AND SHE LOVES THE SCRATCHING POST!!  I'm
    	hoping the others will see her using it and try it.
    
    	So that's been the first couple of days of life with Audrey.
    
    	JJ and Brandi, Sasha, Chloe and Audrey!
    

    JJ, if the pads are brown then she is probably a sealpoint.  Kelsey is
    seal and his pads are almost black, point color is a shade or two
    lighter.  If your kitty is young, you will find that she will probably
    darken a bit with age.  Kelsey had a white body and dark seal points as
    a baby (striking!), but now he has shaded to a light brown with very
    dark, even seal points.  The more even the point color the more
    striking the cat.  Murdock's color is taking longer to come in, is
    still a bit mucky on the legs and tail.  Kelsey had a full mask and
    point color when I got him at 4 months old!
    
    I like the name Audrey a lot.  Congrats!!
    
    And congrats to you too D.  Your new kitty sounds just lovely!  Our
    humane society gets purebreds in every so often but the volunteers
    always adopt them before anyone else can!  They have a groomer working
    for them who takes all of the longhaired, matted cats and bathes and
    grooms them before they go into the shelter.  Well, she has about 10
    apparent purebreds from there (including a Birman lookalike and a
    silver shaded persian!) because once she starts working on them she
    cannot bear to give them up!
    
    Either I am going to change careers or start volunteering at the
    shelter :^)
    

    
    	re: Roberta...
    
    	That's how I got Audrey!  I volunteer at the Humane Society
    	in Nashua and we had a few meetings at the shelter.  I went
    	in back to see the babies and there was Audrey!  =)
    	So at this point then I'll say Audrey is a seal lynxpoint siamese.
    	She definitely has the tabby markings and ringed tail.
    
    	I never realize how much a siamese kitten's meow sounded like
    	a baby crying!
    

    
     Bijou is a male Abysssinian Blue just 8 weeks this past Tuesday. This
    is my first entry in FELINE and definately not my last. I'm new to the
    world on cat fancy and try to read as much in here as possible. The
    info and advise is excellent ! A little more on Bijou.
    
     I got Bijou from Pat Senser's Weeselum cattery in Greenfield, Ma. He
    is a little ball of fire !!! The poor thing had to go through his first
    day last Friday at home with our 1yr old female Bogey. I'm sure I don't
    have to tell you how some cat's are when a new one is brought in.
    Anyway, he didn't give her an inch and after the first four days they
    seem to be hitting it off well. He has definately taken to papa and one
    of these days I'm going to take him out back and teach him how to throw
    a curve ball.
    
     I plan on showing him soon (February) and will be attending the Salem
    and Marlboro shows next month. These will be my first shows so I'm
    still reading and looking at things to prep myself. I'm sure my wife
    and I will get a good first taste at these shows and are quite excited.
    I'll be posting more on Bijou later but for now it's off to see the
    little guy.
    
    George & Debbie

    Congrats on your new addition! Abys are **GREAT**, but then I am
    biased!
    
    Lisa plus Pookie (Ginger moggy), **Rolf** (Sorrel aby) and Florence
    (Chocolate ticked torty tabby oriental).
    

    Hi George and Debbie
    
    Congrats on your new kitty from another biased person.  Abys are
    Wonderful!!!!!!!!!   Especially male Abys.   I'd love to get a blue
    and a red, and maybe a Somali (long haired Abysinnian) and a
    ...........
    
    Zula is now 1.5 years old (male ruddy Aby).   I can't tell you how
    much joy he has brought me.  He is extremely affectionate.  I have
    never loved an animal so much.   Zula is definitely mommy's boy.
    He is by my side 99.999999999% of the time.   Lately I've been on
    a video game kick.  I'll sit there and play for hours, while Zula
    cuddles up in my arms or leaning agains my legs.  I'm very 
    figity and constanly moving.  He patiently waits for me to get
    settled and than snuggles up to me again.  Never gives up and walks
    away.  He sit there for as long as I do.  Same thing happens when I
    sleep.  I'll toss and turn, and he just waits until I'm settled and
    leans up against me to cuddle again.
    
    Hmmmm,  I'm rambling huh.  Well you get the point.  I LOVE 
    Abysinnians!
    
    Congrats again.  
    
    Pam

    I can't keep him a secret any longer. I would like to introduce our
    new addition, Mr Miyagi, a seal point himmie. "He's just wonderful"
    
    We got him from a note that was posted in this notes file. He was
    one of three cats and a new husband was "introduced" to the house
    hold who was very allergic to the kitties. Enter, Barbara, and
    Roberta.  Roberta went to see him first and fell in love with him
    and called me immediately to say this cat might fill the need in
    our household. (Mocha was beating up on poor little Ming everytime
    things didn't go his way) Mr Miyagi weights 17 pounds.  I called
    the girl and she delivered him to Nashua the first sunday in
    August. (Sad parting for them, broke my heart....) Well Miyagi has
    ...almost..... settled in.
    
    Miyagi has not been introduced to men very much in his life and
    Tim has only seen him as a brown streak on his way to the cellar
    or to his bedroom upstairs. HOWEVER he is my "Velcro" cat. Some-
    thing I have always wanted.  I spent two months laying on my
    stomach between the twin beds trying to make friends with him.
    In the bedroom he had his own litter box and I fed him there also.
    He was so frightened of everyone and everything. So after 9 weeks
    he is roaming all over the top floor and now has to go to the basement
    for his litter box and gets fed in the kitchen with the other cats,
    he does the latter two things after the humans have gone to bed. We
    now refer to poor Tim as the boogieman. Miyagi is coming but it will
    take more time for him to accept Tim.
    
    Miyagi has never hissed or spit at the other two cats and they
    have treated him with respect and honor also. (Can hardly belive
    that myself.) 
    
