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

WELCOME NEW MEMBER: HALLOWEEN

Halloween

I live in San Francisco, California, on the side of a hill. I am 16 years old. I was a feral kitten. I showed up in my peoples' back yard one morning with my brothers and sister and mom. Ryan, who was a little boy then, saw us in his back yard and yelled, "Look at all the kitties!" I ended up staying with Ryan, The Food Lady and Food Dude. My sister, August, moved in a couple of doors away. The rest of the family went other places.

I like to run around in the yards behind our house, and on our hill. I like to chase and catch the birdies sometimes, and I am also very, very good at catching mice and rats, which I leave as treasured gifts at the side of my Food Lady's bed. Because I am getting older, I spend more time inside now, snoopervising the People and their projects. I especially like to sit on the Food Dude while he yells at sports on the television.

I do have lots of attitude, but fortunately my People adore me.

Here's a link to my blog.http://halloween-halloweenthecat.blogspot.com/

I've attached a photo for you to include on my TATA entry.
Thanks for letting me join the clan!

INTRODUCING: STARBUCK

Starbuck

This is Starbuck- she's my first ever tortie and as she's ten weeks old she doesn't have a very long story just yet! I'd been looking for a male kitten but she was down the front of the cage going "Pick me! Pick me!" As my last cat had had anxiety issues, I wanted to go the other way - she was the boldest and most confident kitten there, I asked the attendant if I could have a closer look at her. She purred in my arms the moment I held her, and cried piteously when she was put back in the cage. She knew what to do!

She's got my poor older cat completely nonplussed - she's fearless and is wearing down her new big sister's resistance one day at a time. She ignored her own bowl and litter tray and uses the older cat's things. She's getting braver - every time her big sister hisses, she backs off just that little bit less and the big girl is that little bit less annoyed. Right now big girl is sitting in the windowsill, giving the evil eye through the lace curtain tolittle girl. It's not working...

THANK YOU ZOOLATRY!!!

Starbuck now has her own blog:

http://starbuckcatblog.blogspot.com/

Please go and visit her!