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Gabrielle
Marlena Melvyn Garrett
Gabri is the eldest of the lot, born in
1990.
As a baby, this fluff ball played so hard she would literally drop in
mid-run,
sound asleep. Upon awakening, she would bolt off as if she had
never
paused. She is House Queen and rules with a firm paw. She
also
loathes Pretty Girl, so they are separated by a baby gate-- Pretty
lives
in my loft/balcony area. Gabrielle spends her days on her side of
the gate plotting ways to get through to murder the baby. She has
even tried to dig under it. While she plots, the boys come and go
freely
by hopping the gate--seems Gabri doesn't know that, as a cat, she can
JUMP! |
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Delbert
"Bart" Clinton Garrett
His middle name is from my
Grandpa, not
the President.
Delbert was a dumped cat who found me. I found him one night when I
heard
what sounded like a cat being eviscerated-- horribly tortured
screaming.
I ran outside to see him shrieking because a possum was 10 feet
away--it
ran faster than I knew they could. We became buddies and
Delbert
moved in as winter came. He is the official house greeter and
reluctant
dad to Sweets. Each day, the two males spar for dominance--it's a
guy thing--but Sweets idolizes Delbert who, instead, showers his
affection
on me. It's a complicated household. |
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Sweet
Boy "Little Poop" Garrett
OK, think of a stronger word for
"poop".
He was my problem child. He used to get into everything and was a
bit wild. He and Pretty were strays, born in my backyard around
1996
and they finally adopted me. While they were outside, Sweets knew
no fear--he even ran off raccoons if they got into his food. Once
inside, he was a maniac, but he has matured nicely. He is also known as
"Junior" because he looks like Delbert and tries to act just like
him...which
means that since Delbert is in love with me, so is Sweets. They
are
my lap cats--too often at the same time. When Sweets isn't on my
lap, he is pestering Danielle for fun. |
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Pretty
Girl Garrett
Pretty is a scaredy cat. Gabri
began attacking
her shortly after she and Sweets came in. Pretty is gorgeous, but
few see her because she often hides under the bed (see photo).
The
second floor is hers so she oversees the rest of us from her
balcony.
She gets frequent visits from the males because they are all buddies,
and
she sleeps with me (and Delbert, of course). Pretty is not the
normal
cat--she sometimes jumps onto the balcony railing and slips, falling to
the floor below. Then she runs upstairs and jumps the gate,
leaving
Gabri wishing that she could jump the gate, too--to KILL THE BABY!!!!!! |
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Rest In
Peace...
Danielle
Nicole Garrett
Danielle was born in 1992 and I had to
let her go on June 5, 2008, after a long battle with renal
failure. It broke my heart to do so, but she became very ill very
quickly, and it was the humane thing to do, to free her from her
suffering. When I first got Dani, I labored over
whether to get a second cat, thinking Gabri--then an only child--might
like a playmate but also
fearing she might be jealous. When they met, Dani ran out of the
cage to greet her new mom, who promptly hissed and swatted her.
Good
start! The next day, Gabri was sharing her food. So Dani was
really Gabri's pet. Her fur was wonderfully silky but matted
terribly,
so she often looked scruffy. Dani had an attitude--if she liked
you, she would strut nearby to get you to pet her. If she disliked you,
you would
know. In her elder years, she became quite affectionate, spending
much time on my shoulder or draped somehow across my body when I was
sitting down. Even with four fuzzers left, the house feels rather
empty without her here.
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Thanks, Punky, for all of our good times together.
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Far
Left--Junior
and his big brother. (The guys like to hang out together.)
Left top--~2005. OK,
this
was defininitely NOT Danielle's best time! She was so matted that
the hair stylist decided a summer shave was in order. Dani was
instantly
transformed into a Poodle/Shar-pei cross. There was a whole lot
of
chubby under all that hair! She wore fuzzy ankle "boots" on her
front
feet, but appeared to be wearing fuzzy knee "boots" on the back, and
the
bushiest tail you can imagine. I am pleased to report that her
luxurious
coat has returned, soft as velvet. She looked so odd as a
hairless
model, however, that the boys stared in bewilderment! Naked cat
is
not appealing.
Left bottom: Gabi watching for Pretty in the balcony overhead.
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