One day, about 15 years ago, we started to notice a new addition to the neighborhood strays, gray and rather small, like a jellicle cat, peering at us from the hedges or from beneath the pickup, never coming near, like the ferals. We didn't know she was casing the place. After over a month of scrutiny, the day came when, as my husband was walking in the back door, she shot past him into the house, and proceeded to never leave. Little Bit had found herself a home, of her own choosing. She was like that, she chose for herself.
Even inside with us, she was standoffish at first, but took up at once with our then bosscat, Bosco, which meant instant acceptance from the other kitties. And after awhile, she decided we'd do too, and became quite the lapcat, although she never liked to be picked up. One petted her at her leave. We had a time getting her to the vet for her first checkup, and the second, and the third ... luckily she stayed healthy, for she was quick to turn buzzsaw on the vet or anybody else who wanted to fool with her without her permission. With us she was loving, but then we never picked her up if we didn't just have to.
As our Bosco aged, Little Bit became her Segundo, a constant companion who helped Bosco keep the other kitties in their places and make sure we humans acted as well as anything so odd as to walk on two legs could be expected to act. When Bosco passed away, Little Bit took up the mantle of Boss, which was her due, and she held this position with ease the rest of her life. She got on well with the other kitties so long as they knew their places, and became especially close to Cisco, our gentle giant, and Cedric Yellerfeller, the perpetual baby of the bunch. Besides riding herd on the tomcats, she also kept watch on us, and from the time we were greeted at the bedroom door of a morning to when we went back to bed, she was a constant presence who seemed to know our schedules better than we did. Life was grand, so long as it was lived on Her terms. Our Little Bit ruled! And nobody could look more disgruntled when things didn't suit her, her upper eyelids assuming straight lines and the tip of her tongue showing.
Age didn't seem to faze her in the least, she was as active in her last week as ever, and then she passed quietly in her sleep, curling up for a nap and never waking back up. Our crew is now 5 minus one, not 4. Little Bit is still watching us from her perch on the Rainbow Bridge, independent as ever I'm sure, making sure all behave as they ought.
The year of her birth above is an estimate, the vet saying she was "about two or so" on her first visit to him.
A cat is pure love!
Even inside with us, she was standoffish at first, but took up at once with our then bosscat, Bosco, which meant instant acceptance from the other kitties. And after awhile, she decided we'd do too, and became quite the lapcat, although she never liked to be picked up. One petted her at her leave. We had a time getting her to the vet for her first checkup, and the second, and the third ... luckily she stayed healthy, for she was quick to turn buzzsaw on the vet or anybody else who wanted to fool with her without her permission. With us she was loving, but then we never picked her up if we didn't just have to.
As our Bosco aged, Little Bit became her Segundo, a constant companion who helped Bosco keep the other kitties in their places and make sure we humans acted as well as anything so odd as to walk on two legs could be expected to act. When Bosco passed away, Little Bit took up the mantle of Boss, which was her due, and she held this position with ease the rest of her life. She got on well with the other kitties so long as they knew their places, and became especially close to Cisco, our gentle giant, and Cedric Yellerfeller, the perpetual baby of the bunch. Besides riding herd on the tomcats, she also kept watch on us, and from the time we were greeted at the bedroom door of a morning to when we went back to bed, she was a constant presence who seemed to know our schedules better than we did. Life was grand, so long as it was lived on Her terms. Our Little Bit ruled! And nobody could look more disgruntled when things didn't suit her, her upper eyelids assuming straight lines and the tip of her tongue showing.
Age didn't seem to faze her in the least, she was as active in her last week as ever, and then she passed quietly in her sleep, curling up for a nap and never waking back up. Our crew is now 5 minus one, not 4. Little Bit is still watching us from her perch on the Rainbow Bridge, independent as ever I'm sure, making sure all behave as they ought.
The year of her birth above is an estimate, the vet saying she was "about two or so" on her first visit to him.
A cat is pure love!
