What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

The Crazy Cat Lady Post

How would you like to meet my cats?  No, I'm not kidding.  Would you like to meet them?
For the first time in ten years, I was able to get a photo of all three of our cats together.  It took some distraction with some treats to do it, but I got it!  Our cats aren't the buddy buddy type.  The two at the top, Little Lady and Tiger, they get along well enough that they sleep on the bed together - but not touching or anything.  The one at the bottom, Pity, she sleeps in The Bean's room or anywhere I happen to be. 


Pity is a loner.  The first year we had her, she didn't leave the bedroom.  Then she slowly moved into the hallway and, for a short time, she only stayed in the bathroom.  That was a fun time.  In fact, she liked to sit in the shower most of the time.  She is not normal in any sense of the word, but we love her.  Now she has taken over the house and goes everywhere and LOVES to sit on The Breadman's chest when he comes home from work.  He isn't really happy about that, but I say she's lived here nine years he better give her some lovin'.  

Little Lady, the sweet little Tuxedo in the top - she came to our porch one cold, cold January day.  She was just a litle kitten at the time.  It took me a few days to gain her confidence until I was fianlly able to grab her one day and bring her in the house.  She ran into my Office and climbed into the closet and didn't come out for nearly 48 hours.  I finally dug her out, assuming she had died or something,b ut she was curled up on a teddy bear fast asleep.  She was finally safe and warm. About three years ago, she had a seizure completely out of the blue.  She still has them from time to time, but she always comes out of it and is herself again.  I can usually tell when it is time for her to have one by her behavior.  We call her our baby, even though she has been with us the longest.  

Tiger weighs 22 pounds and is one huge cat.  Funny because he looks small in that photo.  We don't truly know how old he is, but he gets around great and eats like a horse despite having three of his big teeth pulled.  He could be as old as 17 according to our Math.  Our neighbors "think" they had him for about eleven years, but I think it was more like six.  They moved away and had plans to take him to the Shelter.  I told them I would find a good home for him.  I planned on finding him a good home, I just didn't think it would be OUR home.  We already had three cats back then and I thought four cats might be bordering on "crazy cat lady".  One day I let him in and he stayed.  He is our Big Galoot.  I hate obvious pet names like Tiger, but he really does look like a Tiger since he is so big.  He came with his name, so he is what he is.  Tiger.  
He loves to lick plastic bags.  Anytime I come home with sacks, he runs out to lick them.  I have to be careful whenever I pen the fridge because he comes running in and licks the tortilla packages.  I looked this up because I was afraid he had a vitamin deficiency or something.  But, apparently cats that were taken away from their Mama's too early like to lick plastic because it is like nursing.  That sill old cat is fifteen+ years, but he still misses nursing on his Mama.  It makes me sad, so I just let him lick away.  

So, you've met the cats.  Do you still like me or have I officially crossed the "Crazy Cat Lady" line?

*For the record - the "Crazy Cat Lady" term was actually referring to the fact that I was crazy enough to be blogging about my cats.  Not the amount of cats we have - three is a fine amount for a three person house.  I'd have more if they would allow it.  But, they are set in their ways and so are we.  Kudos to all of you that love your cats too!


15 comments:

  1. Girl, I have four cats and am about to adopt a fifth! Let's be crazy cat ladies together!

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  2. I'm not going to tell you how many cats I have, just know you're nowhere near cat lady with just three! My oldest kitty is 19. The latest is a big old fat ex-homeless Tom we call Stumpy because some jerks cut half his tail off (which is why he lives here all the time now.)And there's a little orange kitten living under my house this week out of nowhere. I think there is a "nice lady lives here, free meals" sign written in cat somewhere in my yard. Big scritches behind the ears to your babies!

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  3. I loved meeting your cats! I have my Charlie and we have a new guy hanging around I'll introduce to everyone soon...he's a Tuxedo cat and cute!! I too think we have a sign on our yard...free food here! Hugs, Linda

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  4. I too have 3 cats..and a dog. And my orange cat loves plastic like your Tiger! She doesn't just lick it, she chews it! I have to hide the bubble wrap from her because it's her favorite. We once had a calico just like your Pity. We called her Face Face. Your cats are beautiful! Thanks for telling us about them.

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  5. Still like you I post with my one cat more than I like to admit. they are all sweet. Mine is 19 and adopted us a stray that came home with husband.
    Cathy

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  6. Now I know who I can give the free cat food samples & coupons we get in the mail to ;-)
    (J is allergic to cats, or I would probably be just as bad!!)

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  7. Great to see your kitties and hear their stories! We have a relative that is a crazy cat lady, and I will say with only 3 you arent' even close!!

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  8. What is wrong with 3 cats? I have 3, we just lost our old dog, a teenager, a 4 year old, one husband, and all summer long my parents live with us, you really think your 3 little kitties top that? ;)

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  9. I guess I should clarify, we lost the dog, so used to have a dog in the mix. Unfortunately have not lost the teenager, the 4 year old, husband or old folks. ;)

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  10. Awwww....you know I've been wanting to see the brood for a while, Shara, so I'm happy. What cutie-pies! My big boy Kosh licks plastic too. Thanks for sharing. You've made this crazy cat guy happy. My mother had 19 at one point, so I know I have the cat gene. I have to be careful!

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  11. From one crazy cat momma to another... Awwww, sweet babies

    People really think I am crazy when I tell them she "talks" to me. I heard something fall yesterday and she came right in to "tell" on herself. She took me to investigate and I found she had knocked the trash can over.

    I worked with student that called me "Big Galoot", so I have that in common with your Tiger.

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  12. Well I have 5 now and feeding another on the balcony.

    Bandito is a bag licker as well. They all talk to me and quite often I understand.

    3 is not enough to be tagged Crazy Cat Lady. :)

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  13. Anonymous7:21 PM

    I had a cat that looked just like Pity. We called her half-time because her face was half black and half orange. FYI, I think you have to have at least 12 cats to be considered a full-on cat lady..


    DeDe
    Vintageandflea

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  14. One of my plans for my golden years is to become a crazy cat lady. I don't think three makes you crazy, but you're very kind to give all of them homes. We're pretty keen on cats here, but we're limiting ourselves to two. (At least for another 10 or 15 years - after that, all bets are off.)

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  15. Pity and Little Lady are so adorable...
    I used to have up to 7 cats in a two room flat. Now I have one left that looks like Tiger:
    http://trashcollector.blogspot.nl/2007/12/staircase.html
    He's the one in the bottom. Unfortunately his brother died.

    But my BF who lives in the flat above me has one as well. And now I have a little stray in my garden. Well she was born wild but taken care of by cat feeders. She then lived for ten years in a garden a few doors down, but the guy didn't want her anymore so the feeder moved her littel house to mine and she's very happy with me. I run out six times a day to cuddle her.

    In the end I still have three cats.

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