Piggy Addendum

My last post shared the sad news that Piggy was sick and then disappeared, presumably dead.  I found him yesterday.  He had died underneath the neighbor's broken down vehicle next door.  Sad though it was, it was nice to have closure knowing he wasn't somewhere out there suffering.  We were also able to bury him next to his three siblings and non-sibling cat.  He was the last of a legacy of fuzzes. 

Piggy is Gone

Our last cat, Piggy, has disappeared, and most likely died.  He has been sick for some time, but holding his own.  In the last two to three weeks, he appeared to be getting frailer, slower and was eating less and less.  We even went to the point of feeding him baby food, which he rather enjoyed for a bit.  Unfortunately, June 4, 2019, was the last time we saw him. 

He went outside and was relaxing in the sun on top of the picnic table like he always did.  However, he refused to eat anything that morning.  When we returned from work, he was gone and never returned. We surmise he either had some hiding spot he enjoyed or another family he visited and went there and died.  It is a sad time as he was the last of our six cats we had when we moved here four years ago. Four of the six are buried in the back yard. One ran away a few years ago, and Piggy didn't return. 

Piggy was so named for his tail when he was a kitten.  The tip of his tail curled like a pigs tail.  Even as an adult, there were times when it would do the same.  Piggy was known for his "I'm a tough cat" veneer as he would stand tall and proud on my wife's lap and look around as if saying "don't come near.  She's mine and I'm protecting her."  One of his trademark qualities was to "hush" her when she got too loud.  If she laughed loudly or yelled for something, Piggy would bound into the room, climb on her and tap his paws on her mouth to say "be quiet".  Other times he would run away because it was too noisy for him.

Piggy was also know for waking me up at night by walking on my head and meowing.  Usually it was because he decided he needed to go outside or be fed.  And as usual, I would get up and do as commanded, being the fool that I am. 

Piggy will be missed, the last of a legacy of four cats, all siblings.  Sadly, all have died within the last couple years.  All from the same litter, now all gone.  They brought us joy and laughter and memories of them will never be forgotten.  Rest now Piggy-pie. 

Baby, Puff, Bableliscious, Tunnel Fuzz

As a tiny kitten, Baby was the runt. When he was no bigger than a Twinkie, he ended up getting himself stuck underneath the porch and in between two 2 x 4'x face first. I had to crawl on my belly to reach him and coax him out by calling his name and reassuring him I was there.  That was the beginning of his "hole" experience in life.

Baby, from that day forward, loved small spaces, holes, tunnels, being underneath the covers and so on. When I held him he loved to be rolled into a ball and squished in my arms.  He'd bury his head in the crook of my arm and go right to sleep.  He'd crawl underneath the covers and lay between your legs or under your knees.  Anything that presented as a small space and he was there.

He was also a head banger.  Not in the rock-and-roll sense, but by bouncing his head off the wall when you would call and pet him and he was excited to see you and get some attention.  He would twist in a circle, bounce his face off the edge of the door or door frame and come back for more loving.  Then, when you called his name, he would "puff" up and look like a living cotton ball and turn in circles waiting for attention.

Baby, also answering to names like Bableliscious, Puff, Baby, Tunnel Fuzz and others, ended up puffing even bigger several months ago due to medical reasons. The vet said he was retaining fluid.  It was only a matter of time before it would affect him to the point where his quality of life would not be pleasant.  Eventually, he moved very little and became nothing more than a bubble of misery. On April 2, 2019 we had to take him to the vet and have him put down.  He is now buried alongside Flower, Schnei, and Sassy.  He was a good cat, a puff, a baby, a family friend. 

What Do They Do at Night?

Have you ever wanted to strap a camera on the back of your cat to see what they do when they leave your house? Well researchers have done just that.  They found out some interesting things about where they go, what they do when they meet another cat, (it's not always fight) and how their mannerisms are so different from when they're around humans. Check out this article with questions and answers.  You'll find it most intriguing.

Slits

Here's an interesting article from sciencefocus.com with the answer as to why cats and snakes have slits for pupils.  It all has to do with light brightness and a better ability to see.  Check out this article.  Fascinating!

Realistic Cat Faces from Needle Felting

Needle felting is becoming more popular among crafters, the art wherein wool fibers are used to create amazing sculptures.  This article from mymodernmet.com highlights the amazing precision and abilities of a Japanese needle felter named Wacuneco who has mastered the creation of realistic cat faces. Check it out!

Sassy Was Awesome!

She was the first one of the litter to pop over the edge of the step to see what was going on. She had the ability to transport, morph and appear out of thin air due to her agile abilities and expert jumping skills.  She chased balls, apples, rocks and anything that would be rolled for her and often returned small objects like a dog.  Due to her calico colors of orange, black, brown and white, she was nicknamed Blendo. She could wiggle down into the grass or leaves and you couldn't see her.  She was an expert at camaflouge. She was also the most vocal, howling and growling when played with as if she were injured, but as soon as you stopped she was rolling and begging for more. Her three brothers teased her and tortured her, but she held her own and she ruled the house.  When she really got upset, they gave her a large berth of room and stayed away.  She was awesome!

Sadly, on June 5, 2018, after several weeks of not eating, becoming more lethargic, sleeping constantly, battling a failing liver and after trying to help her with a feeding tube and medicines, we had to have her put to sleep because of her ailing health.  Her last day she was able to lay on the porch in the sunshine, something she loved to do.  She went to sleep peacefully and now lies resting with her brother Schnei and honorary sister Flower. Sassy will truly be missed.