One day, about 15 years ago, we started to notice a new addition to the neighborhood strays, gray and rather small, like a jellicle cat, peering at us from the hedges or from beneath the pickup, never coming near, like the ferals. We didn't know she was casing the place. After over a month of scrutiny, the day came when, as my husband was walking in the back door, she shot past him into the house, and proceeded to never leave. Little Bit had found herself a home, of her own choosing. She was like that, she chose for herself.
Even inside with us, she was standoffish at first, but took up at once with our then bosscat, Bosco, which meant instant acceptance from the other kitties. And after awhile, she decided we'd do too, and became quite the lapcat, although she never liked to be picked up. One petted her at her leave. We had a time getting her to the vet for her first checkup, and the second, and the third ... luckily she stayed healthy, for she was quick to turn buzzsaw on the vet or anybody else who wanted to fool with her without her permission. With us she was loving, but then we never picked her up if we didn't just have to.
As our Bosco aged, Little Bit became her Segundo, a constant companion who helped Bosco keep the other kitties in their places and make sure we humans acted as well as anything so odd as to walk on two legs could be expected to act. When Bosco passed away, Little Bit took up the mantle of Boss, which was her due, and she held this position with ease the rest of her life. She got on well with the other kitties so long as they knew their places, and became especially close to Cisco, our gentle giant, and Cedric Yellerfeller, the perpetual baby of the bunch. Besides riding herd on the tomcats, she also kept watch on us, and from the time we were greeted at the bedroom door of a morning to when we went back to bed, she was a constant presence who seemed to know our schedules better than we did. Life was grand, so long as it was lived on Her terms. Our Little Bit ruled! And nobody could look more disgruntled when things didn't suit her, her upper eyelids assuming straight lines and the tip of her tongue showing.
Age didn't seem to faze her in the least, she was as active in her last week as ever, and then she passed quietly in her sleep, curling up for a nap and never waking back up. Our crew is now 5 minus one, not 4. Little Bit is still watching us from her perch on the Rainbow Bridge, independent as ever I'm sure, making sure all behave as they ought.
The year of her birth above is an estimate, the vet saying she was "about two or so" on her first visit to him.
A cat is pure love!
Even inside with us, she was standoffish at first, but took up at once with our then bosscat, Bosco, which meant instant acceptance from the other kitties. And after awhile, she decided we'd do too, and became quite the lapcat, although she never liked to be picked up. One petted her at her leave. We had a time getting her to the vet for her first checkup, and the second, and the third ... luckily she stayed healthy, for she was quick to turn buzzsaw on the vet or anybody else who wanted to fool with her without her permission. With us she was loving, but then we never picked her up if we didn't just have to.
As our Bosco aged, Little Bit became her Segundo, a constant companion who helped Bosco keep the other kitties in their places and make sure we humans acted as well as anything so odd as to walk on two legs could be expected to act. When Bosco passed away, Little Bit took up the mantle of Boss, which was her due, and she held this position with ease the rest of her life. She got on well with the other kitties so long as they knew their places, and became especially close to Cisco, our gentle giant, and Cedric Yellerfeller, the perpetual baby of the bunch. Besides riding herd on the tomcats, she also kept watch on us, and from the time we were greeted at the bedroom door of a morning to when we went back to bed, she was a constant presence who seemed to know our schedules better than we did. Life was grand, so long as it was lived on Her terms. Our Little Bit ruled! And nobody could look more disgruntled when things didn't suit her, her upper eyelids assuming straight lines and the tip of her tongue showing.
Age didn't seem to faze her in the least, she was as active in her last week as ever, and then she passed quietly in her sleep, curling up for a nap and never waking back up. Our crew is now 5 minus one, not 4. Little Bit is still watching us from her perch on the Rainbow Bridge, independent as ever I'm sure, making sure all behave as they ought.
The year of her birth above is an estimate, the vet saying she was "about two or so" on her first visit to him.
A cat is pure love!
