Animals

I know most of my friends have animals.  I have had the privilege to have pets all throughout my life.  There were only a few years within my 28 years that my family did not have a pet of some kind. We had horses, dogs and cats.  Then there's the occasional snake, rabbit, frog...  But those were not welcome and definitely didn't come in the house. 

At the end of my 8th grade year a family brought a box of kittens to my school.  I wanted one and somehow convinced my parents to let me have one.  We were living in Kentucky at the time.  She was the cutest little thing, black and white and tiny.  We named her Pentecostal, and for short we call her Penny.  Yes, there is a story behind the name, but I won't get into that. 

Penny has been quite the travelling cat.  She was born in Kentucky, then moved to North Carolina.  In North Carolina, she has moved quite a bit.  Grandparents house, parents house, then 3 places in the town where I went to school.  And now she's with me where I am now.  She's adapted very well too.  Cats are like that.  They will find their hiding spots and favorite perches throughout the house and be content.  Penny is getting up there in age now.  She's almost 15 years old.  I can't believe I have a 'kid' that old!  :) 

In 9th grade, I had a boyfriend and his dad was a veterinarian.  There was a gray tabby dropped off there one day and it needed a home.  So, my boyfriend brought her to me.  She had a 'M' on her forehead, so I had to pick a name that started with M.  Maggie.  Maggie was a very wild kitten, but grew up to be a sweet girl.  She only loved me.  She was always jealous and had to be near me.  I was the only one able to handle her.  I lost her to cancer about a year and a half ago.  I miss her very much. 

Since I lost Maggie, I have adopted 2 more cats.  Yes, I may have a problem.  :)   Two kittens showed up in my neighborhood and myself and all of my neighbors kept feeding them.  But last summer, August - September 2010, I sat on my doorstep and worked with them for hours at a time.  I tried to get them to trust me and come close to me.  Long story short, I gained their trust.  Mini, as in MiniPenny, has found that she loves the 'good life' - the life of an inside cat.  Once I got her inside and to trust me, she has not had any desire to go back outside!  Blaze, on the other hand, loves being outside.  For the last 3 months he's had to stay inside though.  He has taken Maggie's spot as the jealous cat.  He has to be in the same room as me, in my lap, snuggling up with me, or under my feet. 

I will have to add a picture of Maggie later.  I don't have one on this computer.  I've been blessed with great animals.  They definitely give me entertainment. 

So, I ask you these questions: 

1-  What are some names of animals you've owned?
2-  What are some strange stories of your animals?  Like strange habits they have...

I'll tell you one for Blaze, then I'll leave you for tonight.  Blaze has gotten to the point where he cannot stand for me to be in the shower.  I know a lot of cats will sit between the shower curtain and the liner.  He not only does that, but he will meow pretty much the entire time.  I believe that he thinks the shower is going to get me.  He cries until I shut the water off.  Once I shut the water off he cries louder.  Then as I dry off he has to stretch up as far as he can on my leg and get as close to me as possible.  Maybe he's trying to make sure I'm okay.  I have no idea.  But it's kind of funny!  I wish I could record it and share it, but that would be a tad inappropriate!  Maybe one day I'll pretend to get in the shower and try to tape it that way...  It's too funny.  Like last night, I got into the bathtub to soak (because I'm still very sore from my classes on Monday night) and he couldn't stand that either.  He actually got on the side of the tub and kept getting his face so close to the water it would make him huff because it got on or up his nose.  Then, he started drinking my hot bath water.  What a crazy cat! 

I'm looking forward to your stories! 

Goodnight~