Maggie,
I can see why you are in so in love with Marilla, she is really beautiful!! She's not far behind Patches age wise either. It's funny how connected we can be with our pets, and they with us. I have very similar experiences with my kitties, and I absolutely adore each one of them. They have such different personalities.
Patches actually came from my husband dads place. I had to have a calico! I had a special place in my heart for calicos because I had brought home a calico for my grandma after grandpa had passed away. It turned out to be a wonderful source of companionship for grandma, even though she wouldn't openly admit she loved the kitty, they would always snuggle next to each other at night while she watched tv.
I was looking for a calico, and at our house warming, Dave's dad said he had a new batch of kittens, and one was a calico. Yay! She was an outdoor garage kitten until we brought her home. Her and I didn't hit it off right away though, she would pee on our bed nearly every day! I would get sooo made at her, because I had a down comforter on the bed. I finally held her, and scolded her out loud one day, and not once after that did she ever pee on our bed, or anywhere in the house, ever again. It was so weird, because after that day, she instantly became a lap cat. If I was sitting down, she was on my lap, or waiting for me to sit down. She's still a lap cat to this day.
We adopted Lucy from the shelter, and she almost didn't come home with us. When I saw her, I fell in love with her, but her independent personality wanted nothing to do with me when I opened the cage. She was playing, and didn't have time for visits. :lol: I actually had chosen a little male tuxedo kitten, he was tiny tiny tiny! I had started the paperwork to take him home, and at last minute decided not to choose a male, I just couldn't forget little Lucy with her fuzzy ear hair, and long whiskers. She still has that same independent personality, but out of the three of them, she is the one that is more in sync with me. She knows when I'm leaving the house, and meows at me, trying to get me to stay. If we have company, she paces, frustrated that she can't be by me, or nap on my lap. She used to have a really really fluffy gorgeous coat, but the allergies have been horrible for her the last two years, and she has lost alot of fluff. She was just gorgeous before this all started.
Kitten, I found on Craigs List, and had to have him. I was told he was a she, but after I drove the 2 hours to pick him up, I fell in love, and it didn't matter. He will follow me around the house until I sit down, so he can snuggle on my lap. Actually, he and Lucy do that, and then race to see who get's it first. :lol: I make them take turns, it's only fair! :lol: He's a goofy kitty, and very talkative. He's also very social. If he sees the other kitties walking into a room, he chatters at them, runs over, and starts grooming them. He's just goofy!
Mine are all indoor only kitties. We have alot of ferrals that come and go, and living in front of a big woods, we have a coyote problem around here. It's just safer for them. Plus, in summer, you can walk around the yard, and pick up deer ticks. YUCK!<br /><br />__________ Tue Mar 29, 2011 10:01 pm __________<br /><br />Terry,
I bought Spot as a 5 month old from MI, after seeing him only in a couple pictures. I basically bought him for his spots! :lol: I wanted a leopard so bad! He's really laid back, and I've worked with him since day one when he came here. He is put together nicely, and he's got an awesome little trot on him too. He's a little show off when he wants to be.
What you can't see in that first picture, is that he has a ? mark on his left side! It's so unique.
These were from October, after he started with a pretty good winter coat already, but you can see the ? mark.
And my favorite one of Donkey! I was doing a 30 day word-a-day photography challenge on a equine forum I belong to, and the word for this day was "colorful". :lol: