RANDOM TRIVIA THOUGHTS 2 CATS

Jan. 2, 2009 before listening to or reading any news media may be a day without a serious column. Certainly the first was quiet and cold. The spring on our garage door opener broke late on the 31st, thus if I had to take my car out I would have had to manually lift the door and close it. Too much trouble on a day that started out with a wind chill factor hovering around 0!.

I can use this interlude to tell everyone about our two cats. After 60 years of dogs, birds, and concurrent cats we decided 11 years ago to settle on only low maintenance pets, ones that did not have to be walked, or need a clean cage.

Mack and Mick my two identical litter brothers "Abbys" can finally relax. "Shootshe" my daughter's playful Australian shepherd and our great grandchildren have gone home and will not be back for at least another 5 months.

Mick and Mack, now 11 years old were named after a defunct grocery chain that existed in the Virginias and Carolinas post WW II. Since as kittens we could not distinguish one from the other until their different personalities emerged we decided that the names suggested that one was Irish and the other Scotch, thus one was given a green collar and the other a red one. Today they look like this, however the flash wiped out Mack's color. They still are identical.When we took them home from their mother the two kittens ran and hid behind the buffet and would not come out. I sat in a chair across the room but where the kittens could see me from their safe place. It took less than 30 minutes of dangling a string to entice Mack to come out to play. He allowed himself to be picked up and to this day he has owned the house. Mack has never met a human being he did not like.

On the other hand we did not see "the Mick" -somehow everyone has adopted the habit of referring to the cats as "THE Mack or Mick", for two days. We knew he came out at night to eat and did use the litter box thank goodness. About the third day he ventured out while we were in the room but retreated rapidly when someone tried to pick him up. Ultimately he became more of a fixture and soon became the one to demand attention to feeding time. He has a few favorite people that he is comfortable with otherwise still does not want to be held.

During the past 11 years my daughter's dog has often accompanied their visits. There have been two dogs, both Australian Shepherds and the nicest animals that I have ever known. I would strongly recommend the breed to any family with young children and a yard big enough for the dog to romp. They are very playful and enjoy the company of other dogs.

When they come the two cats run and and hide but it is THE MICK who comes out first. After a few bluffing hisses he ignores the dog . THE MACK is not as comfortable, but feeding time is feeding time. THE MACK thinks he has to warn the dog off every time, and the dog only wants to play. Since Shootshe has not yet met a cat with claws she thinks the "hiss' is part of a game.

In all the years we have had these two cats there has been no more than 4 0r 5 fights and each has n=been set off by an other cat passing by outside. They eat together out of the same dish at the same time and never has there been any problem. Best of all they do let me sit in their chairs.