Our favorite pooch, Bob, graced another post by @kentforrester, that shameless author that throws in pictures of him, hoping for more “Likes”. He challenged me to write a cat story since he seems to think we cat lovers have been staying in the shadows. Well, that’s where cats prefer to be. But I should begin at the beginning…. and say that I had always been a dog person – no cats. That was until we moved to the North Georgia mountains.

Fresh from Boston, we took up residence in my husband’s grandmother’s four-room, tin-roof house. We wanted to head back South, but not the bustle of Atlanta. His grandma’s house was unoccupied and needed attention. We rolled up our sleeves and turned it into a sweet dwelling with some paint, flowers, and lots of Lysol. It had a red smokehouse, and the only job I could find was with a log home company. I had to answer the phone with a cheerful, “It’s a great day at Fireside!”. The owner had his own sawmill and used expressions like “great balls of fire!”. The local plumber gave my husband a mason jar of white lightning to clear his sinuses. It worked…

One day, while hauling our trash to the dump (no pickup), we heard yelping. We found two pups thrown into the dumpster! My husband crawled in and got them out. I couldn’t believe it! I found homes for both after writing a story to the local paper in their words – a dog’s perspective. The local kennel received tons of calls. Then another dump run was where we found Pootsie.

This one-year-old calico sidled up to my husband who quickly picked her up and shoved her in the car. I said wait a minute, I don’t want a cat! What are you doing? He said, “Give it a chance; look how unusual her coloring is!” Once we were home, she started ‘pawing’ his knees and purring. I said what is she doing? He said she’s just happy. Soon she took control, and we fell in love with her. Isn’t that how it happens? Then she got pregnant! I thought she was eating too much, and took her to the vet. Aside from that, something else was clearly wrong. The country vet, who just got back from rescuing a baby bear whose mother was hit by a car, identified it as feline leukemia. He said it would be touch and go, and stayed with her all night, administering antibiotics. I picked her up and took over the treatment. Banana flavored meds (that went over well) administered via a vial to a delirious cat who tried to eat her litter. I was determined to save her. I delivered water via the vial, and egg yolk to give her strength. She was with us for 18 years.

Our current kitty was adopted from a local pound. She prefers her name not be revealed, as she likes to be mysterious. My selection of her came about during a search for TC, after he went missing. I knew I wouldn’t have TC, also adopted, for long. He was a boy and dumb as a doornail, but so lovable. I would find him swinging from the top of a palm tree. One day he came back from wandering with a crab claw stuck to his lip. He would sail off the second-floor staircase chasing his toys. The worst was when he came home half coated in motor oil. I had to get him in the tub with Dawn, like the ducks in the oil spill commercial. When he went missing, the neighbors said he was fearless. He sauntered past the neighborhood dogs like they weren’t even there. This was news to me! I didn’t know he wandered beyond the property! Despite a search, I never found him, but our current kitty was a look-alike, only female…..much more sensible and obedient.

She has a story to tell too…..and that is for another day. For now, here is a couple of photos, and me in my last Halloween quick costume suggestion, from her of course. So that’s the short version of how I came to love cats. I’d love to hear your story or see your pictures! We could all use a little cheer.