    Now what have I left out?  Oh yes, Miyagi has the open face look
    instead of the turned up nose himmie look. His eyes are round and
    very blue although a different blue from Mocha and Ming. I think
    in the long run Miyagi will be Mings best pal. They are trying to
    make friends faster and try to spend more time together, laying
    opposit each there and just starring and looking one another over.
    I can tell you one thing, if Mocha ever gets up the nerve to swat
    at Miyagi, he will wish he didn't. (Miyagi has a shadow that would
    kill a dog.) He isn't fat but just a BIG well porportioned cat.
    He is moms handsome boy. I am so glad I have him and that I was
    able to offer him a home. Thanks goes to his other mother, Sandy
    who delivered him to me, and to Roberta who took her time to go
    see him for me.
    
    Now were are at Cat Max.
    
    Barbara and her 3 M's
    
    

    Love the name...Mr. Miyagi!!  Congrats to the whole family.
    
    Sandy (Tamba, Poco, and Barkley)

    Congratulations to all of you on your new additions.  They sound great!
    A lynx point will not go into full color until they are older than a
    year, but paw pad color should be fixed at this point.  The difference
    is:  seal/dark brown(almost black),  choc/med brown-cinnamon color. 
    Hope this helps.  If you are ever in AKO1 I can show you a book that
    has all coat and color patterns that might help you.
    
    Anyone looking for a choc spotted tabby oriental?  (runs to the
    cinnamon side of color)
    K,R,S,W,+A
    

    Gee, Barbara, has it really been 9 weeks already?  Seems like just
    yesterday when you got him!  And you and Tim are still together too!! 
    I was afraid he was going to come to my house and beat me up for
    finding you another cat :^) !!
    
    Now, when you can get pictures of Miyagi that would be a real feat!!
    I, too, simply caught a few glimpses of him at Sandy's house but knew
    he was the kitty for you.
    

    Welcome to Mr. Miyagi from himself!
    
    He sounds like a honey to me!  I think his name is pretty nice also!
    
    E.T.and the big bunch and little bunch

    
    
    	Well, my husband had a little surprise for me when I got 
    	home from work yesterday...That's right, *another* kitten!
    	She's soooooooooooooo CUTE, it's hard to believe he found
    	her on the side of 495! Her brother was with her, but he
    	was too wild and my husband couldn't catch him. 
    
    	So, now we have five altogether...two at Gramma's, and three
    	with us...We're calling her Katie, and she's calico on top,
    	but all of her colored areas are also striped. From the shoulders
    	down, she's alll white, with big double paws...She's about 8 
    	wks old. It looks like she was just dropped off, she knows how
    	to play with a ball, use the litter box, and didn't inhale her
    	food. I found her sitting on my makeup table, gazing at the 
    	pretty kitty in the mirror, I think we have a budding Princess
    	In Training here...
    
    	Sara and Squeeky `ARE NOT AMUSED', as HRH would say...Squeeky 
    	wants to get a good look, but Sara is very upset and doesn't
    	like anybody right now...She'll be fine as soon as she realizes
    	this is SOMEONE TO PLAY WITH!! YAH! Since Miss Squeekums just 
    	HATES to be pounced on, `I *DON'T* want to play with you!!', and
    	Sara ends up getting cuffed..but they do wash each other..It will
    	be interesting to see how well they all get along...So, wish us
    	all luck!!
    
    	Sherry, Squeeky, Sara, Rosie, Missy and Katie..... :)
    

    
    Sherry,
    
    Congratulations on your new addition!!!  (I wish my husband would pick
    up strays to take home :-)  Princess Panther Jane wants you to know
    that she has a P.I.T (Princess in Training) class starting right after
    Christmas.  The little Princess will be picked up at her door and
    returned after the days classes are over.  I hope *mom* has American
    Express gold.  
    
    Feline Silly today,
    
    Sue & Panther & Spot
    

    
    	Dear Princess Panther Jane,
    
    	I have decided that you will be allowed to include me in
    	your training program...However, you must refer to me at
    	all times as `Katherine the Great', and I will tolerate
    	no shenanigans by hoodlums in motorcycle jackets!! Miss
    	Squeekums will bring me in my own limo, since she is already
    	dressed in her tuxedo. 
    
    	Sincerely,
    	Miss Katherine
    
    
    	PS - please excuse her snooty-ness, Katie was trying to 
    	     dictate her letter and gaze at the awesome creature
    	     in the mirror at the same time. We know where the
    	     greater part of her attention lies.... :)
    
    	     Sherry
    

    HAHAHA..
     .. Sue, do you think you should have "POPCAT JERRY..".. widen
    and lengthen the driveway to accomodate the xtra Limo..
    and just Imagine what  the NEW Princess will think
    when Preschie starts" whining" about how much more fun
    the poker game in the family room is than Bridge.. grin,,
    smirk.. I suspect that Princess Panther Jane will probably
    need a session or two with her analyst to help put things in
    perspective.. 
    Kate..Happy.. (YO your Royal Princessness). Preschie(nice to
    meetcha..) 

    
    Purrrpppp,
    
    Dear Miss Katherine,
    
    You are most welcome to start class, I applaud your stand on hoodlums
    whole-heartedly.  We will have the police standing by at all times. 
    Good for you dear P.I.T. to already have your own car and driver.  Your
    are starting out well.  I feel that I can guide you in your rise to
    social promemance.  (Payment in advance for all classes, send the bill
    to your Mummie.)
    
    Purrrrhaps dear Katherine, you will be a good influence on My dear
    Kitty Niece Prechious Gem.  (My poor unfortunate neice has a very bad
    example living with her.)
    
    I will "speak" with Daddie about widening the driveway and redecorating
    the living room and adding a security door between the family room and
    the rest of the house.
    
    Fond Feline Felicitations,
    
    Princess Panther Jane Spingler
    

    Well I have debated for the last two months if I should introduce
    the two new kittys who joined our family....but aren't really ours!
    YET!!!!
    
    The scoop...we have a neighbor who's cat had kittens.  This neighbor
    is a bachelor with two teenage sons.  They feel that all a cat needs
    is food...they leave all cats outside at all times.  This guy might
    sound like a jerk....but other then this issue...he is really a
    super guy. Beleive me we have shared info on cats...but cannot change
    his mind. 
    
