Follow the blue links for pix of some of my kitty cats....
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Once upon a time, ;)
My parents never let me have a pet..
So, as soon as I had my own apartment, I finally got me a kitty cat! My first cat's name was Softsie. He was a Siamese. Okay, so his name was a little feminine but he had the prettiest blue eyes, and with his light colored fur, I named him after the Soft Clouds in the sky. Soft C. Which became simply, Softsie. My second cat, I got from a friend who was not allowed to take her pet with her when she moved. His name was J.D. She told me she named him that because when he was a kitten, he got into a bottle of Jack Daniels. (Poor kitty didn't like the Jack much, but the name stuck!) Next thing I knew, I started getting strays. Tiger was the first one to show up at my door, so of course I took him in. Tiger was just tiger, because I never planned on keeping him, but, silly me, I fed him, and he decided he was home. The other strays came and went, never staying long, then one day, when I was visiting my friend, I saw this beautiful silk gray kitty cat. Of course I said, hello, and rubbed her soft fur, but I didn't think twice, because I figured she belonged to someone. A cat that beautiful must have a home. Well, my birthday soon after, and my friends had me sit and close my eyes. Then they put something in my lap. It was alive! I opened my eyes, and there was that beautiful grey cat. Well, my life got a little confusing about a year after this. Softsie was hit by a speeding driver, and J.D., well, I never did find out what happened to him. I was in the process of moving out of my boyfriend's apartment, and I had to move into a place that didn't allow cats. I was baby-sitting these wonderful kids and their Nana liked Tiger, so I thought that he would have a good home with them. My grey kitty, Princess, I kept and hid in my new apartment. Little did I know, but she was PREGNANT!! ;) (I had gotten all my other cats spayed or neutered, but I hadn't had the money for poor Princess yet.) I was living in a trailer park, and my neighbors owned their trailer, and offered to take Mother and Babies. I felt it was best. It would be a little tough to hide all of them! Due to interesting situations, I soon moved out of town, and started college in a different university. My parents helped me find a really nice apartment. And guess what? No pets allowed. Did I listen? Nope. Liselle was named after a character in a book. I just liked the name. It soon was shortened to Lissy. She was a early born runt, so tiny and so cute, but terrified of people. Soon, she and I became the best of buds. She liked to sleep under the blanket with me and would instantly crawl on my lap when I sat down, but as soon as I stood up or someone visited, she was hiding. Well, I got me involved in another relationship, and ended up moving out to the country. Lissy loved the country, and I could not keep her in the house. One day, she didn't come home. Through all this, I came to the realization that the only good thing that was ever in my life was my cats (well, my step-children were and always will be near and dear to my heart, but that is another story.) So, I changed my life yet again, went back to college (Seems like every time I entered a relationship, I ended up quitting college.) I ended up moving in with a wonderful girl, who of course had a cat. Well, it was HER cat ;) and I was needing some company and some love, so I started watching the newspaper. I knew as soon as I saw the ad, for a black, long haired cat needing a new home. I called and called till I finally got through. I guess there were many messages on their machine, but I was the first one who had called. They needed to check me out first. This had been their baby for a long time and they needed to find a perfect home. I knew it would be me. (Well, I hoped.) My roomie and I drove out to their place. China (pronounced Cheena) was a beautiful cat. It was love at first sight... at least for me. She was terrified. I sat down and talked to her and before long I was holding her. She had made her decision and her family agreed. China was able to come home with me. She was my sanity during a dark period in my life. I could not have survived without her. She was old when I got her, but I felt that I knew her forever. She always knew when there was something wrong. She had this talking purr that sounded like a dove. And she was one of those cats who would talk to you. And often, I could tell what she was saying! I knew the sound of her letting me know her food dish was empty, I knew when I was in a different room and she was looking for me, she even told me when she was going to cough up hairballs!! (I was able to move her off the carpet! ) I couldn't bare to part with her, so after I finished college and finally met the man of my dreams, when the army needed to send him to Germany, I took her with me. Four wonderful years I spent with her. As I said, she was old when she came to live with me, I never knew her age. One day, I was laying on my bed, and she was lying next to me. I remember it was odd, because she kept raising her head to look at me. She was never an outdoor cat, when I got her, she was already declawed. (I would never do that to a cat.) She was my baby, and that day, I knew she was telling me goodbye. I didn't know it right away, though. It wasn't till later. Since she was not an outside