I've always maintained that I'm a dog person. Cats never did much for me, but my family had this way of ruining them. I am said to have "killed" the best cat ever, Googe. My mother hired a woman to help care for me after I was born and she believed (as many folks do) that cats suck the life out of babies. This woman insisted that Googe be let outside and Googe was promptly hit and killed by a car. This, without irony, is presented as my fault in family lore.
We had a few cats that flicker through my memory: Blackie, a big tom who I think we just fed. Socks, who disappeared on Halloween. Then, my folks decided to get my brother a cat. My dad went driving around one Christmas Eve and found a cat at a south Atlanta pet store. Miss Pig (who was named Victoria initially), was tough. She'd disembowel things, could catch a butterfly in mid-air, and loved nothing better than wounding a chipmunk for an afternoon of torture.
When it came to people, she drooled and bit (hard on the chin). Now, I will admit that the family dogs weren't much more appealing. My parents finally got it sort of right with Reddo, the sweet Welsh Springer Spaniel who I was lucky enough to have as my dog the last three years of his life.
Honey is a cat person. She laughs when she sees them. It's very sweet. She came with a cat named Tuna, who didn't like me. She has a soul-cat named Calif, who is sweet and needy. Calif is honey's cat. I love her, but the bond is between them.
Honey and I got a cat that I loved with all my heart. Squeak was everything I wanted in a pet. Funny, cute, soft, easy to deal with. She died of cancer at age three.
I don't know if Red's death or Squeak's affected me more. But, in both cases, I wanted a new presence right away. I picked out Halo and I picked out Biscuit. Halo is five pounds of calico hilarity, Biscuit is 35 pounds of soft puppy mess. They don't like each other. I want Halo to use her claws when Biscuit corners her. I want Biscuit to stop cornering her. I can't figure out how to make either thing happen.
Animals can provide such joy in life. I miss Halo. Biscuit is so focused on me that she is often within an arms' length. I forgot (because Red was old) what it's like to have a young dog around. I know what it's like to have Halo around, but she doesn't come to me as much as she used to.
I know I smell like Biscuit to her, but her absence leaves a small empty place in my center. I never thought a cat could do that to me.
Honey and I have a contest for our cats called "Loaf of the Day." Cats like to lie with all of their paws tucked underneath them and usually the tail is tucked under as well. Halo is a very good loafist, she wins most days.
I hope she knows (in her little Calico head) that I love her and that I'm glad she wins loaf of the day, and that I'm glad I picked her out of the East Valley shelter. I mostly hope she doesn't blame me for Biscuit.
I am to blame for Biscuit, of course, but I hope Halo doesn't know it.
5 comments:
In her secret lair, in the still of the night, Halo makes Voodoo dolls of Bisquit and tortures the little dog's soul. I have it on good authority that Halo has never once thought to make a Voodoo doll of you.
I've seen your sense about *cats* at work, Sporks. Lest you forget, you picked out Amber (with her very unusual eyes)for us at the shelter. Though Scout is purported to have the find-the-best-cat mojo, you were the one who said "This one looks sweet!" And she is. She's also a hellion, but she's affectionate and funny and has a great kitty heart. Even though she's not as lithe as Halo, and has only one LOTD on 2 or 3 occasions, she's always the longest cat around and I'd wager the best at fetching beanie roosters. I know that Halo loves you.
I don't know about this love business, but I'd bet Halo hearts you with all her rambunctiosity. I know for sure that she thanks you daily for not naming her "Chone".
Remember Big Kitty and Weird Girl? I have them again, reincarnated I think. Though that's a sad thing to say, as I don't really know the fate of the originals...anyway, Sweet Potato is Michael's and she must be 15 pounds of Calico mess. Truly. Kitty is a Tabby who is just slightly more chilled out than weird girl (and is also sans one eye). Perhaps she is just old and bitchy.
When we introduced them a few months ago, we thought Kitty would dominate - she's used to other animals, has moved around a bit, knows the out of doors - but sweet Potato has taken us by surprise. Before, she was solitary, had never been outside, had this fussy/whiny kindof meow, scared of the kids, doesn't like to be picked up, and threw up all the time (Michael and his kids are still waiting for her to spell out her entire name in cat food vomit. She made an "S" once.). Now, she's all over the house and spends whole days outside and wants nothing more than to be by Michael's side. He calls her Little Shit Head. Kitty won't come upstairs, is skittish outside, and just growls and hisses at Sweet Potato, who just ignores her.
Cats are funny...
Big Kitty is way up there in my "best cat ever" pantheon. I still regret not having taken him. I had to many pets, but Big was the kitty. I also remember trying to pry Big Kitty and Weird Girl's names from you, S. It was like some state secret...
Post a Comment