    Well the kitties started comming to visit about two months ago..I
    think they were starving for attention, the mother kitty was sick
    of them, and they get along great with my other cats.  Well since
    that time we have had them for approximately 99% of the time.  So
    I think there ours...and we just need to convince our neighbor.
    (We also feed the Mom Cat and pay attention to her...but she won't
    stay in the house)  Well the Kitty's are brother and sister and
    they are about 5 months old.  The neighbor kids named them and
    I don't have the heart to change it:
    
    o Chloe is a white and grey female.  She has the cutest face.
     It looks like she has two patches over her eyes.  She is a little
     devil that has that sparkle in her eye.  She is not a lap cat and
     only likes to be patted on her terms. 
     
    o  Anges is a grey male that has two tones of grey.  Her fur is
    beautiful and looks like Marble.  He is the most loveable kitty
    I have ever saw.  She cries and cries to be held at all times.
    A few people said she was very unique and looked like she cost alot
    of money.  I truly don't know.
    
    Once we go talk to the neighbor I will have both fixed and try to
    convince my neighbor to fix the Mom.  If he won't...I probably will!
                                                                        
    So that makes:  5 downstairs = Tamba, Poco, Barkley, Chloe, and Anges
                    3 upstairs   = Mitsy, Jordon and Ross                                                  
       
    Sandy 
    
    Sandy
    
               
    
    

    Hello,
    
    I'm so glad I found this file!!! Kitties have always been my special
    friends and I've always had a houseful.  Right now I have six, all
    rescues..from the street or Vets who didn't want to put down healthy
    cats.  Anyway...here are my babies:
    
    KiKi..all black short hair female..She was living under a dumpster
    	  at a resteraunt.  She keeps to herself most of the time (only
          comes out to eat after the others have finished).  She is a real
    	  love...always has a purrrp for me and always sleeps on the bed,
    	  she jumps up after the lights are out.
    
    Aggie..calico female..she just kind of showed up one day, dirty,
    	   skinny and very hungry. She became a very lovable house kitty,
    	   loves to be petted and groomed.  Aggie is quite the "LADY" so we
    	   call her Lady Agatha...the grand dame.
    
    Buttercup...as in "Poor Little Buttercup"  a buff stripe female with
    		the most pathetic mew I have ever heard!!!  She was the
    		last of a litter and was going to be put down because a
    		home couldn't be found for her.  She has extra thumbs, 2
    		extra on each front paw to be exact.  She looks like she is
    		wearing catchers mitts.
    
    Phred....   Tuxedo cat and Oh! so dignified,  his purr is like a diesel
    		engine!!!  Poor Phred was attacked by a hawk or an owl, he
                had deep talon punctures in his back end,  I found him in
                my yard Easter Sunday night in the rain, poor guy...I was
    		never able to find his owners...The vet said he was a lucky
                guy to have lived thru such an attack.
    
    Truffle-ufagus...A huge torti Main Coon female..She was cast off
    		     because a human baby was coming and the belief was
                     cats and babies don't mix..hrumph!!!!  
    
    last but not least....IKO-SAN....she has the markings of a siamese  and
    definately the meow...some kind person dumped her in my front
    yard..lucky for them I didn't get their plate number!!!    she is still
    in quarentine until her tests come back.  
    
    Anyway,  thats the gang...we all live very happily together in a four
    room apt..in Berlin....Sometimes  I wonder about ending up an eccentric
    cat-lady...like you read about in the papers???  Then I think about
    buying a house so the babies can have more room, oh well.

    re: 532
    
    Welcome....it sound like you have a wonderful family.  It appears
    you are alot like my family...every stray cat seems to find there
    way to my house!  Last year when we bought the house we had one
    well now there is 5.  Boy they seem to multiple like rabbits...
    but none of them were ever pregnant!  Oh well....hope you continue
    to read/write in this file.      
    
    Sandy 
    

    Hi all.  I've been a silent noter for a while, but I think it's time
    to introduce my cat Tetris to everyone.
    
    Tetris is a medium-to-long haired 3 year old male cat I got from the local
    SPCA early May.  He has a cream colored silky coat with red markings on
    his ears, tail, feet and back.  He also got blue eyes.  I think he
    might be a himalayan, but I am not sure.  Almost didn't get him because
    the previous owner stated that he's too expensive to keep.  Turns out
    that he's allergic to flea bites and the vet bills were too much for
    the previous owner.  Tetris doesn't seem to have any problems with
    fleas so far.
    
    Tetris is an indoor cat only.  Sometimes I feel real sorry for him,
    being locked up and all, so I tried letting him out, but he's really
    afraid of the outdoors.  I will let him down about 10 feet away from
    the door, and he will immediately try to run back in.  I guess it's
    just as well, since he can be safe from all those nasty cars outside.
      
    Our nickname for Tetris are: fraidy cat (he's afraid of outdoors, vacuum 
    cleaners, bells...), and boo-boo (because he will run into furniture).
    
    Tetris is not a lap cat, which is a great disappointment to my husband
    and I, and he really doesn't like to be held and petted.  He prefers
    to sleep or rest about 5 feet away from us, where he can keep an eye on
    us but cannot be bothered.   He will want to be petted though, on the
    floor, when we come home.  Never understood why.
    
    Well, on the plus side he's not very fussy about his food or his cat
    litter.  I routinely change his cat food brand and litter brand w/o any
    problems whatsoever.  He's not declawed, but he doesn't claw unless
    he's very frightened, like when he heard the vacuum cleaner running
    and is desperately trying to run away and hide.  
    
    Am thinking about getting a second cat to be trained as a lap cat (if
    such a thing is possible?!  I think Tetris trained us more than we
    trained him!)   I saw a red Persian once in a pet shop and it's really
    adorable.  Would certainly want to get one someday.  Are there any
    cat shows at Upstate NY or Northern Pennsylvania?
    
