Over the years we've had a few pets. Some of those pets have had some, well, some quirks.
Obi Wan Kenobi
The quirkiest of all of them was Obi. Obi was gorgeous. Obi was also humongous. He was the coolest cat. Ever. People who didn't even like cats liked Obi.
I found Obi from an ad in the paper. There was the Mama Cat - a short haired, little black cat. There were all the other kittens - all small and short haired. And then there was Obi - twice the size of all the other kittens and fluffy and adorable. I took the big, fluffy, adorable one. Clay named him Obi Wan Kenobi. We noticed right away that he was always hungry - I bought him kitten food and one of those self feeders. He loved that thing! He loved it so much that when I took him to the vet when he was about 5 months old, the vet told me I needed to put him on a diet - stop buying the kitten food and get low calorie food and only feed him 1 cup, twice a day.
Yeah. That went over well.
We'd wake up in the morning, and try to pour a cup of coffee...but Obi would start batting at our legs, meowing insistently to be fed. I'd try to ignore him so I could have a cup of coffee first, but he would get annoyed if you didn't feed him right away and would wrap his paws around your legs and just hang on. So you would be dragging a 20+ lb. cat around. He trained us well, though. It didn't take long before we learned to scurry into the kitchen quickly and feed his majesty FIRST! Then, and only then, we could take care of ourselves. And heaven help us if we decided to sleep in past his appointed breakfast time. He would howl like the hounds of hell were after him. We didn't sleep late very often with Obi. I should mention that he wasn't really fat - he was just BIG! He was 24 lbs...and about the size of a Cocker Spaniel.
Once Obi was fed, he was happy and content. He was the most mellow, laid back cat (once he was fed, anyway)...we used to have a big party every Christmas. There were tons of people, everyone would sing karaoke and have a great time. In the midst of all the noise and people you would always find Obi lying in the middle of the floor, calm as can be, just waiting for someone to admire him and tell him how awesome he was. The kids always took him to school for show and tell, and that cat would settle himself calmly on a desk as 15-20 chattering and shouting excited kids congregated around him. He would allow them to admire his massive coolness in his inimitable Obi way.
When Obi died, it broke my heart. He was one of a kind.
Rags getting a hug from Paige
Rags getting a hug from Clay
Rags and Paige
Rags visits 2nd grade with Paige
Then there was Rags, the Old English Sheepdog. We got Rags from a rescue organization, and she had obviously been mistreated. She was very scared and submissive when we got her, but she was such a funny dog. The kids adored her. Paige would spend hours "doing" her hair - putting scrunchies in, and making her look bee-yoo-tee-ful. Rags was always patient and seemed to appreciate how gorgeous she was when Paige was finished!
As sweet as she was though, Rags did have a few quirks which we discovered along the way. She had a sweet tooth. In the 3 years that we had her she ate (snuck) 1/2 plate of brownies, 2 gingerbread houses, several bunches of grapes, numerous cookies, and 9 cupcakes (I managed to save 3 of them) which were cooling for Clay's birthday party. She also loved ice - anytime you went to the ice dispenser in the fridge, she would come running...as excited as if you were offering her a steak!
She was a silly, silly, sweet dog. We miss her.
There was Boomer, the GoldenDoodle - who used to belch like a grown man. Very loudly.
Buuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrppppppp.......
And now, without any further ado - let me introduce our current quirky pets.
Jack, 4 months old
Gus, 10 months old
Gus is the good, but easily influenced one. Jack is the troublemaker.
It bears mentioning that Gus is neutered and Jack is not. Yet. Jack has a little snip-snip appointment in one month and I am HIGHLY hopeful that he will then settle down.
Gus is a lover, Jack is a troublemaker. Jack is our problem child. Don't get me wrong, Jack can be sweet and cuddly too at times. Unfortunately, these cuddly times usually strike him around 5:00 am. He will jump on the bed and start demanding some lovin' in his little squeak of a meow. We'll cuddle for a while, with me half asleep. But then...he will get an idea in his head and off he'll go! Let me give you a couple of examples...
Yesterday, Tim walked in to the kitchen to find both cats up on the kitchen counter eating his watermelon. I have no doubt about which feline was the ringleader here, and it wasn't Gus!
I should mention that our cats are not, and never have been, allowed on the table or the counters. I know some people allow their cats to go wherever they choose, but I have just always discouraged this. Those cute little paws walk in their litter box - I don't want them walking where we prepare food. We have squirt guns all over the house to help show them the error of their ways.
Apparently, that's not working so well.
Plus? I never knew that cats LIKED watermelon!!
This morning Jack jumped up on one of the barstools and waited for poor old Lucy to come walking by. That is when he pounced on Lucy's back. Poor Lucy was NOT amused. Unfortunately, Jack was - which means he'll probably do it again.
He tears around our house like someone tied a stick of dynamite to his tail.
When he gets a certain look on his face, and his tail starts twitching we know we are in trouble.
He is a BAD influence on Gus.
And he is only 4 months old. I'm starting to get a bit worried about what our little hellion will be like as a full grown cat.
