The other day my husband was talking about our cats and how a workmate had an interest in a cat like one of ours.
We believe that Smokey may be a ragdoll cat or perhaps a part-breed. He demonstrates all the qualities of these cats and is very sociable, friendly, and just flops in your arms when you carry him around. He doesn’t wriggle and squirm, he just lies there in your arms. Or he sleeps on his back with his legs wide open like he hasn’t a care in the world. He’s a very trusting cat.
He also loves to lie around in the office and be really near to us although not on our laps - most of the time. Smokey is now 4 years old and the photos below are from kitten to current.
Our beloved Beauie is leaving us today. He’s served a wonderful 16 years with us as a faithful, loving and mainly placid cat.
As a kitten he would race up the back of the couch or up the curtains and we would scold him. He’d run up and down teatrees with baby possums, playing with them. As an adult they became something he hunted and again we’d scold him.
As he grew older he became a faithful companion, a good friend, always keeping company with any member of the family who was unwell or down. He would curl up beside them or on their laps - he loves laps!
It was Beauie who helped me on my blogging journey. Readers might remember this photo from December 2005. Beauie had disappeared for 4 days in the sweltering 40+C heat and when he came back home on Boxing Day, he was hungry, thirsty and injured. We found a Vet that was open in that holiday season and he was patched back up again and I posted this photo - that was when I got my very first blog comments and I got hooked!
As an aged cat he did not like the younger cats jumping all over him and he would soon let them know about it - he was quite vocal when he chose to be. Graham’s lap was always his favourite and it was not unusual for Beauie to come into the office at night and demand Graham’s lap, or even push Graham aside so he could curl up to sleep in Graham’s office chair. We’d put a pillow there just for Beauie!
As he got a lot older he would curl up under Graham’s office desk so he was near the heating vent and the computer hard drive to draw warmth. Sometimes he liked to be on top of the desk too and would find a place in Graham’s filing tray. He’s always been Graham’s cat but is loved by every member of the family.
Last night three of our girls were here at home to say their farewells to him and he got lots of pats and cuddles and ear rubs - which he loves.
It is with sadness we have to let him go. He has contracted a kidney disease and after a couple of weeks of medication, special diet and two hospital stays and an intravenous drip, the vetinerary staff advise there is nothing else they can do for him and he is just wasting away in front of our eyes. Poor Beauie with those beautiful round golden orb shaped eyes who looks at you like he is speaking just to you. We love you Beauie and will never forget you.
Since installing Google Reader I’ve read even more blogs and have found some interesting and amusing posts. One of the latest at Sparkplugging takes the cake! Or, should I say the cat!
Wendy Piersall has been running a caption competition, encouraging people to write captions for her photo of her cat sitting at her laptop. Amusing picture.
Cats must rule her life - I know they do our’s here at the Thomas’ household!
Have a look at some of these!
Beauie has filed himself in my husband’s tray!
Smokey thought the printer was his resting place till it started doing something!
Shadow thought a drawer hanging out was his to climb into (I’d only turned my back for a moment!)
And our newcomer Toki has claimed the visitor’s chair for himself.
And I thought this was MY office!
