That's hilarious. Our Girly Girl loved hairbands too, especially the tiny plastic bands I use for the hair of my hobby dolls. I have all my tiny craft supplies in a large organizer with tiny little plastic drawers (like originally designed for screws and nuts and stuff). It scared me when I first realized that she had figured out how to open the little drawers (because the organizer held so many small, and even sharp objects like needles, pins, dremel tool bits...). But she was never interested in any of the drawers except the ones that held the little rubber bands. The drawers were removeable, so if I replaced them in a different spot in the organizer, when I'd come back I'd find several of the drawers opened (as she apparently had hunted for the bands). She was definitely a feline genious (she definitely outsmarted us frequently).
When my white, black-spotted male kitty died suddenly, I was lost. A few weeks later I went to the shelter and came home with white, gray-spotted female kitty who looked VERY similar to my first. I didn't intend to get a kitty that was identical, but of the cats there that day, she had the personality I loved the most.
I don't think her similiar appearance made getting over my first cat any harder or easier. I loved my boy and cried for weeks. I do seem to compare her to him a lot, but I think I would do the same even if the new kitty looked different.
Haha, Patchwork is her father's daughter. Her father, Tiger, had learnt to go to the toilet, do his need and then, yeah, flush. Like that movie "Meet the Parents', though he learnt that by watching us. When we discovered this, we felt really sorry we did not have a camera in the house.
have you ever thought about a dilute torti/calico. They are sort of a blue color. It would still be a calico but maybe enough difference that you don't have issues. I had a friend who always had bostons (3 to be exact...all at different times)...and honestly, he did tell me at times, he had trouble with the memories and remebering which pet was which, but who knows...everyone is different.
Our cat, Emmy, definately picked us. The neighbor two houses over seemed to be unable to get the concept of spaying. They wound up with 17 kittens in 2 months. Since Emmy WAS spayed, she wasn't happy about it. We would leave the door open in the summer for the breeze and she would just let herself in, but we wouldn't let her have food since we knew she was someone else's. We didn't have any pets at the time.
She spent so much time at our house that one day the owner came over and asked if she could be our cat. She said she was POed about all the kittens around and was hissing and scratching at everyone, but she NEVER showed that behavior with us. I wasn't all that interested in having a pet, but I figured if my family moved in and started crapping babies out all over my home I would probably be hissing at everyone in sight and scratching at the neighbors houses looking for someone to get me the **** out of there too. So, she became ours. My ex kept her after the divorce and I got our DDs and our dog, Muffy, that we got later.
Last edited by Operator265; 05-02-2008 at 09:36 PM.
I would love a dilute tortie. The blue and cream is my absolute favorite cat coat pattern. I thought my first cat was going to be a blue and cream. Her momma chose my aunt and uncle much like Operator265's Emmy. There was siamese in the mix somewhere as two of the baby boys were flame point (my other favorite coat pattern), born a solid sand colored (their points didn't appear until much later). One kitten was born "russian blue" colored, and two appeared to be blue and cream. I chose one that was blue and cream with a bit of white, but by the time she was weaned she was black and orange (I didn't know that the colors could change like that).
David's Grace was a blue and cream brindled persian, and she was perhaps the fanciest cat I've ever lived with. She loved being brushed (but only by David). The first day I met her, she came up to me on the couch and introduced herself and let me rub her head. David was awed because she always hid when anyone visited him, even his parents. She liked me from the start, but it was never more than a casual aquaintanceship. David was her first and only love.
There is a dilute tortie at one of our local shelters. At least that's what they're calling her, but I believe from her photo on their webpage she is actually a dilute torbie (tabby striped gray and cream). She's definitely on my to meet list.
I think the twin issue may not really be a problem. My sisters were always being mistaken for twins (they're two years apart). Of course the family thought people who did so were nuts (especially when the girls were small with several inches in height difference). Looking back on old photos now, I can see the similarity, but there's definitely no confusing them if you know them.
I think the same will be true of the little tortie if she does choose us. Her face seems similar in the photo to our kitty, but I'm guessing when I "meet" her I'll see the differences in her coat pattern and decide that she doesn't look like GirlyGirl at all.
I think when we meet the right kitty, we'll know it. Of course, my biggest problem is that I'd like to take them all home. That's one of the main reasons we're leaving it up to the cat to choose us, because we would choose every one.
Her current name is Joker. She is a torbie (orange and brown stripes) with white. The photo really doesn't show how overweight she is. She's quite a big girl and is going to have to lose some weight. We may or may not rename her. She gave us the most enthusiastic greeting as we passed all of the cat cages at our county humane society, so we decided to meet her first (intending to meet a few other cats before deciding).
Joker is 8 years old and has been at the shelter about two months without anyone asking to see her. She was very happy to see us, and she spent the visit going back and forth from my husband to I (across the room) for loving. She chatters while she purrs (sort of chopping her teeth), and is definitley a people-addicted kitty as we hoped.
I've never owned a seriously overweight cat before, so we'll talk to the vet about the best food for her, and the best way to encourage some exercise. She's kind of stinky, because one of the cats (not her) came in with ringworm so they sulphur dipped everyone as a precaution.
I can say she's a total surprise, both in circumstance and appearance. I love her patchwork coat, and her sweet, loving disposition, but I didn't really plan on adopting a special needs cat. Not that she will be difficult to care for, and with us being emensely fat, we couldn't really hold her weight against her, yet we know how important it's going to be to help her get to a healthy weight. We'll also have to ask the vet to check her for diabetes and thyroid and kidney health.