cat, she never really went out or even wanted to go outside. Well, I live on the top floor and the laundry room is in the basement. That evening, I was doing laundry, and the door didn't get shut behind me. I didn't notice her absense until morning. She slept a lot, so, I just figured she was sleeping. It was late, and I went to bed. The next morning, I could not find her. I looked everywhere. I made signs and put them up around the neighborhood. There were many black cats in the area, so I went on quite a few wild goose chases, my heart always hoping, then crushed when it didn't turn out to be my China. I think I knew all along that she had told me goodbye, then took the opportunity to die her way. At the same time, I believe she knew there was something wrong with me. The following week, I ended up in the hospital for 6 weeks. (This is another story) Maybe in a way, she spent her self, trying to help me. That may not make sense to some of you, but that is how I felt. She and I were that close, and I truly think we would have done anything for each other. It's been a year, and I still miss her. And I still look for her, just in case. I love you and miss you, my China. That was China's story, but China was not my only cat during this time. Right before my husband left for Germany, (the army did not let us go together. He went early to find a place to live.), we went to a goodbye party at a friend of ours. It was the opening night for the movie The Spawn, and we were all going to go as a group. Our friend lived at a trailer park behind the theater. Out of nowhere, this black cat showed up. Our friend told us that he hung around a lot, looking for food. He was so sad looking, skinny, dirty, and basically pathetic. This strange, stray black cat jumped onto my husband's lap and started head butting him until my husband started petting him. Now, my husband was never a huge fan of cats. He liked China, but usually wouldn't admit it. Well, something between those two clicked. My husband just loved how he would head-butt him and would play rough, almost like a dog. Although he was a dirty old cat, my heart went out to him, I knew China would not be pleased. She was like a queen. She never did get along with my old roomies cat. She just tolerated him. Well, then it was time to head for the movie. It was a midnight Showing and a beautiful night, so we decided to walk. That dear cat decided to follow us!! Now, I have never actually seen a cat follow people before. Although we were behind the theaters, we had to walk about a quarter mile and through a wooded area to get to it. Still he followed. Well, he stopped when we got out of the treeline and entered the parking lot, so we told him goodbye. Two and a half hours later, we left the theater, after thoroughly enjoying the evening. We reached the tree line. MEOW!!!!! That little stinker was STILL THERE! He had waited for us, over two hours, and I knew that if he followed us back, we would keep him. We had not fed him, but he had loved him from the start. And follow us back he did. We decided to name him Spawn, after the movie he followed us to. After we said our goodbyes to our friends, my husband and I jumped in the car. Our friends were going to hand him in to us, and we were going to keep him. Well, he had other plans. He would not let our friends catch him. Instead, he jumped in the car with us! (China wasn't thrilled, but she tolerated him, and when she didn't think we were looking, she would play with him!) Well, the rest is history. Well, actually it is the future, because he is still with us in Germany. And he still head-butts my husband! Is the story over? Not yet. Sorry. After China died, my downstairs neighbor felt sorry for me and found us a new kitten. This kitten came to us before I went into the hospital, so I missed the first 6 weeks of her being with us. Thus, her name remained Kitten. Sometimes it is Kitten Puft, because she is a tiny white furball with striped spots on her head and tail. Even though she is over a year old, she is still tiny like a kitten. And is definitely spoiled like one. Spawn loved her to death. They played constantly. They kept each other company and they kept me from missing China too much. Spawn was still my husband's cat, but he took care of me when my husband goes out to do military stuff. Kitten is a little bit of everybody's. I miss the connection I had with China, and I particularly miss China herself, her purr, her way of talking, her long, black, soft fur, and her companionship. I only hope that someday I will such a connection with an animal again.
I got pregnant, with my son.
Everything changed.. ;) But that is natural. Update Now, 3 years later, I have a kitty again. This one was left behind by previous tenants. She had no food or water when I found her.
I took her in to the vet, had her checked, got her shots,
and spayed (damn, prices have gone up!), and brought her
home.
She is a wonderful kitty, she still has her claws, but does not use them. I have never had such a cat. Even playing, her front claws never hurt. Even frightened at the vet, she didn't use them. The doctors and nurses were greatly impressed. They said it was quite a miracle we found each other and that she is a magnificent kitty cat. My son and I are truly blessed. Perhaps with time, she and I will build a connection similar to the one I had with China.
Thank you for listening.
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