The M.A.D. House Artists (Mom And Dad)
KIMBALL's CATS |
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NEMESIS
Nemesis was a fabulous kitty. She was the daughter of a feline whose claim to fame was one green eye and one blue eye. Nemesis was born in February of 2001 in a dry docked boat on a friend's property. Kimball had suffered the loss of his first cat, 12-year-old Sam, at the hands of poachers the previous fall, and Nemesis' mother had several kittens, some yellow like Sam, and several white ones. Guess which Kimball chose? She was wonderful! Nemesis would drape herself and be completely relaxed in any situation. It was the bobcat and the deforestation of the neighboring property that was her downfall. With the underbrush and tree cover gone, the white cat had no way to hide. One night in the spring of 2006, we heard the bobcat's hunting scream, and the next day Nemesis was nowhere to be found. It was almost exactly a year later when the new neighbors said they had seen her remains and we were able to recover them for a proper Ghat. This legendary kitty will always be fondly remembered by all of us here at The M.A.D. House Artists, especially Kimball. |
SAMUEL A. CAT
Sam is the second of Kimball's Cats by that name. The earlier one was found as a kitten at the playground in the Cape Coral Florida children's park near our Florida home when Kimball was 2 years old. They grew up together and his murder,when Kimball was 14, was a violent and unfortunate event. Who needs to use a hollow tipped rifle bullet to kill a 12-tyear-old cat with arthritis? Sam was duely cremated and his cremains are safely stored in an appropriately dignified Ginger Jar.
This current version was a complete surprise to Mom. She had captured the latest stray, put him through the regular processing (shots, worming and neutering) and was interested to find that he was as friendly as Nemesis and as chubby as Sam (1). Mom immediately messaged Kimball to alert him to the return of the cats. It was just too odd, seeing the new cat who looked so much like the one and acted so much like the other making his mark on our family (as well as the furniture...) Now Samuel A. Cat resides in the barn where he can jump out at Whiskers and Roger all day and all night, and his minor anti-social behaviors are less of an hazard. |
Although Kimball and Sam didn't meet until Kimball moved back to Oklahoma after college and career, Sam (the second) was so much like Kimball's previous cats, Nemesis and the earlier Sam, that this stray was easy to recognise as Kimball's Cat. This one is another 'dumped' pet, one that someone abandoned in our woods. He showed up in 2006, coming to eat in the barn. After the usual trip to the vet for shots and neutering, Sam has settled in in a big way. Mostly he wants to be the Alpha male, which is problematic because Mom's cat, Dusty, had held that title for many years. Of course the solution is a maze of Cat Diplomacy, involving doors and schedules. It boiled down to having the more senior cats live closer to the people, coming and going from the back deck that has been newly enclosed, and allowing Sam, Whiskers, Oley and Roger, the kitties who love to sleep in the hay, to live in the barn. (which is also closed at night.) Everyone is safe, warm , and relatively happy, and there are fewer fights and less territorial spraying (the emphasis on the latter.) Sam is a cuddle bunny with people, and spends his free time jumping out from behind things and 'ROARING' the other cats. Sam and Whiskers are the first ones to greet visitors to The M.A.D. House Artists (providing that Nymphadora and Alexander Dog are not around.) Sam and Whiskers are the welcoming committee and auto inspectors. Best to close your windows, or you may have a cute furry guest waking up in your car on your way home (see WHISKERS.)
UBU ROI, KIMBALL'S OTHER CAT  |
  
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