    Stella and Tetris (yes, he's named after the computer game 8)   )

    Welcome...since Tetris is an in-door cat..and you feel bad for leaving
    him alone.  I strongly recommend getting another cat for him to
    play with.   That would give him a playmate to ensure he gets his
    exercise and he wouldn't be so loney.  There's nothing sweeter then
    watching to kitties clean each other and sleep together.
    
    As far as training one to be a lap-cat.  I doubt it...I treat mine
    all equally but yet some love to come sit on you and others only
    like to be petted when there laying on the floor.  So they have
    trained me!!
    
    Again Welcome and I wish Tetris a long, healthy and happy life.
    
    Sandy (Tamba, Poco, Barkely, Chloe, and Anges)
                                                  

    > I strongly recommend getting another cat for him to
    > play with.   That would give him a playmate to ensure he gets his
    > exercise and he wouldn't be so loney.  
    
    I agree.  See note 415 for lots of wonderful candidates.
    
    

    I would like to introduce my 2 boys.  I have been very remiss in not
    introducing Misha sooner.  He was born May 7, 1989 on our bed (in a
    box).  His mother is Mysinhs Lizette and his father is Kalliste, so you
    know he is gorgeous.  He had 3 sisters, and we thoroughly enjoyed
    having kittens around the house.  He is the sweetest boy, he grooms his
    mother, has a wonderful time wrestling with Misty, and seems to love
    being held like a baby in my husband's arms.  He has his father's thick
    wooly coat, and is a sealpoint Birman.
    
    The newest addition to our family is a white and classic red tabby
    Scottish Fold boy, "Ears 2 U Grand Marnier".  (Marnie for short).  We
    got him almost 1 month ago. His little folded ears are so adorable.
    
    He is 6 months old and weighs 6 pounds already.  He is such a purrbaby. 
    He even purred at the Vet's while she was taking his temperature.  She
    said she hasn't seen a kitten with such a wonderful personality in
    ages.  He loves to play with anything.  Misty is the slowest one
    accepting him.  Misha enjoys playing and chasing around the house with
    him.  He purrs and makes little grunting sounds at the same time.  He's
    a smart little guy.  He plays ball like Misty does, carrying the ball
    in his mouth, playing hockey with it, chasing after it when I throw it. 
    
    I think our family is now complete.  There's hardly any room on the bed
    for my husband and myself, when all 4 cats decide to snuggle with us. 
    But it's great fun.  Those little furfaces are so precious to us.
    
    Steffi, Misty, Lizette, Misha & Marnier
    

Tigger is a 7 1/2 year old orange and white tiger kitty.  Mostly orange.
We adopted him about 2 1/2 years ago (sure doesn't seem like that long!) from
Bill's mother when she moved out of her house, expecting that if my allergies
kicked in that it would be easier to place him locally.  Well, my allergies
performed on schedule, and now I'm taking lots of drugs :-)  (turns out it's
not just the kitty, but the typical dust/mold/pollen allergies).

Tigger is so good, and puts up with so much from us.  He's not picky about food
(as long as he gets it!), type of litter, or how dirty his litter box is.

We're so good.  We put up with so much from him.  He scratches wildly on our
front door and we let him in.  He wanders into the bedroom, be it 2am, 4am, 5am,
meows quietly, and we let him out.  We're well trained.  If we don't let him
outside he'll walk on our pillows, or the headboard, or the dresser, and start
knocking things off until we give in.  Terrorist kitty.  Other than that, he's
real good :-)

But when he curls up on our laps while watching TV (very rare), or curls up
in bed with us, or on top of us, or between us (chaperone kitty?) we just have
to love him! :-)

Jill

    Steffi,
    
    Good to see you noting at last! Keep it up!
    
    Lisa plus Pookie, Rolf and Florence.
    
    PS Steffi and her husband were my guides when I visited San Francisco
    for the first time AND I got to meet the furry family - I missed
    Marnie, I'll just have to visit again! After all its not far ;-)

    Steffi - Welcome to the wonderful world of Scottish folds.  My
    only comment about Marnie's behavior and vocalizations is:
    "That's a Scottish Fold for you".
      :-)))))))))))))))))))))))  They're adictive, so watch out.
    

    I did not realize that Orange Tabbies are so jealous.  My husband and I
    cannot be alone together - ANYWHERE??  We purposely go into another
    room and see how long it takes our little darling to make it in with
    us.  If we are in the kitchen together he is there, if we go into the
    living room together he is there, if we go into the bedroom together he
    is there.  I am not complaining - NOT at all.  It is so cute.  The
    minute my husband hug - there is he is talking and trying to walk up my
    jeans at the same time.  I think he just wants the same amount of hugs
    as I give my husband.
    
    Cats must also realize when you do not feel good.  I had my foot
    operated on and was told to lay in bed with my foot elevated for 24
    hours.  My son (Bud) never left my side.  If he was asleep and I moved
    he would instantly jump up and make sure I was okay.  
    
    I have had him for a year now and cannot imagine being without him.
    
    Tricia, Terry, and the Budster (Bud)

okay, I admit to being totally crazy....and my roommate/best friend doesn't
have both oars in the water either, so.....

I would like to introduce the fantastically adorable Javanese kitten who
just arrived at our home this weekend!

	Her registered name is Sabita (rusty), a flame-point Javanese
	from a New York breeder.  Her "house" name is Amanda, or Mandy
	for short.  It fits her well....Marge and I decided the name
	deserved a proper run and we hope that Mandy will live a long
	and happy life, unlike the last Mandy - with us for such a short
	time.

Mandy is a 10 week old kitten, big blue sloe-eyes, the evidence of a fine,
full tail when she grows into it.  Her face is irresistable, and she is
already the master of a marvelous vocal range...and a very big temper when
she doesn't get her way.  This kitten was spoiled before we got her and it
won't get much better in our house.

