Ben & Tracy's Cats

Proud pet parent of:

Piccolo (Dark Brown Mackeral Tabby Male - 18 tall pounds of attitude)
Xena (Brown Mackeral Tabby w/White Female - 11 pounds of feline feminity)
Bacchus (Med Brown Mackeral Tabby Male - 17 pounds of grumpy sweetness)

Benji (Jumbo Brown Mackeral Tabby Male - in profile photo with me - 21 pounds) passed away December 2005 of HCM (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy) before he was 3 years old. I included him because his memory is still very much a part of our life.

Friday and Saturday - Female and Male black persians, both passed over the rainbow bridge in 2003 at the ages of 18 and 16, respectively. Saturday was my little fishing buddy and quite a yodeler.

How we met:

Piccolo is from a great breeder in Michigan. He's my autistic anti-Maine Coon. Loud, Opinionated, Hated to be touched as a kitten. He had herpes as a kitten and was very sick for many months, but pulled through ok. Still has issues with a runny eye when stressed. Born 2005.

Xena was saved from an abusive environment at a Cat Show down in Peoria. She's also a Maine Coon, was 6 months old, had never been outside a cage, dirty, flea ridden, had tape worms, and did not know how to play or that human touch could be kind. Smallest of the bunch, but rules the roost. Apparently immune to Herpes. Born 2003.

Bacchus is a new addition as of November 2008. He is also a Maine Coon. I found him at a local animal control. He is estimated to be 3-4 years old, front declawed by previous owner.

Pet likes:

Anthing done their way. Piccolo now has our Cat Park named after him because he loves to lie down out there when we go out for evening walks.

Xena likes to walk the Koi Pond and climb the waterfall.

Bacchus loves my husband Ben. He adores him and they have been secretly observed talking to one another. He also loves FOOD.

I should probably put in this disclaimer that anytime they are outside for their walks, they are strictly supervised and watched. Any attempt to wander to our neighbors yard results in being put back inside. Privileges are revoked for the day. Or I will walk them separately. Bacchus and Xena prefer to go out together, as they tend to stay together. Piccolo is walked with the other two, but is extremely headstrong and is very, very good at killing.

Pet dislikes:

Piccolo and Xena hate surprises, the doorbell, and the smoke alarm.

If you ignore Piccolo too long, he will begin shredding something. Paper, mail, toilet paper, paper towels, the couch.

Bacchus does not like you to touch his belly or feet. He was declawed by his previous owner and is a biter. However, we are working on trust issues and he has come a long way since November. He no longer bites unless you intentionally push his buttons. The belly thing is really a trust issue. I think in a few months he will let me rub it. If not, that's ok too.

Pet’s favorite spot:

Window sill. Any window sill. Especially the window where the birdfeeder is.

Xena sleeps on my pillow. Piccolo sleeps on any body part he can find. Bacchus sleeps by his human, Ben. Yeah, it gets crowded, but it's fun being surrounded by snoring furry felines.

Pet’s favorite toy:

Anything on a stick with something at the end that flutters.
Piccolo loves to chase and attack kibbles.
Xena watches, annoyed.
Bacchus is a play hound. Anything that moves is a toy.

Pet’s silliest habit:

Piccolo walks around with his love bunny in his mouth.

Xena carries her feather toy up and down the stairs meowing, pitiful sound.

Bacchus likes to roll on concrete. Our basement is not finished and when he goes downstairs or in the garage, he immediately starts rolling on the exposed concrete. Weird.

Benji would clean your head if you needed a shower. No kidding. If he determined you needed freshening up, he would try. Move away, and he just scooted forward to finish the job.

Pet’s sweetest moments:

Xena likes to cuddle on my chest for rubs.

Piccolo greets me at the door and demands attention - his 3-minute rubs. He waits outside the shower, then demands a 3-minute rub. He waits until the alarm clock goes off, then demands a 3-minute rub. He is a demanding sweetie.

Bacchus sits by Ben when we are eating and looks up with those pitiful I-have-not-been-fed-for-a-week eyes. Continue to ignore him and he will begin verbally begging.

Benji was the sweetest animal I have ever met. He did not have an evil bone in his body. He would come over and lay on you, beside you, groom you, and comfort you. He loved to be carried around and adored humans. We miss him.

I crack up when my pet:

Goes nuts over fresh catnip. They get really goofy. Fresh catnip is consumed quickly and then after spurts of rolling and racing about, they will crash and take a nap.

My pet is unique because:

Each cat I have had in my life is/was very unique and had very different personalities. I enjoy their differences and independence.