Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Time Warp Tuesday

So, as I am frantically cleaning the carpet in my house because we have two dogs and I have a meeting here tonight, I was thinking about when I was growing up - we had cats. Cats do not put huge muddy footprints all over your carpet. Cats might leave you dead things on the porch, but you don't have to steam clean a porch. Besides, we always had cool cats. Growing up, we had a black and white cat who was part siamese, part alley cat. His howls once scared off someone who had broken in our house because he sounded like a baby crying. He died, and my mother swore she was going to get one, beige, female cat.
 We ended up with two, black and white male litter mates. Boots (on the left) and Spats (on the right). Boots because he had white boots, and spats because he looked like he was wearing them.

They were loving brothers their whole lives. Boots was so big and rather fierce towards the neighborhood dogs. They would walk AROUND him on the sidewalk. Spats would lay on top of the fridge, hang over one corner and look like a gargoyle. We also trained them to dance for treats, and they loved the little sticky octopus things that would walk down a wall. They were great cats.
They also would do things like jump on the table, or rub the ribbon edge of a blanket on their teeth (right next to your ear), leave me dead things on the porch while I was running to catch the bus in high school, meow to go out and come in (They were indoor/outdoor - out as they desired during the day but in at night). They did love this scratching post - and would sleep in it often. 
When they were older, my brother moved back home and brought his two cats. A large, white, dumb cat named Turbo, and a small, multicolored pscyho cat named Shadow. Boots and Spats tolerated them, but they definitely still ruled the roost. 
Spats died first, and then boots later on. My mother spoke about getting a kitten, but never did. We tend to have long lived cats in our family, and I think she was worried it would outlive her. 
I really want a cat. My youngest really wants a cat. Instead, I have two boxer/hound mixes, who are loving and wonderful in their own way, but I really, really want a cat. Or actually, what I really want is my cats, back again. 


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

What wonderful cats! Our cat (now dead) was amazing. We now have a dog and he's nice, but deep down, I much prefer a cat as a housepet.

smalltownme said...

I agree, you should have a cat.

Karen (formerly kcinnova) said...

They look and sound very sweet, your Boots and Spats. I can really tell how much you miss them. Growing up, we had a Siamese cat that often sounded like a baby to other people over the telephone. It was always only one cat at a time for me. Our Cleopatra is the best-behaved cat ever to own me and I dread losing her someday. We tried to adopt my mother's cat but neither one wanted to share the house.

Jennifer Denise Ouellette said...

We used to have two cats with our two beagles. We are down to just one beagle. If not for the litterbox business and that fact that outdoor cats are also known as "cats killed by coyotes" I would love a cat. Yours were adorable.