Cat Profiles

Last Updated: 8/18- All profiles have been added!

Name: Lefty (Source: his gimpy left paw)

Alternate Names: Telly (former real name), Grandpa Lefty, King Lefty

Age: 17 (estimated)

Origin/History: Lefty was adopted by Jimmy from his previous owner a long time ago. Lefty resided with Jimmy & Bill in their New Bedford, MA apartment before moving out to Ohio with us. We moved out here with only 2 kitties, Lefty was one of them.

Favorite Foods/Flavors: Cheez-its, cheese, anything salty, popcorn

Special Needs: Lefty has a gimp paw from an injury that didn’t heal properly before we adopted him. The vets we have spoken to all agree that fixing it will cause him to have surgery (and more pain) and isn’t worth it since he gets along fine with it and it doesn’t bother him.

Personality in Five Words: regal, resourceful, calm, cool, grumpy

Personality Quirks: He is very vocal with a slightly pathetic sounding meow that makes him seem like he is always complaining.

Favorite Activities: sleeping, getting his chin scratched, letting people stack small objects on him (seriously…we like to see how many dice and other misc. D&D items we can put on Lefty before he moves), laying on D&D grids

Why I’m Awesome: Lefty is awesome because Lefty is my rock. Nothing bothers Lefty. He has this calm, collected demeanor that is a constant. He loves attention and his loud purr lets you know he is appreciating it. Lefty has a lot of character.  Oh…and he rolls dice…with his gimp paw.

Name: Dixee (Source: Previous Owner)

Alternate Names: Ditsy, Miss Dixee

Age: 11

Origin/History: Dixee, and Harree, were adopted by Jimmy & I while here in Toledo. Their previous owner was a friend who could no longer keep them.

Favorite Foods/Flavors: Warm soup, green olives, salty sauces that she can lick from my plate

Special Needs: None

Personality in Five Words: feminine, reserved, calm, quiet, sweet

Personality Quirks: I think it has been agreed upon that Dixee is the sweetest cat in the household. She loves curling up in typical, adorable, sleeping cat poses particularly in warm areas. Her purr is a quiet and breathy purr, very different from everyone else’s. While usually the most calm and reserved of the household, she’ll occasionally spaz out and get crazy hyper chasing the kittens or playing with toys.

Favorite Activities: politely waiting for me to be done eating so she can lick the plate, hunting her “murder babies” (small stuffed animals that she thinks of as prey) and carrying them into the room we are in to “feed” us…she’s very motherly that way, cleaning the kittens…and Harree…and whomever else she deems needs a bath

Why I’m Awesome: Dixee is awesome because: she makes the most adorable noises (her purr, and the noise she makes when she is “feeding” us), she pulls off being sweet & feisty at the same time really well, she takes care of everyone, she always senses when I don’t feel well and then lays next to me purring (the vibration of a cat’s purr has been shown to have healing properties in other cats, that is why nursing mom’s purr so much), and she is just downright adorable.

Name: Whisket (Source: the mishearing of the name my friend gave her when she was a tiny kitten)

Alternate Names: Piggy (she snorts like a big, and has stubby little legs), Whiskey, The Pig

Age: 9

Origin/History: She was adopted when a friend’s cat had kittens.

Favorite Foods/Flavors: Dairy, Creams, Sweet things (though research shows she isn’t supposed to taste these things…so either a) it’s the fat in them, or b) Jimmy’s right, she’s half bulldog).

Special Needs: Severe mental issues. She is great with people, but hates every other animal. She growls at fish in tanks, and birds in cages. She gets very stressed out when not in “her” designated area. Strangely, other cats are usually the aggressor…but she just puts out this aura that freaks other cats out. She seems quite happy in her room though, especially since it’s my office and some days I spend more time with her than the other kitties.

Personality in Five Words: affectionate, neurotic, slob, mellow (usually), moody

Personality Quirks: She drools. When you groom or pet her she sheds excessively. She’s super affectionate. When you take her outside, she just wanders around the backyard and hangs out with you. She doesn’t like to use the litterbox when you’re in the room (everyone else seems more likely to use it when I’m in the room).

Favorite Activities: watching the birds and bugs outside, lounging on a pillow

Why I’m Awesome: Piggy is quite a character, she always make you feel loved, she makes funny noises when you disturb/interrupt her, she is SO well-behaved (when she is in her room, or in the backyard, and when no other animals are about).

Name: Harree (Source: Previous owner)

Alternate Names: Harree, Harree Potter, Mr. Potter (when he’s in trouble, Harry Baby, Hairy Butt, Harree Butters

Age: 7

Origin/History: Adopted from the same friend that had Dixee.

Favorite Foods/Flavors: Canteloupe and tomatoes…I have a theory that since his body requires extra potassium, he craves high potassium foods. Or, it’s a texture thing.

