Oh my, Janet! They are beautiful!!! And at 25 lbs--what a ton of love!!!

Here are some shots of my "Buddy/aka Marley"!:

I hope this thread generates more kitty pics!!!

Janice

After losing my 17 year old cat (she had health problems from birth, the runt of the litter), I went out to a rescue center intending to get only one kitten.

I had been wanting a long-haired kitten for many years and found this lovely little tiger with a wonderful, sweet disposition. This picture of "Pepsi" was taken of her before we moved to the Madison area. If you look closely, you can see my old hosta garden (under a birch AND a Maple tree!) through the window. Pepsi loves her new home with the woods so close and all the new, pretty birds to watch.
And every night she sits on my feet and meows to ask permission to crawl under the blankets with me!

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I had my decison all made and Pepsi in my carrier when all of a sudden this other little kitten started to do flips and screaming. What could I do? She was a beautiful little Tortie and was apparently Pepsi's best friend at the rescue center. After a quick phone call for my DH's approval, I brought them both home.

Here is a picture of "Turtle Sundae" in my office as she looks now. (Both cats are almost 4 yrs. old now) She always hangs out here whenever I'm on the computer..in fact, she is here now as I post this to you.

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I'm crazy about them both...

Char

Oh Char---what beauties you have!! You can see an earnestness in their eyes and I'm sure
they are devoted to you.

It has been my experience that "rescues" seem to sense that it is your mercy that is in play
in their better destinies and they are forever grateful and joined at the hip, as it were,
with their "saviours" not unlike a divine devotion I also experience in realizing from what I,
myself, have been "rescued" from!

That tortie is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen!!! I'm a huge fan of white ruffs!!!
I get lost in the eyes of those two--how COULD YOU have resisted them both--I wouldn't
have been able to leave without them myself! But then, I have a history of "rescues"!
I'm a "soft-touch", I'm afraid!

janice

What beautiful cats you both have!
It is sooo hard going to the shelter. I often
wonder how in the world I would be able to pick
a cat to bring home.
Luckily...or unfortunately, depending on how you
look at it, I've not had to do that yet, cats just
seem to find ME!

Yes there is something special about rescue cats.
My "bought" Snowshoes act like the persnickety purebreds they are, but my calico rescue is forever grateful to me.

The two in the garage are still somewhat "wild", but they know where to return when they are cold and hungry. My plan was to incorporate them into the house, but I don't know if that will ever happen, and I can't bring myself to take them to the shelter. So I continue to provide for them.

We have an automatic garage door opener, but when we come home, one of us (usually me) has to get out of the car, walk around the garage to the walk through door to let the cats out because they freak when the overhead door opens up. So in rain, sleet and snow the convenience of having the automatic door is overidden by what is best for the cats.

I love all animals, but for some reason I am very partial to cats. They are such a mysterious, yet comforting animal.

Here is a fun explaination of how I sometimes feel my Snowshoes are thinking. Use the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pet Diaries

Hello fellow cat people. Your babies are all absolutely beautiful. I want to meet each one and pet them. I'm also a devoted cat person. We have a wonderful golden retriever and have always had a dog but the cats are in a different league to me. I am able to let mine outside since we are at the end of a dead end road bordering government land. There is no traffic and the dog keeps the coyotes far enough away that the cats are safe. I had gotten to the point of keeping mine in the house when I lived in a more crowded area. They all love being outside and treating the garden as their jungle. Two of them go for walks with the dog and I every day. I have 6 right now. Four are older, 2 persians I got for breeding in order to enjoy the kittens without guilt. They had many litters though the first, for each, was the only one I arranged. They picked their own dates thank you very much! There must have been a male with extra toes around because all of the rest of the litters had a mixture of persian and/or extra toes. I sold them all to good homes and eventually had the two moms fixed. Beth and Mandy are now nearly 16. From Beths' last litter I kept Kristen (extra toes - Bigfoot we called them though some people call them "mitten kittens"). They are suppose to be great hunters. I read that Hemingway had 60 of them on his estate. Anyway, I have Kristen and Heather from Beth's last litter. They are about 13. None of my cats like each other and spitting and slapping is common. The last two are Elsa and Bo Jangles. Elsa was a cat of my son's who ended up staying with Grandma permently. She has a weight problem that we are trying to work out since I normally leave food down all the time. Bo, who looks like a Maine Coon Cat, is the most recent and male. He's as cuddly as can be but no one likes him but me. They are all different and wonderful. I'm going to put another joke here because I loved the Pet Diaries you put on Janet. I'll do pictures in a minute.

I hope others besides us post some pictures. McT- Myrle

A cat died and went to Heaven. God met her at the gates and said, "You have been a good cat all these years. Anything you want is yours for the asking."

The cat thought for a minute and then said, "All my life I lived on a farm and slept on hard wooden floors. I would like a real fluffy pillow to sleep on."

God said, "Say no more." Instantly the cat had a huge fluffy pillow.

A few days later, six mice were killed in an accident and they all went to Heaven together. God met the mice at the gates with the same offer that He made to the cat. The mice said, "Well, we have had to run all of our lives: from cats, dogs, and even people with brooms! If we could just have some little roller skates, we would not have to run again."

God answered, "It is done." All the mice had beautiful little roller skates.

About a week later, God decided to check on the cat. He found her sound asleep on her fluffy pillow. God gently awakened the cat and asked, "Is everything okay? How have you been doing? Are you happy?"

The cat replied, "Oh, it is WONDERFUL. I have never been so happy in my life. The pillow is so fluffy, and those little Meals on Wheels you have been sending over are delicious!"

Here are my six. The pictures of Mandy aren't that great because they were taken with my old camera. She is also shy and so dark it's hard to get a good photo. Janice, I know you have another baby but I can't remember his name.

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Wally and Spike

Oh what beautiful cats! I love them...thanks for sharing! Mine is a brown tabby that is 17 years old and showing her age, poor thing. She is the most spoiled "child" anyone has ever met I'm sure. SOrry, I don't have any pics of here here. Donna

I really got to learn how to post pictures!
Ours is a black & white stray (1 1/2 years old now) found him under my hosta's. He lived there for a couple of weeks then we put him in the yard then the house. He's a joy. And from skinny to a hefty kitty in 6 months...a big baby or as we say "what a big boy".

Hey J...Janet...is that spot on your kittys nose a black heart? It sure looks like it on the pics. He's a beauty!
Actually all of the cats posted look like wonderful loyal pets.
Nice pics.
Gloria

Yes, Gloria, you must learn to post some pics! We'd love to see them, hosta and cat!!!

And you're right, Buddy's nose does look like a heart against that white blaze!

I love your boys, Teresa--they look like trouble!:o)

Myrle---there's not a one of your's I'd be able to pass up on either!

And, yes, I do have one other kitty, another boy, a "rescue" from the mountains of North Carolina, and Beau
is his name:

He's a very gentle "sweetie"!

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Janice is it my imagination or could Beau use some diet Kitty food...lol!
He's big boy...and looks real hungry.

Oh, what beautiful cats, everyone! Janice, I have never before seen a "ragdoll" or even heard of one! Excuse my ignorance - is that a breed? Love the hourglass on the face and heart shaped nose! And on your last shot of Beau, he seems to be waving to the camera :o)

McT, your cat joke was GREAT! My husband even loved it and is going to tell his mother first thing tomorrow. We just recently talked his parents into getting "Meals on Wheels" as they are in their high 80's and not able to cook for themselves. The punchline of the joke was PRICELESS!

Char

I'll play the kitties game! Here are my two kitties. The one on the left is just a domestic shorthair,named Magic. We call her little miss Magic,so naturally I had to get the hosta named Little Miss Magic! The other one is Newton,who is supposed to be a Main Coon cat,or at least he's mostly that! Magic is 5 and Newton is 10 years old. He was going to be put to sleep by the owners who became alergic to cats. We got him from a shelter,and he has adapted well to us. He is basically my cat,and Magic is my wife's cat. Magic doesn't have an ordinary meow,she talks to us in little chirps,most of the time. Excuse my hands in the pic! Phil
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Gloria, you are right--he's a big boy, but not quite as large as our Ragdoll, "Buddy/Marley"!
Funny thing is, neither of them will touch anything but the IAM's/Cat Chow mix I make for them.
You could lay raw fish or chicken or steak out and they'd sniff at it and try to bury it as if to say,
"People!~how CAN you EAT that stuff!!!"LOL

Char, I only became aware of the breed "Ragdolls" about 5 years ago after losing an all white version
of our "Beau" named "Sammy"! He had the exact temperament of what they describe the "Raggies" having
and our older daughter is the one who came across the breed at that time and wanted me to have one
so much!

It was a "God-thing" that I did get "Buddy" about 4 years ago now and I do love that cat!
His personality is "over the top", which I wanted and very dog-like to the extent that he "retrieves"
thrown toys, Q-tips, pony tail holders, whatever and he will wear me out before I do him in the game
of "throw and fetch"!! He is anything but reticent or shy and quite boldly makes himself known with
anyone! "No fear" is his middle name--and he and our Lab act like litter-mates in chasing, wrestling and
general "rough-housing"!

"Beau" also gets in the mix and actually he feels "Molly", our Lab is his dog. She plays hard with "Buddy" but
"Beau" really calls the shots with her and will jump in when he thinks "Molly" is getting too rowdy,
to box her ears, nose, whatever, soundly. Funny thing is, "Beau" is declawed and can get "Molly" to yelp
when she never has over anything else but the "pummeling" "Beau" renders her! LOL

If you do a "Ragdoll" search on the internet, you will see just how beautiful they truly can be.
Some of the show-quality cats are really amazing!

I'm an all-around animal lover, and cats are "up there" on my list of favorites!

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Here's a link, below, to a page that explains the Ragdoll breed with some examples of some show-cats!