But everyone was right. The right cat picked us and her appearance had nothing to do with it (we certainly weren't looking for an older, morbidly obese cat).
We were thinking of calling her Mama Cass, but decided we probably shouldn't pick a name that implies that we're intentionally keeping her fat.
I'm so glad for you both and Joker that the right cat picked you- what a once in a lifetime experience for her! Lucky girl, you both sound like doting, loving and caring owners.
She is absolutely beautiful! We had a 23 lb. gray tiger once (with opposable thumbs). He was a WONDERFUL cat. I'm sure she will bring you both much joy
Last edited by CountingDown; 05-04-2008 at 07:21 PM.
She's settling in very nicely. She spent the first few hours under the bed. David was able to coax her out for a good brushing. She loves being brushed, even her tail and back legs. I love the little silent "talking" face she makes as she chatters her teeth (I've never seen a kitty do this, though I've heard of it). She's such a sweetie.
We figure her "real" name(s) will come to us as we get to know her better. So far we've tried Mama Cass, Grand Lady, and Chunky Monkey (aka Chunka). Duchess might fit too.
She's not just a fat cat, she's also just legitimately big - long and tall, not just round. She's still going to be a strikingly large cat, even at her ideal weight. Getting her some exercise is going to be a bit of a challenge, as she is absolutely uninterested in toys. Not even moving strings and catnip, drew the slightest attention. I swear she gave us a "you've got to be kidding," stare of contempt.
She also seems to be my first lap cat. I've had cats that enjoyed being petted, but preferred to sit beside me on the couch or chair and would leave when overloaded. This girl likes being held, though she makes a funny chirpy meow of protest when first lifted up. She has such a tiny meow for such a big cat.
She'll definitely get lots and lots of attention. Being on disability, we're home all day most days, and have a lot of one on one attention to give. No doubt we will cater to nearly every kitty whim. Hopefully, she won't be a begger, especially on the lower calorie senior food we bought her. Though we did find and buy some bonita flakes for her for treats. They're very thin flakes of tuna (very small tissue paper thin strips). She does like those.
Oh, it's so good to have a kitty in the house again.
My girl is a Tortie as well I have to agree they always seem to have huge personalities and quirks. Lexus is very much a one woman cat though - she tolerates my sister and housemate and enjoys my boyfriends company but she'll be all over me like a bad rash. I love her!
She plays fetch better than any dog I know - especially loves milk bottle lids. She'll bring one randomly up to you and drop it in your hand and thats her invite to play.
She also loves to "hunt" my bras lol. I could never figure out why my bras were being scattered all over the house. It was kind of embarrassing given I have a male housemate :P As it turns out she "kills" them during the night and sits outside my bedroom door yowling and proudly displaying her efforts. She's a laugh.
My sister's girl is a ginger female - who everyone assumed was a male because she's ginger until the vet called her after "he" went in to be de-sexed and said "your girls ready to be picked up now" Needless to say my sister was very confused :P Apocalypse (as she is known) is famed for being very clean and flushing the toilets lol.
Colleen - I wish you tons of luck in getting her to a healthy weight. Our boy has been on vet-recommended high quality diet food, in small, controlled portions for 2 years...he's GAINED in that time. And he is the same way with the toys - uninterested. Although there is ONE type of toy he likes, but it took a TON of experimentation to get there.
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LOL call her Chunka! Genius name. And you can go 'heeere Chunka Chunka Chunka...'
Though our pets end up with about twenty different names and respond to all of them...(Dewi = Dwee-Dwee = Tweety = Tweeter = etc...)
Our pets always end up with dozens of names too. My MIL's cat was given the name Itsa (along with her sister, Bitsa who died before I met her). She's a dilute calico with some siamese mixed in (the slightly wonky-crossed blue eyes give it away). Well, ever since I've known her, she's been humongously fat and called "Chunka Lunka." So, it's natural for my husband to call our new kitty the same.
We're mulling over Igmutonka right now (sioux word for mountain lion: igmu- cat, tonka great or large). Tonka for short (she is built like a little truck).
Thanks Mandalinn. I've heard it's very hard to get weight off cats, because if you adjust their food, they just move less (sounds more like me than I'd like to admit). We'll do the best we can, and love her all the same. The big thing, I think is going to be not indulging her when she begs. It would be so easy to give her whatever she wants, because she's just so sweet. Especially when she looks like she's talking without any sound (except her teeth clacking together).
Our last cat had about 1.5 lbs of extra weight on her. Our vet originally assumed we were overfeeding her, until after she died (since hubby and I are both obese, it was a logical conclusion, I suppose). The vet told us that the lab tests revieled that she was hypothyroiod also. Usually she said, cats with heart disease are generally very thin, but because she also had low thyroid she was able to keep a little flesh on her.
The new kitty is adjusting well. She's still spending a lot of time under the bed, but did sleep with us for a good part of the night.
We found a great low-calorie treat for her - bonita flakes. Though if the ingredients are the same, we'll probably buy them in the oriental market rather than the petstore. Not only can I give them to the cat, I can use them in cooking then (and probably pay half the price). They look like thin pink strips of tissue paper (or extremely thin wood shavings). 1/2 ounce of bonita flakes (looks like hundreds of treats) fill an 8 ounce jar.
Jeez, here I am writing a book. I guess it's official, she's a family member.
Since Emmy WAS spayed, she wasn't happy about it.
We would leave the door open in the summer for the breeze and she would just let herself in, but we wouldn't let her have food since we knew she was someone else's. We didn't have any pets at the time.
My ex kept her after the divorce and I got our DDs and our dog, Muffy, that we got later.