Special Needs: Chronic kidney problems. Harree is on a low protein diet and takes a potassium supplement, which means he has to be fed separately from all the other cats (not something he enjoys). Every 6 months he needs to have bloodwork done to make sure his kidney-related levels are in check. He’s also a bit overweight…but the vet lets that slide, as he is on a special diet with restricted amounts.

Personality in Five Words: photogenic, spaz, cuddly, pretty, friendly

Personality Quirks: Harree gets in these moods where he has to have my attention. But his way of getting it is so charming, I cave. He sits next to me and rubs his face against mine while snuggling up to me, and throwing the occasional kiss in. He is so sweet and gentle with his affection, it is very difficult to tell him to go away. He is a bit shy around new people, but very friendly after he gets to know you. He loves a good tummy rub, but he doesn’t like to be held with his tummy exposed.

Favorite Activities: Sitting politely and quietly right next to my laptop, and frequently demanding attention; pretending like he is one of the kittens; chasing Momma Meredith around

Why I’m Awesome: He is our largest cat, but his meow is the tiniest, squeakiest, quietest of the bunch. Every photo taken of him comes out phenomenal. He has gorgeous huge eyes. His coat has a very complex coloration with hints of cream and a rusty orange on a background of gray. He makes you feel loved.

Name: Meredith (Source: Click here)

Alternate Names: Mama Meredith, Mama

Age: 2 (estimated)

Origin/History: Showed up in our backyard during the winter of ’09-’10. We felt bad for her, so we began feeding her, and she eventually began living in the snowmobile hut. Once we realized she was probably pregnant, we took her in, isolated her from the others, and got her checked out by the vet. She was pregnant, but otherwise healthy and parasite-free. She gave birth to three kittens in March of 2010, and we adopted her and all three kittens.

Favorite Foods/Flavors: If I had posted this last week, my answer would have been “none”…or “normal dry cat food”. She’s the first cat I’ve ever been owned by who doesn’t really like wet food, treats or human food. She just eats dry food. However, this weekend we discovered that she LOVES Synder’s honey mustard pretzels…she hopped up on the D&D table…with 5 of us surrounding her, and helped herself to (Meghan’s? maybe?) plate of pretzels…and she went CRAZY for them.

Special Needs: None, physically. She’s a bit overweight, but she hardly eats anything and it’s often a side-effect of cats giving birth. However, emotionally, she’s a bit of a mess (see below).

Personality in Five Words: affectionate, nervous, shy, persistent, resourceful

Personality Quirks: We do not know what her situation was before she was outside, though we are certain she is not feral. She is very friendly, was immediately familiar with what a litterbox was, and she isn’t aggressive in the slightest. When we first took her in, she was people shy and very, very skittish. It is possible she was abused…or at least came from a house where one or more individuals did not love her as much as they should have. She has made great strides since she has been with us, and while still nervous and skittish, she now actively seeks attention. She doesn’t like to be held, picked up, grabbed, or even have more than on hand placed on her….but given how much she has changed over this past year, I have very high hopes.

Favorite Activities: Looking out the window, demanding that her butt (well, lower back) be scratched, curling up in adorable positions with her “kittens” (the two boys are now much bigger than her- see the picture above…the orange cat is one of her kittens)

Why I’m Awesome: Meredith survived a harsh winter outside while pregnant with kittens. She managed to give birth to three huge, healthy kittens. Two kittens were too large to make it through the birth canal, so she had to go in for emergency surgery (those 2 didn’t make it). The vet thought she wouldn’t be able to nurse her kittens because the pain from the surgery would be too much. She went back to nursing within 3 hours of coming home. She then went on to be an excellent mother- caring, training her kittens to eat and use the litterbox. She was a very active parent. Now that they are older, they still curl up to nap next to her, and she still cleans them.

Name: Fred (Source: Click here)

Alternate Names: Fredrick (when he’s in trouble)

Age: 1 (16 months, as of July ’11)

Origin/History: Born in our own home in March 2010 to Mama Meredith. Fred was the largest of the three kittens at birth (he was 6.6 ounces…kittens are usually between 3 and 5 ounces at birth, so he was a big boy!) and he was the first to open his eyes (a few days before the other two, actually).

Favorite Foods/Flavors: Fred prefers treats and wet food to dry food, and he has only casual interest in human food. He, as of yet, has not displayed any flavor preferences. He doesn’t eat much, which explains why he is the thinnest (but not the lightest) of the cats.

Special Needs: None? Does crying incessantly to be picked up count? He’s very emotionally needy. :p

Personality in Five Words: floppy, lumpy, doofus, baby, awesome

Personality Quirks: He will get into these moods where he has to be picked up and cradled like baby…and he’ll cry until that happens. He is willing to expend a lot of energy when it is worth it (playing, jumping) but conserves as much as possible for mundane activities. For instance, he often lays down while he is drinking water. When he is ready to nap, he flops down right where he is (regardless of location). He is obsessed with birds.

