The Cattery

[porphyry]

Back in June (or was it early July? I forget), Malkhos and I got two cats, sisters, who are both white and look very much like each other. I let Madeline name one of them, and after much clever rhetorical strategy on my part, convinced the child not to name the cat Cinderella. So the larger of the two white kittens came to be called Belle, another Disney heroine from Beauty and the Beast, but one could do worse. Cinderella, for example. I called the other one Sylvia. Between the two of them, Belle has remained the larger while Sylvia is smaller and daintier. Belle is quite friendly and Sylvia has turned out to be the touch-me-not cat. Currently, I find myself calling them Big Girl and Little Girl more than anything else.

But I must have "Sucker" stamped on my forehead, for about a month after getting those two, someone at work mentioned she had two male kittens, brothers, whom she needed to find homes for or they would have to go to the Humane Society. She asked me if I wanted them.

"No," I said. "I do not."

But she brought them in a shoebox to work not long after that anyway, and damn, they were cute. Little bitty guys, one all gray and the other tiger-striped.

"Give me the damn box," I said, and so we went from zero to four cats in less than a month.

So now we have the two sisters, Sylvia and Belle, and the two brothers (well, they were bonded to each other; what else could I do?) whom Malkhos calls Remus and Romulus, but the children call Tigger and Stumpy—Tigger being the tiger-striped one and Stumpy being the gray one because his tail is very, very short—joined the household, making it a veritable cattery. You can't do anything without running into, stepping on, or tripping over a cat.

They are particularly wild in the morning and at night. The Christmas tree, for example, has been the latest challenge. They actually climb it and have broken ornaments. My water aversion therapy hasn't worked. They think it's a game. Ah, well, soon they will grow into cats and lie around sleep most of the time.

Comments

[himmapaan.livejournal.com]

They all look so gorgeous. Zero to four cats in less than a month is quite an achievement. I'm quite envious. :)

Perhaps you might have liked 'Aschenputtel' better than 'Cinderella'? :)

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

Since she already had the name Sylvia picked out, I suggested Rhea, but was never seriously considered.

[himmapaan.livejournal.com]

Oh, what a pity. :)

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

If you're envious, I could send you a couple. :)

Aschenputtel is far more interesting than Cinderella, but Madeline would have had a difficult time pronouncing it.

[himmapaan.livejournal.com]

In that case, I'd like Remus and Belle, please. :)

(Remus is the striped one, yes?)

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

I didn't know you liked cats so much. Yes, Remus/Tigger, same one. He is quite nice (so far).

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

Why do you lie for him? He knocked the lamp over yesterday.

[himmapaan.livejournal.com]

Yes, one fine day, perhaps I shall have both cats and dogs. No space at the moment, and my time management is too poor.

[med_cat]

Handsome kitties :)

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

It was really funny when the two girls, not spayed yet, came into heat the first time. It was mild, but I never laughed as hard as I did, watching those two little male cats trying to accommodate the female ones, who were desperately trying to be accommodated.

That's quite a handsome cat you have yourself.

[med_cat]

LOL to the story of cats in heat ;)

The icon is not my cat, unfortunately :(
I've never had a cat but always liked them; icon was made by kcscribbler; I think it might be her cat ;)

Cheers,
Cat

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

I though this post was going to be about they evidently made off with my watch yesterday. If they learn to tell time, I 'm afraid they'll have to be put down--humanity cannot stand such competition.

[daoinesidh.livejournal.com]

The last shot is picture perfect ... and all of them are ADORABLE!!

[benicek.livejournal.com]

Look at those figurines in the case, cringing in terror at the thought of being hunted down by the predators they share a house with.

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

Actually there used to be another figurine on the top of that case, but the cats use it as a launching pad to the top of the bookcase, where they perch atop a boxed set of Gibbon, so it proved impractical.

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

Yes, the figurines are very, very afraid, and I'm afraid for them.

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

You're welcome--long overdue, I'm afraid--but four! It's insane. I really would have been, in absence of Malkhos and children, a crazy cat lady with ninety cats.

We really like this house. There are things I would like to have done, eventually, but that will take time and we'll do things as we can afford to, I guess.

One of the reasons the house didn't sell for so long and the price dropped so much was because (apart from the overall housing market collapse) was because it is older and needs upgrades--seems a lot of buyers want everything to be just so right away and can't see potential. I immediately loved its charm and solid feel.