The big cats were all curious and each, in turn, approached the little one
to see what she was....she immediately humped up her back, crab stepped
up to the cat in question, GROWLING like a pit bull, and set their mind
as to who was going to do what to whom immediately.  Each cat, in turn,
looked at me and said:

	"Is this yours?  Right.  I guess that means we have to keep it,
	 right?  Oookay, if you say so....but, ah, would you mind turning 
	 off the sound effects?"

There Mandy stood, all furious and powerful....That was the end of the
conflict.  Not one of the big guys has hissed at her or even hassled her
at all.  I guess she knew what to do.....jump their bones before they
jump yours.

We are settling in....Mandy already has Marge completely trained..she yells
and Marge picks her up.  Liking to be picked up, Mandy now has taken to
yelling ALOT.  I am working on them both, but I have little hope..besides,
she is SO cute, I end up carrying the little monster around quite a lot
myself.

	Like I said...crazy.  Catmax = 5.  Really.  I mean it.  No more.

    Brat is a large (approximately 20 lbs.) black and white mongrel.  He's
    got both a loving and ornery disposition (I've got the scars to prove
    the latter).  Not surprisingly, Brat's a vet shreader too.  He follows 
    me from room to room, likes to help me wash the dishes and make the bed, 
    thinks the aquarium is cat television, and hates it when I sit down in 
    front of my PC (cause I'm paying attention to something other than him).  
    Never having had any experience with cats before Brat, he came as 
    something of a shock.  For the longest time, I swore that the person who 
    gave him to me did so as a form of revenge.  Of course, now I know that 
    she did me a big favor.  
    
    Having spent the better part of seven years training me and learning 
    how to cope with me, Brat's got a new challenge, namely my sister's 
    dog, Molly.  Susie (my sister) has decided that Molly and Brat are
    going to be great friends.  Mind you, Brat is bigger and weighs more
    than Molly.  Molly thinks Brat's the greatest thing since bones; Brat
    doesn't share Molly's enthusiasm.  It's the funniest thing to see Brat
    reach out a paw and start bopping Molly on the top of the head.  Even
    though Brat isn't using his claws, the shocked look on Molly's face is
    priceless.  She's a cute little Lhasa who likes to lick everything in
    sight (toes, knees, faces, cats), and she can't understand why anyone
    or anything would find her less than likeable.
    

    
    	re: -1
    
    	Sounds like my brother-in-law's puppy. (rest his soul)
    	Before Cary and I got married and he had Brandi at his
    	dad's house, Sam would follow her all over the place and
    	Brandi being the snob that she is, totally ignored him.
    
    	Must be a thing with Lhasa's to lick, cuz Sam did it
    	all the time!
    

Well, it's time I FINALLY announced the newest member to me
kitty family (had to get her a name before I introduced her!)
Gracie is a 5-1/2 month old Korat, flown here (Maryland) last
month from Nashville, TN. Gracie is Extremely playful, and 
has really caused some craziness in the household! My other
two cats, Charlie and Shanti, sitll don't know what to make
of her. Charlie likes her, and Shanti wants nothing to do
with her! (Female jealousy, I guess).

Gracie got her name for two reasons: one, because of her 
silver coat (silvery-grey); but more so because of her
"grace", or lack thereof. She slides all over our floors,
falling. You go to set her down -- most cats land on their
feet, but not our Gracie -- NO...she lands on her side! She
also does not run over to things -- she does a flip BEFORE
she gets there, and lands sitting up. She goes to chase the
feather, leaps into the air and lands smack into the wall --
even when the wall isn't in her way!

She is a real baby doll, and I'm SO glad I decided to get
her!

Cheryl, Charlie, Shanti & Gracie

    Well it happened again...I would like to introduce you to
    DEWEY!  (We found him on Dewey St. in Worcester)   Two weeks
    ago my hubby came home with this little rat looking thing under 
    his coat....and he tried to convince me that it was a kitty.  
    The poor thing was so skinny, was starving, looked sick, and had 
    car grease on him from head to tail.  (I thought he was grey...
    but come to find out he is orange)    
    
    Well off to the vet he went...he was very undernourished, had 
    diahera, a fever, worms, and sour throat.  He is approximately 9 
    months old but only looked about 3-4 months old.  He is still being
    treated by the vet and we still have quite a ways to go until
    we can consider him "real healthy".
    
    Oh but what a sweetie....he is so happy to be alive.  Now that
    he is feeling a bit better he has turned into a little terror.  
    We are totally attached to this little bugger...and pray he makes
    it through all of this.
                                                                
    I'd like to send a special thanks to NDC for all her help with
    advice and vitimins.  Thank god for this notesfile...and all you
    wonderful feline Moms and Dads.
    
    Okay for the count:  I reached my limit a long time ago!!! 
                         and I only planned on two!!!!
    
         6 Downstairs - Tamba, Poco, Barkley, Chloe, Anges, Dewey
         4 Upstairs   - Ross, Jordon, Mitsy, and Oakley                   
    
    Sandy                                                          
    
                                   
    

    Sandy, that made my Thanksgiving !  It's so great to see people with
    so many cats that still take in "1" more to save it from doom.
    
    Have a great Holiday.
    
    Pam

    
    My cat adopted me. Quinn showed up one evening in July of '84, sitting
    at the edge of the garden. Obviously hungry and being extremely vocal
    about it. It so happened there was some pork fried rice left, so I
    left some on a plate and as it turned out he stayed.
    
    Eventually I determined he was one of three cats (6-8 mos.) left in the
    neighborhood by a disgruntled friend of their former owner. One of the
    others found a home. Unfortunately the third didn't survive.
    
    Quinn has been neutered (still sprays and fights for his territory) and
    is the only cat I have ever seen chase dogs off the property. He con-
    verses in five different "voices" (yes, I talk to him), sleeps on my
    lap, my bed and mostly where he feels like it. He attacks me on occ-
    assion, playfully of course, and has been known to scare the hell out
    of me because he's 99% black and I can't see him in the dark.
    