Buddy is described as a "Seal mitted with a blaze", meaning he has the seal, chocolate to nearly black-colored
"points" like the Siamese and Birman's do with white socks, with the addition of the white down the nose!

The ones that most often win the awards in the shows are the "Bi-colors" that have the inverted "V" markings,
our "Beau" and Myrle's "Bo" and "Elsa" have, as well as Janet's two beauties! The more perfectly symetrical
and well centered the "triangle" the more valued they are for winning in the shows!

Buddy's "blaze", the white hour-glass down the nose, is not so common and you usually have to pay more
for that "accessory", which we did not have to do in our case, but was in the "details" of what I wanted,
as if finding one in December wasn't hard enough! That is not the normal breeding time that would make a
kitten available before Christmas. Early Spring and very early Fall seems to be the times they usually fall
into being more productive or in season the most!

All those "details" made the outcome of my getting exactly what I wanted, evidence of God's hand in my gift that
year! There are many more "details" that could not be relayed here but I think of them alot and wonder at how
much He really cares for us--by showing Himself in the seemingly small concerns we often have!

BTW, Myrle--I loved that joke, too! Had to laugh as I "visualized" that one!!

I didn't "do" this one--I "borrowed it"! :O)

Here is a link that might be useful: Ragdolls and other breeds

What beautiful cats. Janice, how could I forget your 2nd cat was Beau since I also have a Bo? I also have the exact same print of fabric that Beau is sitting on on a couple of chairs. McT

There you go McT--we are "too much" alike, don't you think?HAHAHA

Oh Phil--you must have posted as I was "constructing" my epistles! Your's are beautiful, too,
and "your" Newton (love that name) has the typical "bi-color" marking as well!!

I was told, that "Beau" has some Main Coon contribution, as well! He has the curly ear hair,
but the tufts on the ends of his ears are fairly short by comparison to the truly Main Coon breeds !
I love the long faces and large ears of that breed. Some of them can have a very "Lynx" or "bob-cat "look!

Here is a link that might be useful: Main Coons

It's Maine Coons Janice. Janice - I was going to ask if your cat was part Maine Coon.

I had a purebred one that I got from the Humane Society in 1985. The first clue should've been - why would someone drop off an expensive breed (at the time) cat at a shelter. He was quite rambunctious and played in the water in the toilet. Cody was only 1 1/2 yrs old when I got him but quite large. I noticed he was getting larger about 4 months later so I went to the library to learn about the breed. They don't completely mature till they are 4 years old. At 3 years I had to give Cody to my sister who lived on a farm. He was huge! As tall as a cocker spaniel and as solid as one also. He weighed 52 lbs. He would climb on the top of the fridge and cover the entire thing. I got him a kitten at one point and he picked it up by the scruff of the neck and carried him around. By the time Cody reached 52 lbs, the kitten was a full grown 14 lb cat and he still carried him around like he was a kitten! When my sister's assistant retired they gave Cody to her. They retired to a cabin on a lake in central MN. It was then that we learned Cody liked to swim. He would jump off the dock and try to catch the little bluegills swimming underneath the dock.

You're right Teresa,it is Maine Coon,I just had a mental relapse! He's sitting right here beside me as I type this,and "laying paw" on me to get my attention. I think he wants me to feed him. He eats a lot,as he is a big cat. Phil

Holy cow, Teresa 52 lbs.?? I think I see your problem--you had a Bob Cat, for sure!LOL

And you are right, it is "Main--e" Coon! I guess once I mistyped it I just kept it up!
Sometimes I am appalled at my typing/spelling! That's why it takes me awhile to construct
a posting--I like to make sure I haven't spelled something stupidly! It happens though!

What wonderful information on cats Janice. Thank you.

Terese, I think I'm in love with Cody and I've never even met him. 52 pounds. That's amazing! Do you have any pictures? The largest cat I've ever had was probably 25 pounds and overweight at that. His name was Tubby. Anyway, this thread is great. There's not much that's as exciting as hostas but cats sure are. McT

Hey Char--wink, wink!! Beau says "Hi"--if you scroll back up there! :O)

Here's Neko, my Hosta Cat...

On lazy winter days, Neko likes hangin' out with Hosta Dog, Cyrus.

Around here, we would rather sleep until Spring. Wake us when winter is over!

I'm with you, Megaul! Winter can't be over soon enough...loved the picture of Neko looking over your
hostas!

Here's a picture of Pepsi watching the squirrel at our bird feeder...and the one below eating all the seed the squirrel above is knocking down all over the deck.

(Note to self...raise that feeder higher still - I have them on a pulley system so I can lower to fill them and not have to get a ladder out.)

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Char

Hey MARSHA!!!! {{gwi:888144}} We've missed you so much!
Glad you are back amongst us!

I recognized your window view before I saw your identity!! I feel like I've been in your "space"
and am your next-door neighbor!! It's a nice feeling!!

I love your window view with "kitty-silhouette", too, Char!

janice