It seems like as soon as you have kids, your camera's sole purpose becomes to take photos of that brand new, little being. Previous photography subjects such as landscapes, vacations (what are those?) and darling pets are forgotten tryring to capture a million images of sighs, cries, smiles & firsts.
Our cats were displaced in many ways when Kyrie came home from the hospital, but by the time Degen came along they were used to the chaos of children in the house and didn't spend any time in hiding, including "Crazy 'Diva the Grey" (short for Godiva, pronounced with a long i). She is by far our most neurotic cat, but has mellowed with age. Even this last move didn't really freak her out too much. She is still skittish and overly wary, but more willing to come out of hiding than she was in yesteryears.
Oh, Brutus! Our only male cat, and such a good guy! I think that he's benefited the most from our move. He's now got an acre of land and more chipmunks than he could ever catch! He can be such a tough guy, but is really a cuddle-bug at heart. Darren and I often fight over who Brutus loves best (don't tell Darren, but I know that Brutus loves him best, but I get more snuggles because I'm more compliant.).
We got all the "kittens" (Brutus, 'Diva & CJ) the same year, though neither of us can remember whether it was 2000 or 2001. CJ, short for Calamity Jane, was a rescue from Darren's hometown. We had recently brought home the other two, so I was a bit surprised when Darren said that we should bring her home, too. (He's such a good man!) CJ is our most easy-going cat! This is where you will find her most days, sleeping on Degen's changing table.
This is my darling Gypsy Rose Leigh! She is a truly sweet cat and my favorite rescue! I found her in '97, and she was in bad shape. She was malnourished and her fur was terribly matted and dirty. I knew that she was special when I first bathed her. I was a complete stranger and she didn't hiss or fight at all. I refused to give her back to the family who 'owned' her (suspecting that they'd abandoned her in the country when they had their first baby). She is likely 14-15 years old, has FIV (feline AIDS) and is currently in renal failure, but she still loves kitty treats and pets. She gets around quite well and seems happy. I know that our days left with Ms. Rose are numbered, and I am so grateful that I've had so many years with this beautiful and affectionate cat!
This is Brutus on the prowl! This crazy cat used to follow us around the neighborhood when we had our first family walks with Baby Kyrie. He attacked dogs that came too close to us... seriously, he would go after dogs, big ones. He's a tough guy, but a small guy weighing less than 10 pounds, so it was crazy to see him protecting us.
'Diva is definitely a diva! She is a prissy princess with the softest grey fur ever! She enjoys the finer things in life, including lounging on this little, Persian rug. This is a small, but very nice rug that she quickly claimed for her lounge soon after we brought it home. Only the finest wool & silk for this pampered puss!
I love this picture of CJ! She is our only cat who will snuggle under the covers. She looks very cuddly under Kyrie's blankets!
Here's the tough guy showing his softer side- I told you that he was a cuddle-bug! These are our spoiled & happy cats! Our lives are blessed with pets, and though they make more work for us on a daily basis, I can't imagine not having them in our lives! They are wonderful companions who show us unfailing devotion & love every day.... or at least as long as we continue to feed them!
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