    The ironic thing about Quinn's coming into my life is the fact he came
    two months to the day after the death of my father. I needed something
    and got a someone instead. To me Quinn is a black, beautiful, 15 lb.
    fur-ball(with a seemingly almost human personality)that drives me nuts
    yet makes me feel good none the less. No therapeutic value in pets?
    I'll never believe that.
     

    Quinn sounds like my Barkley.  Barkley is 99% black, 15 lb stray 
    kitty who also chases dogs out of the yard.  He's like a guard
    cat when he strutting in the yard.  He has no fear!
    
    I too believe Quinn was sent to you for a good reason.  Dewey (another
    stray) was found by my husband on my Mom's Birthday.  I know she
    sent him to me.  Cats...you can't live with them...and you can't
    live without them.  They are my best friends.
                                                       
    Hope Quinn stays happy and healthy for many more years.
    
    Sandy (Tamba, Poco, Barkley, Agnes, Chloe and Dewey)
    
    
    
    
    

    
    re: .549
    
    There's nothing like a purring ball of fur to dispell bad moods.
    Even if you just got through reading them the riot act for sharpening
    their claws on the furniture.
    
    Another thing about Quinn. He occasionally gets a treat of canned
    food. Hell, I'd get tired of Friskee's too. If he hears the cabinet
    open where his canned food is kept(he can tell it's THAT cabinet) or
    a can opener in use he is there in a flash. If I open a can of ANY-
    THING he's there begging. Usually he goes away after I let him sniff
    the contents and he realizes it isn't something he likes. If he's
    too persistent I check his food and water dish. If he still persists
    I tell him to go hunting.
    
    I hope your best friends fare well.

    Try 6 purring balls of fur....it melts your heart. They are so
    sweet at time...but hellions at other times.
    
    Barkley is my scoffer upper.  He will finish is food, go to bowl
    number 2 and finish that one, then 3, then 4 etc.   He has an
    endless pit!   I truly believe he does this because he was a stray
    and anytime he sees food...he feels he needs to eat it because
    he don't know when his next meal will be.  Hopefully he will get
    over this habit.    He's my big boy!!
    
    Love them dearly....Sandy
                      

    
    
    I put a note in back in September for advice on an ailing cat, and 
    then received lots wonderful sympathy when she had to be put down, so I
    figured it was time for formal introductions.
    
    Chessie, now in kitty heaven, had been with me 13 years, moved 6 times
    without too much fuss, lived both outdoors (in her younger years) and
    indoors (when I moved too close to busy roads), and loved to lie
    stretched out on my lap in my prone-tv-couch-potato position on cold
    winter nights. She was white underneath, a beautiful dark grey on top,
    with symmetrical markings that made her really pretty. I have a great 
    picture of her on top of a 5' snowbank just after the snow stopped in 
    the blizzard of '78. She liked visitors, loved canteloupe and yogurt 
    and chicken, and hated cod. I miss her so much!
    
    Cinnamon, now all by herself, is 3. She is an adopted "dumped baby"
    who's mom unloaded her on someone's steps at age 2 weeks. I got her
    from an animal hospital. They had named her "Strumpet", in honor of her
    mom, no doubt. She's a black and orange short-hair with green eyes, and
    most people find her very pretty. She spent the first couple of weeks
    of her life in the pocket of a technician at the vet, and is a one-person 
    cat. She does not like visitors - runs away and hides. The one or two
    people she likes she likes to nuzzle on the neck under their hair.
    She is sweet around me - sleeps next to my pillow, loud purr,
    and likes contact.  Since Chessie died she is taking over certain 
    household roles - she walks around singing to herself and begs for 
    people food, which she usually does not like. Chessie was in charge 
    of those things before. Cinnamon also played fetch for about a year, 
    but she has forgotten how to "bring back".  How convenient! I know 
    she hasn't forgotten how to carry her toys around because she brings 
    jingly things into the bathtub at 3am. She also plays vampire - hiding 
    under the bed quilt all day, playing with noisy things all night!
    
    The two of them never got beyond "truce" as far as being friends - I
    think they both wanted to be the only child.
    
    Anyway, I'm thinking of getting a new friend for Cinammon, but she
    seems quite happy alone, so I'm not rushing. I do travel on business
    fairly often, and Cinammon is an indoor cat, so I'll probably get her 
    a companion so she won't get too lonely.
                                     

    Throughtout your note...I kept saying Cinammon needs a new friend.
    I was real happy to see the ending of your note.  Maybe a new
    friend will tire her out during the day...so she doesn't play
    vampire all night long.
    
    I also have Tamba (smart kitty) who chases and retrieves
    little tin-foil balls.  He's the smart one in the bunch.
    
    Sorry to hear about Chessie....and wish you luck with
    Cinommon.
    
    Sandy (Tamba, Poco, Barkley, Agnes, Chloe, and Dewey)

    The Lovely Pip S. Pussycat, Esq., Sr. Managing and Chief Financial Pussycat
    is pleased to announce that Demetrios S. Pussycat, Esq is now a named
    partner in THE FIRM. Furthermore, the firm of Pussycat,Pussycat,Pussycat,
    Pussycat,Pussycat,Pussycat,Pussycat,Pussycat & Pussycat would like all
    participants in the FELINE conference to know that henceforth The FIRM
    will be known as Pussycat,Pussycat,Pussycat,Pussycat,Pussycat,Pussycat,
    Pussycat,Pussycat,Pussycat & Pussycat. 

    "Jimmy" was the last of four feral living outside my house and but
    ironically, was the first one I tried to catch. He has been alluding me
    for almost 5 years now. Word around the neighborhood is that he and
    Spiro were littermates in that they appeared at the same time and were
    about the same age. They also have the same eyes. I nabbed Jimmy on Dec
    5 and whisked him off to the vet for neutering, testing and shooting. He
    is a pretty big boy, with a silvery gray coat in the classic tabby
    pattern.

