Six Cats a Week, I Looooooove You or (If You Don't Like Cats, You Might Want to Skip this Post)

Kitties, Kitties Everywhere For as Far as the Eyes Can See!

I've been asked by several unnamed sources to stop hiding my precious cats away in a closet and share them with the world. For the record, I never put them in the closet. They go there by themselves.

When I am asked, "How many cats do you have?" I answer, "Only six." Here they are in order of appearance in our lives. Nicknames are included at no extra charge:

Brother and Sister, Dusty and Caramel:
Dusty (Grand Master D, Big D) likes to give apartment tours. He doesn't seem to care that we live in a house, it's all the same to him. When we say, "Show me your apartment, Dusty!" he rubs up against chair legs, walls, banisters, doors, people, and anything else he feels like including in the tour. As the tour progresses we say, "Nice, Dusty, nice apartment!" When he's done, he falls over on his back and we pet his tummy. That's the price we pay for the tour. Dusty's favorite person on earth is my son, Adam.
Caramel (CC) is a Calico. Need I say more? Yes, of course, I do. She's drop-dead gorgeous and knows it. She's very particular and loves guys, especially my son, Ethan. He is the one true love of her life. Well, Ethan and Tuna. She and Tiger Lilly do not get along.

Next Up:
Tiger Lilly and Scampy
Tiger Lilly (TL) found us at my son, Ethan's Bar Mitzvah 3 & 1/2 years ago. She was a tiny kitten, all alone, and seemed lost. She's a true red-head. She's got quite the temper. If she were a person (please don't tell her she's not) my husband would leave me for her in a heartbeat. It's a wicked triangle. Chuck adores her but she thinks I'm the bee's knees. I say, "Let's go to Happy Place, TL!" and she runs into our master bathroom, takes a few steps, waits for me to pet her, takes a few more steps, waits for me to pet her again, then jumps up on the toilette (it sounds so much better in French), rubs her head on the flusher, waits for me to pet her again, and then Happy Place is done.

Scampy (Scamp, Scampy Doodle, Uncle Scamp, Boo, Boo-Boo Bear)

Scamp is Sweden. He keeps his distance and gets along with everyone. He likes to give back rubs by sitting on your back and doing "happy feet." When TL was the odd kitty out, it was not pretty. Our friends Mollie and Keri thought she might get along with their cat, Scampy. They let us keep him to even out the playing field. We'll be forever in their debt. When Emma and Zoro joined the family, he took care of them. They loved him and called him, "Uncle Scamp!"

And finally...
Emma & Zoro!

Emma (Emmie, Emma Lou Cupcake)
She's my little gray and white tabby. If you tell the others I'll deny it, but she's my favorite. I can't get enough of her cute little squeak. She loves to play fetch with her toys that include guitar strings, ear plugs, and toy mice, and she loves music. She'll spend hours with us in the studio.

Zoro (Z, Zuzzie, Fat Ass [he weighs 17 lbs]) Zoro is the biggest cat and the biggest character of them all. He sits on Chuck's head to wake him up in the morning. He likes to lay completely on his back or stand on his hind legs. And he's loud. He's got what we call "the purr heard 'round the world."

The photo at the top I shot today while taking a break from editing my book (see last post). I asked Zoro what he was thinking and he said, "Damn, those birds look tasty!"

So, there you have it. My babies. The loves of my life. I hope you've enjoyed the "apartment" tour!