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During most of years we've lived with cats, ours has been a matriarchal household. We've always had more females than males, and the "top cat" has been one of the girls. But over the last several years we've lost Hiwahiwa, Lizzie, and then Ms. Miki, while adopting Duke, Toby, Romeo and potentially the black cat who is currently a visitor. Suddenly we've got five (or maybe six) male cats and only four females, the reverse of our familiar ratio. In any case, here are the boys as of May 2006. |
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Leo
It's hard to believe that Leo, also known as Mr. Neurotic, is now the senior male in the household. He takes his role seriously, even if he's less than fully successful at it. At times, he can strut his stuff and easily intimidate Romeo, who outweights Leo in both size and fighting experience. At other times, his sometimes uppity brothers can send him running for cover. Go figure. It was Fathers Day in June 1999 when we heard this scrawny kitten crying in a thicket just a long block from home, and pulled him to safety. As we stood in middle of the road wondering what to do with this kitten, another couple came walking past and the man called out, "Happy Fathers Day, pal". Leo used up a few of his nine lives when he suffered a ruptured bladder last year, but he was quickly back acting like Alpha Cat. |
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Silverman
Silverman adopted us before we even knw it. This stray was on our deck waiting to meet us when we returned from a trip to Chicago in mid-September 1999. During the days we were traveling, he showed up, met our cats, decided they were okay, and taught himself to use the cat door in order to get a good meal. Until recently, he was a wandering cat, here for meals but otherwide gone. After a recent injury, I kept him in a room downstairs for several days and he decided this was also acceptable. Now he happily stays in his private suite several nights a week or if the weather's bad. He's a sweet cat with wondful blue eyes, and named for an interesting antique dealer we met in Alexandria, Virginia. |
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Duke
Duke is the only one of our cats we've known since his birth, which took place on the couch in my office early in the morning of April 30, 2002. We had rescued his mother, who we named Cybelle, just a few months earlier from the shambles of the home of a deceased cat hoarder. She was one of just a handful of the more than 50 cats left in the house to survive. She died within six months, but in that time gave birth to two beautiful kittens. We kept Duke and sometimes wish we had kept his sister as well. Cybelle taught Duke to be quiet, hunt roaches, and never refuse food if it's offered. He learned those lessons well, and has grown into an even tempered guy with the best of manners. |
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Toby
We weren't there for his birth, but we rescued Toby from the field below our house in October 2002 when he was just ten or twelve days old. He had to be hand fed, a process that created a very strong bond with us that continues to define our relationship. Toby is a sweetie but gets picked on my both Leo and Romeo, which has prompted him to spend more of his time outside than we like. Luckily, he usually stays close by and reappears when called. Usually. I always thought of Toby as a small cat until recently, when I noted his newly acquired heft. I've decided that he's sneaking into another household's cat food supply, although I haven't figured out the likely source as yet. |
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Romeo
This guy took refuge under our house on New Year's Day 2005, sending the other cats into a tizzie. I trapped him, fully expecting to deliver the feral stray to the Humane Society. Instead, he immediately let me pet him, and quickly demonstrated that he knew and enjoyed being around people. So we got him "fixed", brought him home, and opened the door, this time expecting him to probably head for the hills. But he settled down and moved in. Romeo tipped the scale at just over 15 pounds during his last visit to the vet and usually assumes the role of top cat when it comes to yard patrols and internal security, although at other times he rolls into a defensive ball when contronted by Mr. Leo. |
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...and introducing the black visitor
His unaltered days are numbered... |
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