Goodbye sweet Nutmeg: Oct. 1999 - Feb. 2017

 In the fall of 1999 I was feeding a stray calico cat. She was pregnant and had her five kittens on a shelf at our back door. Dad found them in October. Mama cat carried all the babies away a few days later but continued to show up for supper. A month later, she brought me all five kittens.

 I kept them all in the barn for a while and played with them and eventually got them all adopted. But Dad wanted to keep the little calico who I named Nutmeg. Oh her first night in the house, without her brothers and sisters, she took solace in my teddy bear basket. I couldn't find her at first...and then suddenly I noticed that face.

 She took an immediate liking to Cinnamon. They snuggled together most days.

She loved sharing Dad's ice cream! She charmed us all, that sweet cat.

Her markings and that sweet face made her so photogenic that I followed her around with a camera a lot.

And I drew her countless times. Her markings were so interesting and she'd hold her pose for hours so I was able go capture all the amazing shapes and colours of her fur.

 She kept that sweet baby face until she was nearly 18 years old. But I called her my old lady cat because she never climbed on the table or counter, never broke anything (like all the rest of my clan have done) and was generally an angel from the day she came into the house.

 She especially loved chasing the sun. She was an indoor cat who loved the indoors. She was the first cat who I let sleep in bed and she usually lay beside me, under the covers purring.

Richard snapped this of us together just before Nut's decline. In her healthier days, she never would have let me hold long enough to take such a calm photo.

Nutmeg was the sweetest cat, with a shy nature. But she loved me. Sadly, on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, at the age of 17 and a half, Nutmeg crossed the rainbow bridge. I hope Dad is sharing his ice cream with her. I miss that little kitty so.

Deer beds and cat beds

 Out in the back woods, my dad planted spruce and pine trees 40+ years ago. The deer like the shelter the trees provide and generally sleep underneath them making indents in the snow.

 Meanwhile, a bed of a different sort! Jack, my boarder from Montreal cozies himself up with a blankie and his stuffed pet fish.

I adore Jack and look forward to his visits. He was originally born here. I found him as a kitten and friends in Montreal adopted him. I'm so lucky I get to spend time with him from time-to-time.

Goodbye my sweet boy

 Matzo Man showed up in my barn during the winter of 2012-2013. 

 By summer he was ready to come indoors! And in the fall, he did.

 After a month of living in the log cabin, he met the others and fell in love with Cookie.

 They were pretty much inseparable...

 Most winters the gang would all huddle up together for warmth. Was very sweet to see them like that.

 He was a beautiful boy and I miss him already. He was so good. Never climbed on the table. Never scratched or bit me. I adored him.

This photo from last summer makes me smile. I know that in the short time I had him, I gave him a good life. And he was so happy living here. 

Sweet soul, he was.

Goodbye sweet boy. I will miss you so. Matzo Man: May 2012 - March 24, 2016

Ipse then and now

I got to babysit baby Ipse last summer for a night and what a little delight he was. Last week I got to visit him as an (almost) full-grown kitty cat. What a beauty he has turned out to be!

Tales of a former barn cat

 When this little soul showed up in my barn in 2013, I had to feed him! 

He was shy and beautiful. In the fall of that year, I got him fixed and brought him inside.

 He's so happy  indoors, particularly because he's found the love of his life, Cookie, 10 years his senior. 

They are pretty much inseparable -- particularly in winter.

Matzo Man is very shy and doesn't hang around when visitors are here. 
But the rest of the time, he's king of all he surveys.

There's a kitten in the house

 A few weeks back I got to meet a two-week-old kitten that my friends brought to a party.

 His name is Ipse and he was found in a wood pile all alone.

I got to babysit him over the weekend.  What a difference two weeks have made.

He's looking more Himalayan every day. And what a sweetheart.

King of the Hill

Here's Matzo Man in May 2013, after having spent the winter of 2012-13 outside in my barn. He was so shy that it took four months to be able to pick him up and pet him.

Ahh, the life. Now he's king of the hill, has other kitty friends, eats and sleeps where ever he likes. Life is good.

Cat checkup time

Time for their annual needles, all three cats got checkups last week. Oreo gained a few ounces but otherwise is in tiptop shape.

It's kitty Weight Watchers for Cookie. Too much kibble saw her gain a pound. I'm doling it out more carefully now in hopes next years' checkup will see her back to fighting weight.

Nutmeg, who is 16 this year, lost 3/4 of a lb. and is doing really well. She's a bit arthritic but I knew she had lost a bit of weight because her limp is not as pronounced. Onward and upward!

Sun puddle cats

Love this pic I snapped of Matzo Man and Cookie sharing a sun puddle on a cold afternoon this week.

Jack, Jack and more Jack!

 This sweet old boy's name is Jack and he visits me for about three weeks every winter when his parents go to Florida. He lives in Montreal but loves the country!

He's a big cuddle bug...and is pretty happy in his warm room with two beds and all amenities including a night snack and brushing.

I have a definite affinity to this boy...he showed up here years ago as a hungry kitten.

He was so cute and so tiny!

Happily, friends in Montreal adopted him and I'm lucky enough to get to see him on his yearly visits to the country.

Visiting the menagerie

Meanwhile over at Knatolee's World, there are plenty of new critters. Here's Nat mucking out the barn where her new ponies spend the night.

She's flanked by Honey, one of three Greek cat she's saved. They flew over a few weeks ago and seem to be enjoying Canadian life. 

 This is her sister Daisy. Buttercup was off exploring somewhere and I'll get to meet her next time.

I did mange to get a quick snuggle with Honey.

I grabbed a snap of the ropes hanging in the barn. So colourful.

 Meanwhile indoors, there are more creatures wanting a hug. Naomi is always up for a quick snuggle.

And poor old Tristan is still going strong. He's an elderly boy who still likes a treat, head pat or belly rub. Sweet boy.

Cats, cats, cats, cats

I just love my cats...but I rarely ever see them all at the same time. In fact, hours can go by where I don't see any of them...but yesterday it was cold enough that they all found the warmest spot in the house and hung out together for a while. Kind of nice to see...

Sweet kitties

 I have four lovely kitty cats and they love to sit with me when I watch TV. Nutmeg, the white calico whose face is obscured is now 15 years old and is moving a lot slower. Cookie, the other calico and her sister Oreo, on my legs are 13 and are still pretty active.

Somewhat new in the mix is Matzo Man who I found in my barn two summers ago. This will be his second winter inside. I think he's about three years old. He loves his time inside and never tries to go out. But he doesn't cuddle and in fact, I often find him curled up on the other side of the house, nowhere near the other cats or me. He's kind of like a roommate that I only see from time-to-time. It's fine with me. He's a perfect gentleman, never too demanding and very sweet. He definitely has his own personality...he's very fond of Cookie but keeps his distance from the other guys. Kinda funny how they all sort it out their way!

Looking back...from kitten to cat.

 My dear old cat Nutmeg is rather creaky these days and at 15 years old, she moves very slowly.

I found these wonderful pages from my photo album of when she joined our household. 

She was such a sweet little kitten and as an adult, she's still as sweet, although a lot larger!