NEW MEMBER: Brontë

Brontë

Hi! I'm Brontë. I am 6 years old and here is my story. When I was born I was the youngest of a litter of eight kittens (just like my human Mom!) My biological mom couldn't handle having such a lot of kids at once because she was a stray and didn't have enough food to make milk for all of us. Me and my brother were the only torties, all my other brothers and sisters were white with blue eyes. (Again, just like my Mom-she and her brother were in only ones in her family with auburn hair and green eyes, all the others have blonde hair and blues eyes. Maybe that's why my mom felt such a connection to me!) Anyway, since Kitty Mom couldn't feed all of us, I became the runt. I grew weaker and weaker until some people found my Kitty Mom and our family and took us in their house. Kitty Mom made more milk then, but because we didn't bond, she still didn't take care of me. She didn't clean me or let me snuggle with her, or show me how to hunt. My brothers and sisters didn't play with me. I was very lonely until one day a man came to the house and took me home with him! I thought someone would love me at last. Except after a few days at this man's house, he got tired of taking care of me (especially cleaning my bum because I didn't know how to do it very well). Lucky for me, after a week a girl (my Mom!) moved into this mans' house to be his roommate. She fell in love with me right away! She took care of me and took me with her when she moved into her own home. Ever since then Mom and me have lived together and we love each other very, very much. Mom still has to clean me, because I never really got the hang of that, and she says I have "tortitude". But she tells me I'm a very good girl and always tells me how lucky she is to have me as such a wonderful friend.

NEW MEMBER: DELILAH

DELILAH

Hi, I never really was fond of the look of tortoiseshell cats until I was adopted by a 3 month old stray. Now I'm crazy about them! Delilah is a handful but so loving and active. She fetches little cat-sized soccer balls (sometimes footballs) and is a constant source of love and action.

She's full of 'tortitude'. I really love your site and all the pictures!
Thank you,
Karen Heese

p.s.:

I don't have a blog but a new website:
http://www.stuffformypet.com/ It's really new and not officially launched yet. In the forum I have a Tortie thread that is starting to be popular. I'm going to post about the TATA site.
Here's a link to the thread:
http://forum.www.stuffformypet.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4. I also posted a video of Delilah: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=iY0m0AU0Nls

Thanks again. I am enjoying reading about the awesome torties on your blog

NEW MEMBER: NIKA

NIKA Hi!

My fiance and I just adopted a Tortie from our local animal shelter and she sure has the famous tortie-tude! Our little baby had been at the shelter for 2 months before we met her --we like to think she was waiting for us and her forever home with us. Our Tortie was brought to the shelter by a pregnant woman who didn't want her any more and hadn't even named her. We named her "Nika" and ever since then our little nick-nack (what I call her even though my fiance thinks that embarrassing!) has been the queen of our house. Although she wasn't very verbal when she was just getting used to us, now her loquaciousness can't be capped!!!--especially in the middle of the night!

Nika's picture from when she was in the shelter is attached. If we're allowed to join, new ones will be on the way!

-Michelle

MORE PICTURES OF BEAUTIFUL NIKA

NEW MEMBER: ARIEL

WELCOME NEW MEMBER:

ARIEL
Hi,Catzee told me about you and I'd like to join my human mom will tell my story....

I got Ariel when she was just 8 weeks old from a pet shop.It was a cold rainy morning that day and when I walked in the man quickly took me to the cats.There were a lot of cages with different cats and kittens of all sizes and colors.Yet I noticed the man skipped over one cage So I went over to that cage and it looked empty so I lightly tapped it and out of the back came this tiny ball of grey fluff.I asked the man if I could hold the tiny kitten and he opened the cage and place it in my hands.I couldn't believe how tiny it was so I put it on my chest and heard it purring softly.I fell instantly in love and decided to take the kitty home.Yet I didn't know that I was getting a sick kitten.A trip to the vet 4 days later let me know this little girl kitty had a serious stomach parasite.Plus she was underweight the vet told me she was probably put in the cage and left to die.He gave me some medicine yet no guarantees.Yet I vowed never to give up.I went home and with a lot of love and medicine and special kitten food and milk.I watched as a kitten who wasn't expected to live got stronger and healthier and now that little kitten is a happy 6 years old.

Thank You Darlene (Ariel's Mommy)

REMEMBERING KALI

One of our members has gone to the Bridge. Please keep Kali and her family in your prayers.

NEW MEMBER: KALI

KALI

My name is Kali. I may be the eldest tortie on the cat blogoshpere. My gotcha story happened a long time ago. Soon it will be 19 years ago. My uncle was studying at University California at Davis' summer school. My mom went up to visit him from San Jose, CA, about a three hour drive back then. One morning when when my uncle was in class, my mom decided to go shopping in a nearby mall. When she had barely stepped into the air-conditioned shopping center she ran into the local shelter sponsered pet adoption fair. Mom went around the perimeter meeting all the cute kitties. When she picked me up I clung to her shoulder and I purred purred purred as loud as my little kitten body could. Hee, hee, hee, she had never met a tortie before. She didn't know what attitude I would grow into. So of course you've probably figured out that she picked me.

18 years later of tortielishious companionship has left my mom in love with my independent nature. Others don't understand me, I save all my love for my mom. I have no patience for other animals or beans for that manner. Mom is my best friend and because of that she loves me the most. I live with four other fury things, but I do not put up with any nonsense from them. In my mind I'm still my mom's only cat. The others are just visitors who will leave us alone any day now. Mom says she would like for me to tolerate the others. Ha! Dream on Mom.

Eighteen years has given me a lot of experience. So I do have some words of wisdom for the younger torties. First of all, in order to be a proper tortoiseshell you must understand that you are THE boss. You do not share this title with any other being furry or furless. You must reign with the paw and or mouth. If you've stated your desire, such as, "Feed me that piece of chicken," and you are ignored you MUST bite the hand that refused to feed you. If another furry object is playing with the feather-butt mousie that you now desire you whap, whap, whap without mercy until the offending fur-thing runs off screaming for their mommy. If someone goes to pet you without asking permission that's a hand biting offense for sure. Small children are not exempt from these rules. They should never have been allowed in your domain in the first place. I suppose you could bite the parent for allowing them in the house. The only problem is that parents can be quite dense and they might be confused about what offense they've made. It's your call, really. If there is more than one tortie in your home--heaven help you, I have no idea how to handle that situation. I would assume that you would all show your tortitude best and the dominate girl would win.

I'm a very old girl now. I've been dreaming of the Rainbow Bridge more and more lately. Mom asks me if to tell her if I want help crossing over. I'm too stuborn to go just yet. I do need her to realize that it won't be long now. I want her to be ready so when I do go she won't be a mess. She tells me that that she's never going to be ready, and that I just need to let her be sad. Well, that day isn't today, so maybe she needs to just adore me one day at a time.

Your friend in this tortoiseshellwonderful world,
Kali

New Members: Kissimmee Torties

Willow Gypsy Rose

There is a feral population of Torties in our neighborhood who have "adopted" us over the years. They come nighlty for dinner and a friendly word or two. When they have kittens, they bring them to us for safe keeping. We socialize the babies and work with our local SPCA to find them good homes. A few have been so unique that they have found their way inside our house (6 in all)! ... how can you not love those faces?!?!?

Lorraine & David Ambrose