    Deb

    On behalf of Happy and Preschie, Welcome to Jimmy( I may address him
    as such, right?..)Am I also to assume.. that there will be 
    some "formal " festivities  to offically welcome him on board?
    What type of "pussycat law" will  he be speacializing in?
    Kate, Happy( YO PARTY!!!) Preschie( Gee, what shall I wear?)

    Kate,
    
    In that tax evasion, er, law is his speciality, it is believed that he
    will be helping The Lovely Pip with  her financial duties. While she
    counts the money, he will be her body guard, etc. Since business has
    boomed so much Jimmy's primary job will be to create tax shelters, etc.
    
    Deb

    
I've just adopted another cat.  A little background...

I just got separated a few months ago and he got two of the cats, Tristan and
Max, while I took Tenzing.  Tenzing was lonely without other furry friends, so
I checked out Nashua Humane.  And that's where I found...

Ryan.  Ryan is a ginger, spotted tabby.  He's 9 months old and as sweet as can
be.  He and Tenzing are already better friends than she ever was with Max or
Tristan!  Must be that tabby's stick together (Tenzing's a brown tabby).  Any-
way I couldn't be more pleased.  Within 2 days I felt perfectly comfortable 
letting him have the full run of the house, knowing that Tenzing and he weren't
going to beat each other up.  

So far they've played together, touch noses a lot, and eat together without any
hissing.  He even gave her head a mini bath without her getting upset.  All this
in less than a week.  I don't know, I guess these two were meant to be.

What a pair!  These two are the best!

The only problem is that Nashua Humane is having a problem with Upper Respira-
tory Infections, so he's got a little cold.  He's on antibiotics which means
I have to pill the poor little guy twice a day.  Oh well, so far he's forgiven
me for the indignity.

Karen, Tenzing and Ryan.

    Time to introduce my gang:
    
    Tina, around 9 yrs old, money cat.  She adopted us from the Nashua
    Humane Society when I moved to Nashua.  Tina's the greatest, and my
    protector.  When I was really sick, she stuck by me, slept with me,
    cleaned my hair, and wouldn't leave my side.  She has a real six-sense
    when someone is ill in the family.  
    
    A.J., around 4 years old, 17 1/2 pounds of pure male energy.  AJ walked
    into my house one snowy day, he was around 6 months old, skinny,
    starving.  He hasn't removed his face from the food dish yet!!  He is
    still a kitten, runs around the house, talking constantly.  He's a mix
    of a coon cat and something else.  He's got the biggest eyes I've ever
    seen.  Tina just puts up with him.
    
    Taco, seal-point simense, 12 weeks old, and completely crazy.  Talks
    when he eats, poops, plays, walks, runs, etc...his colors are beautiful
    and he is AJ's new toy.  AJ puts Taco in a headlock when he's had
    enough.  They put on a show for a good hour each night.   Taco is
    pretty aggressive when we have supper on the table.  He grabed a rib
    out of husbands plate last night and growled at him when he tryed to
    retrive it.  Its' fun having a kitten again.
    
    We also have Amanda and Matrix who are beautiful grey tabbys, and
    sister and brother who are our neighbors cats, but have decided they
    like our crunchies better, so are over for breakfast and supper each
    day.
    
    

Finally time to introduce Tia. (my new kitten)
I got Tia Sunday at 9 weeks old.  I'm not sure if she's a tortie or a tabby.
She has the classic white paws and tummy, but the rest of her is mostly black
and orange kind of in a stripe/blotch pattern.  She also has white stripes
on her sides(One white stripe forming a circle on either side).

She didn't go through a homesick period at all.  
I set her down and she took off running.  There was a little friction
at first with the dog(Kala) and the other cat(Tsunami), but after a day,
Kala and Tia were playing ruff and tumble!  At first I though Kala might hurt
Tia and told her to leave Tia alone.  I stopped intervening when Tia took
a flying leap at Kala from the back of the couch. ;^)
  
The only problem I'm having is with Tia chasing Tsunami(yes I got the order
right) my tough-cat is running from the kitten!  Oh well, it could definately
be worse.  I think they're all going to be good friends, but I can already
see that Tia is Kala's kitten(which is what I was hoping for).  
She follows Kala everywhere during their truces.  She even drinks from Kala's 
bowl(at the same time).  
They play ball together, wrestle, and sleep together.  Tia's even gone as far 
as to try to eat Kala's food(Kala doesn't know what to think of that).

She was a little ball of fire at the vet's.  I couldn't beleive it!
She looked like some of the feral kittens I rescued once. She definately
does not like the thermometer or needle!
 
Tia is very independant, but she's also a sweetheart when she's sleepy.
She has slept with me and Kala every night and last night Tsunami even 
joined us!

We're already one big happy family!

Becky, Tsunami, Tia, and Kala

    Becky -
      From your description I would guess that Tia is a Brown Patched
    Classic Tabby with white.  That means she's a brown tabby with patches
    of red tabby.  Patched tabbies are my favorites!!!!!
      Nancy

    Gee, is this another pet family with Greek names?
    
    Deb  

>>    Gee, is this another pet family with Greek names?
  

We got "tsunami" from Hawaii (means tidal wave - Japanese?), "kala" was 
from a soap opera my sister watches, and "tia" is short for ocotilla (our new
street name - Spanish).

Becky, Tsunami,Tia, and Kala

    
    Re: -1
    
    Yup it's Japanese.  Actually it loses something in the translation.
    I believe tidal wave is the english understanding of the japanese 
    word.  I'll try to remember to look up the actual translation tonight.
    
    dm

    Interesting. "Kala" means "good" in Greek. I guess I didn't look
    closely wnough at the full names and got fooled by the "octa-" (eight)
    and "ts" in the names.
    
    Deb

    What a great file!  I just found this one...
    
    I am a fairly new cat owner.  I have two kittens, age 6 months.
    They are sisters who were abused and abandoned in a field.  My
    vet found them and two other brothers, nursed them back to
    health and gave them to me after a kitten I had just adopted
    from the local pound died.
    
    Tawny is a white, orange, brown and tan calico.  She has a very
    "unique" personality and needs a lot of love.  She still doesn't
    trust a human's hands near her.  She's coming around though! 
    Each day I see a little bit of improvement in her.
    
    Tigger is a black kitten with a little bit of tan marking on
    her head.  She's also not real trustworthy yet, but has made
    a lot more progress than her sister.
    
    I didn't know until after a few hours of having these two
    around just what a cat lover I'd become!  They really liven
    up the house with their antics!
    
    Diana (Blue Bell, Pa.)
    

    What a wonderful NOTES file!
    
    Introducing...the Cattolico Cats:
    
    Ekahi and Elua were liberated from the SPCA only hours after the
    moving van delivered our belongings from our "no-pets" apartment to
    our first house.
    
    Ekahi and Elua are litter sisters, similarly colored in light orange
    with faint tiger-type markings and white bellies. They are small
    (7 pounds each), primarily indoor cats and are one year old.
    
    Ekahi's name means the number one in Polynesian.  She is also known as
    The Parrot Cat because she LOVES to sit on our shoulders, especially
    when we walk around. She can jump from the floor right onto your
    shoulders! And sometimes we call her the Purr-O-Matic; her purr is
    LOUD! She purrs when she wakes up, purrs while watching the birds,
    purrs
    after she eats, purrs for 30 to 40 minutes before going to sleep at
    night
    (it's like a lullaby to me!).  She has short hair, glowing green eyes
    and enjoys being picked up and cuddled in any position, any time. 
    Ekahi does
    flips and rolls when she plays; she reminds me of a "tomboy".
    
    Elua's name means the number two in Polynesian. Lu has long hair, a
    gorgeous fluffy tail, and brown eyes.  She is very feminine and dainty.
    She can be very affectionate when SHE wants to be.  She prefers a human
    lap to furniture or a pillow. Her purr is very quiet, even when she is
    obviously exited and happy.
    
    Their favorite games are wrestling, climbing, chasing
    string/twine/cord,
    playing hockey with small balls, mutilating cloth catnip-filled mice,
    and tracking the occasional spider. Their favorite treat is spaghetti
    and meatballs (maybe they KNOW they are Italian by adoption :-)  )
    
    They are a tremendous source of joy for me.
    They are happy I read this NOTES file because it makes me 
    a better Mom!
    
    Ekahi, Elua, and
    Pat, The Food Lady
    
    ps  Flirtashya (I can't remember how to spell it!!) I love your name!
    
        Jo -- I live in WA near Seattle.  Put a note in the next time
        you head North to a show.  I'd love to say hi and see (some of)
        your babies!
    

    
    	hello,
    	i am not a regular noter/participator of this conference, but at 
    	the urging of one who was (contract employee) an avid reader/
    	participator of FELINE i'm announcing our current adoptions from 
    	the local shelter...
    
    	a 5 yr. old neutered male, who is a gray and black mackerel marked
    	baby (mine) who answers to the name bandit. he's a celebrity as
    	his picture made the daily newspaper with his bro, smokey. it was
    	love at first sight. he's succeptible to sulks when i close the
    	closet door by mistake....but i'm better now....i know he needs his
    	privacy.
    
    	second is a small calico kitten about 3 months old named tammy.
    	she's very playful and can keep up with my 2 kids (10 & 9) and then
    	some. she's being taught the fine art of table manners as she's
    	made away with my daughters meat (pork chops, steak, sliced roast
    	beef, name it she'll eat it/steal it). her face is mostly black
    	and her eyes are very big and dark....sometimes when looking at 
    	her i've wondered if the eyes were closed or not....probably not
    	if she's not moving, and that's a rarity.
    
    	with brian away alot its nice to share the bed with 2 warm bodies.
    
    	and like -.1 i've recently moved from an apartment to our own home
    	and took no time to visit the shelter.... lucky us when bandit and
    	tammy found us....
    
    	brian, denise, christina, john, bandit & tammy (a.k.a tamzilla)
    

    Introducing........
    
                       Hamilton. He's a black Persian male, 9 mos. old on
    Feb. 28th. It was love at first sight! I hadn't had a cat in 17 years
    (due to apartment living) and now that we're in a house I decided to
    get one. Sooooooo glad I did. His name started out to be just "Hamil-
    ton" until I saw all those other fancy names and decided my baby should
    have everything those other kitties have, so we named him Hamilton S.
    Wentworth. The "S." is for Sebastian, but it was too many letters for
    the registration (35 characters, including cat breedery #), so we went
    with S. He's an only child and the baby of our family. (No human kids,
    the youngest is 24), so he's the star of the family! Very GLAD to have
    found this notesfile!
    
    b.r.
    

    Welcome to Hamilton S. Wentworth.....he sounds like a beauty and
    a your joy of life.
    
    You will find this notesfile....very helpful, heartwarming, and
    comforting at time.  The knowledge I have gained through this
    file makes me a better Mom to my kitties.
    
    Welcome..
    
    Sandy

    Welcome to both you and Hamiltion S.Wentworth. 
    Kate, Happy, Preschie..

    Now Hamilton, you be sure and listen to Ms. Prescie on all refined
    concerns.  She was trained by THE BEST, HRH Pookie the Persian.
    
    (And don't listen to that Happy "where's the pizza" cat!)

    I am also sure that "THE FIRM" will be setting up an "appt"
    for Hamilton to come and "visit" their prestigious office.
    Kate, Happy, Preschie

My oldest is Hamilton B. Farnsworth!!  We call him Honey around the house, but
he prefers to be called Hamilton when we're in public.  The B stands for Bates,
or Bunny at home...Honey Bunny Farnsworth, indeed!  Great taste in names!!

Mary

    Mary,
      It's funny that you call him Bunny because MY name is Bunni! Hamilton
    knows his name, which is surprising, since I have all sorts of names
    for him: Sweetie, Mommy's baby, Lovey, my Little Lamb, etc, etc. The
    kind of names my mother called me when I was a baby.
    
    b.r. (Bunni, who's just CRAZY about her cat!!!)