Favorite Activities: Watching birds…either on the TV or outside, being held

Why I’m Awesome: Fred likes to be held, but doesn’t really care what the position is. He is very floppy and will conform to whatever position you wish to hold him. I can sit him in my lap like you would a human child, and he’ll lean back and fall asleep with his head on my chest. You can throw him over your shoulder and carry him, he won’t resist (as long as he is comfortable with you, of course). He just stays wherever you put him- as long as its remotely comfortable. He is just so….floppy. Oh, and there is something gratifying to my maternal instincts when he cries to be held by me…makes me feel well loved.

Name: Miles (Source: Click here)

Alternate Names: MyMiles, Mileszez

Age: 1 (16 months, as of July ’11)

Origin/History: Born in our own home in March 2010 to Mama Meredith. Miles was the lightest of the three kittens both in weight (now, he is the heaviest) and color. Fred was the first to open his eyes, Miles was the first one to leave the “nest” (ie. the definite pillow/clothes pile area). He was the first to walk, the first to use the litterbox, and the first to get in trouble.

Favorite Foods/Flavors: Anything that you’d anticipate a cat to eat. He likes all cat food (dry or wet), all treats (every flavor), chicken, tuna, cheese, etc… He is always willing to eat. However, he doesn’t venture for more “exotic” foods like melon or olives, as is true with Dixee and Harree.

Special Needs: None…though out of all the cats, he is the most likely to be put on a diet.

Personality in Five Words: jumpy, Garfield, vocal, friendly, lazy

Personality Quirks: Miles has a couple very stereotypical cat qualities. He is curious which always gets him into trouble. He’s the definitive “scaredy cat”- he gets spooked easily, hides behind the furnace when our friend visits with his dog, and runs from loud noises.

Favorite Activities: “Helping” mom in the kitchen- he likes to jump up on the stools in the kitchen and watch me cook/prepare cat food/etc… He likes lying on his back with his tummy exposed. Sleeping. Eating.

Why I’m Awesome: He comes (slowly) when he is called by name. We have frequent conversations because he is so vocal. He’s  my Miles…Miles seems to have a particularly preference for me (unlike Miss Melody who is daddy’s girl)…and I adore that…it makes me feel loved. He cuddles with his mom/siblings often…Miss Melody is always bathing him, which is so adorable.

Name: Melody (Source: Click here)

Alternate Names: Miss Melody, Missa Missa Melody, Little One, Baby Girl, Melody Boo

Age: 1 (16 months, as of July ’11)

Origin/History: Born in our own home in March 2010 to Mama Meredith. When she was born, she wasn’t the tiniest but within a few day, she established herself as the slow-growing one. Unlike the boys, she maintained her petite frame and is our smallest kitty.

Favorite Foods/Flavors: Salmon, Salmon, Salmon!!! Miss Melody LOVES fish…shrimp, tuna, salmon…she prefers seafood over poultry or beef. However, salmon makes her go nuts. She loves Salmon-flavored treats, the freeze dried salmon, and wetfood with salmon.

Special Needs: She is polydactyl, which is a genetically-inherited congenital abnormality resulting in extra digits, meaning she was born with extra toes. Melody has only 2 extra toes- one on each of her front paws. This does not pose any health-related issues for her, other than we need to check her extra claws often to ensure they are the proper length since they are in an awkward location for her to tend to herself. Polydactyl cats are often more dexterous than other cats with their front paws, and Melody is no exception.

Personality in Five Words: energetic, brave, nimble, playful, sweet

Personality Quirks: Miss Melody is very active and she constantly wants to be played with. She plays hard- jumping high and running fast to catch whatever her current toy is. When no one will play with her, she plays by herself- tossing her mouse in the air and catching it. She has trouble sitting still, even while being pet. She naps as hard as she plays, though. When she’s tired…she sleeps like a rock and for a long while. Jimmy & Melody have a special bond due to their playful personalities…when either of them are bored, they entertain each other. He throws the football, she’ll tackle it. He throws her mouse, she’ll get it.

Favorite Activities: Hunting “Melody Bugs”….we see about 2 to 4 of these tiny, harmless, flying bugs each week. Miss Melody enjoys hunting them. When she can’t reach them on her own, she cries until someone (usually Jimmy) lifts her up so she can reach them. She is excellent with her paws, and can catch bugs between them with ease. She also is an expert at tracking other bugs (and spiders)…while she doesn’t seem to care about these bugs as much, she’ll follow them around until we notice, and smoosh them.

Why I’m Awesome: She’s SO tiny. She’s very intelligent and enjoys figuring things out…Jimmy likes to hide her mouse in hard-to-reach areas to see what she thinks of (all under supervision of course). She definitely has a trainable quality to her….but she doesn’t care about getting a food reward, just praise. I’ve trained her to jump up and grab my arm when I stick it out and call her. Oh, and out of all the cats, she is the least likely to scratch you. She hardly ever uses her nails on humans. She loves to pick the posts, but when interacting with a human she seems to know to keep them in. She loves to use my leg as a place to stretch- but no nails are ever felt. When she kneads my tummy before laying down- no nails! Just don’t stand between her and her mousey…