Pets of then and Now

Sometime, back in the dim days of my early childhood back in Australia we apparently owned a black Lab called Lucy who was then my bestest friend but in all truth I cannot recall her at all - there exists a single photo of me and her. She was known as Lucy loose-tubes - apparently a rather good litter bearer.

I recall a few mice, many goldfish and tropical fish but my best memories are cats - two in fact.

Kitty

• (yeah I know the most standardized cat name ever). He was one big ass, kick butt, ginger tom cat with a foul temper and the ability to obliterate an entire family of rats in a single evening and he could talk on demand.
  
  Kitty habitually caught monstrous rats and left them lying outside my bedroom window. He would yowl until I leaned out said window and say "Good kitty, aren't you the clever cat" at which point he'd stop yowling and wander off to get more.
  His best night saw three large rats lying below my window the following morning.
  
  He also liked to leave them lying around the house but somehow the ones inside always had parts missing - like heads !. He's the only cat I know who can "ring bark" a rat and in once instance, scalp one - leaving only little ears and tuft of fur for Mom to pick up the next day. He ate anything that moved - including people and anything that didn't - such as the two huge porterhouse steaks left out to defrost - all gone.
  
  Favorite habits :
  • Lay in wait in the hall and attack the first ankle that wandered past.
  • Puncturing your arm with all 4 sets of claws and teeth and not letting go.
  • Chewing up Weta's and large spiders as if they were gourmet delights - lovely crunching sounds.
  • Leaving headless birds and rats around.
  • Taking up my bed space - after all, he was not one to argue with.
  • Wander off for a day or so without leaving a note.
  • One large tropical shark fish mysteriously disappeared from the family tank also - I think he did it.

One day I found him on the couch and he was definitely in a bad way. We took him to the vet - he had apparently suffered a big blow to the head (or a stroke) and wasn't given much a chance. He could do little more than wander around in tight right hand circles. Days later he started going around in left hand circles then appeared the get better. At home he began to play and bounce around as if a kitten (he was about 1 4-16 at this stage). This happened for about 6 more months until one day he just never turned up again. Kitty had gone and I was devestated.

Tabatha (Pic)

• named by a friend back in NZ called Lynn - no particular story behind her name but it seems appropriate and somewhat more original than Kitty (no offense there mate). She's about 6 and we got her just before I was married as a kitten at no cost. After Karen left me, I ended up her - I adore this cat as much as she adores me. We flew her from NZ to San Jose.
  
  Possibly part Maincoon (furry ears, big head) but mostly typical domestic long hair, Tabatha is pure black but for a small white patch under her chin. Her fur is in beautiful condition and I treat her like a queen - she bloody well demands it. She goes brown in the summer from sun-bathing so much.
  
  There is a dark side to this cat - she can't handle too much of a good thing and tells you by a growl, swift bite and possible clawing - then she runs away. If she doesn't want to be petted she'll also let you know. She runs at the drop of a hat - very touchy. Never got used to us wandering in and out of the house with motorcycle helmets on - that totally freaked her out. Will accept the presence of a mop but loses it with the broom.
  
  Unlike Kitty, Tabatha is proud of herself is she can catch a moth! I recall a single bird (admittedly it was a humming bird which is rather impressive) and some tiny, tiny mice and many lizards. No Tabatha is certainly not the great white hunter.
  
  Wait - news break, recent events have revealed the hunter in Tabatha is revealing itself. A large rat was found followed immediately that evening by decent sized bird. There's hope for her yet.
  
  Wait some more - more news !. She caught a squirrel this time - jumped in through the bedroom window with it - poor Matt, he had no idea what to do with it (he was staying with me for a few days). This cat is starting to get it right!. Yes, I believe in letting cats do what cats do - it would be terribly hypocritical of us all to believe what cats do is terrible compared to what humans do.

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Updated August 9th, 2000