Our Animal Companions

of the household fall on the furry shoulders of Alley-cat.

It's up to him to keep that upstart dog, those other cats,

and those people in line... He's always ready with a swift

swat, a hiss, and a look that could kill when someone tries

to mess with him!! Yet if there's a pet to be had, he's all

sweetest meow is to be heard... Alley joined my family

many years ago, as a small yellow tabby tom cat, with giant

paws, meowing at me from out of a tree!!! When I first saw

him, for a brief moment, I thought he was Tom, my then-senior

cat. The kitten was tolerated by my parents, and eventually went

the way of many a stray before him, being officially adopted

into the family and neutered. Now, as new animals enter into

the household, they must first win the approval of Alley, the

leader of the pride. RAT was lucky... He was approved

ebony colored Bubba-cat. Bubba was chosen at the animal shelter

shelter to pick him up, I asked what certain initials on the cage meant.

The shelter lady told me, "Why, that means that before she can be

taken home, she must be spayed, because she's pregnant!!" When

I told her, 'oh no, that cat is a male!!' I got a very startled look from her...

She quickly removed cat from cage and checked... sure enough, He's

just fat!!! Since adopting the rotund fuzzball, we've tried various diet

Bubba's a real sweetheart, licking the hand that pets him,

which is especially remarkable when realizing he was somehow

abused before being adopted... His one flaw is being very hand-shy!!

Once he's sure he's not being swatted, he's crazy about being

Petted! A very common sight to see around our home is Bubba

and Alley lying snuggled comfortably together... Bubba is the

only cat Alley will unwind that far with.. and within moments

the mutual grooming sessions still tend to turn into brawls!! J

(so small I could hold him in the palm of my hand!) in a five

gallon bucket in the garage of their vacation home... After

watching for about a day, she realized he'd been abandoned

by his mother because of her 'interference'. What to do with

the kitten?? No problem!! She knew her niece & nephew would

take it in!!! J ..Actually.. at that time we felt we had too many

pets, so we meant to take him to the animal shelter. When I

phoned beforehand, however, I was told that "if the cat was as

young as (I) said it was, it would never grow to be a good pet...

it wouldn't learn to use a litterbox, because it would need a

mother's example.. it would not enjoy petting and attention..

it would never be friendly. If it was brought to the shelter, they

would immediately put him down." L My response??

Nonsense!! The kitten (still nameless) was immediately mine!!

I emptied out an old cloth purse, and with money/keys in one pocket,

kitten curled up asleep in the other, I proceeded to run my errands,

feeding the tyke a bottle when he awoke, and letting him bond in a

snug, warm environment. Later, after he'd eat, I'd place him in a

miniature litterbox, in which I'd dig with my fingers, so that he

would learn how to use it for himself. He always received

plenty of loving attention, and grew up to be the lovingest cat

I've ever had. I'm actually almost grateful for the silly shelter

woman's strange views on kittens.. While the lad was still small,

about the size kittens are normally given away.. Another aunt

brought two dogs to our home!! One was to be given to my

grandma, another, a very young ?poodle-terrier mix? puppy,

was for an aunt that was in and out of the hospital. Within a

couple weeks the older poodle was safely ensconced at my

grandmother's, but the young one remained with us...

Now we had TWO unnamed animals!! They made a perfect

set, though.. the much older kitten was able to hold his own

in the play-fights with the pup, they were both the same sandy

color, and right at the same size!! As such, I felt they should be

named as a set. We ended up with Butch Cat-sitter, and the

Sundance Kitten. J Butch and Sundance, or even Sunny,

for short.. Well, the two still get along fine, and Alley has

(mostly) accepted Sunny into the fold...J

his story.. but here's the rest... J After we'd had Butch for

almost a year, the Aunt he'd originally been intended for was

finally out of the hospital for a long enough term that she wanted

the dog that had been brought for her. Needless to say, the almost

full grown dog was mightily attached to us, and my brother, especially,

returned the sentiments!!! After several times of her asking for her

dog, we went to a puppy farm and bought a purebred with papers.

When we tried to give her the purebred pup, she still thought she

would rather have her dog.. we finally convinced her that Butch

was not, nor had he ever been, her dog.. and the pup needed a

home... Well, Butch is our dog now, and forevermore...

Alley would rather he wasn't... he still can't get used to having a

dog in his home... years later, he's still greeted with wary looks,

hisses, and disciplinary swats whenever he comes too close..

but I guess it's good for Alley not to get his way always!!J

Now you know our family as it stands, later I'll add a memorial page

for the ones who came before... They shall never be forgotten...

My thanks to Diabella, of Diabella loves Cats for these beautiful tributes!

...Oh... and if you were wondering, my brother, with whom I roomed

in the pre-RAT era, now works as a truck driver, across the entire USA.

That's why pets that were mine and his, are now mine and RAT's!! J