Our family household was never without cats, often named the ubiquitous Ginger, Tibby, or Whitey. Then along came Black Mumma, a tiny barrel who gave us Greenie & Goldie (the eyes), Smokey & Timmy, Ringo, Honky Cat & Roly-Poly & Spitty-Spatty (all self-evident!). Then came Poosie (from the book "The Kitty Poosies") & Lucy Locket (both sort of Calico cats), and Mum's last, Black Cat & Grey Cat (but known as Sooty & Susie to the Vet!).

Once in my own home, we were lucky to be adopted by the most intelligent, most loving, most unique feline ever, a Tonkinese whom I named Chinu (I was told it meant "little one" in Tamil). After a few years, she agreed to share us with a stray kitten we named Rennie (short for Renoir), who looked like she had a big black moustache painted on and was a very beautiful, long-haired Tortoiseshell.   When we left town, my sister took them on for some years and when she left town, my Mother took them to the Family home and loved them dearly, until they eventually returned to Source.

In my new state, we adopted a grey tabby stray whom we named Harry, a delightful boy who liked evening strolls with you, up the road and back - and his sister, Pretty-Kitty.   Also her kits, Tulla (a ginger, for Tullamore Dew whiskey) and tortoiseshell Matty (short for Matisse). They were all re-adopted when we moved and next came the stray Mordy (short for Mordacious) and Lloyd (Welsh for grey-haired one). Then we were neighbours to Smudge, a very large, food-addicted, black and white boy whose father was a Turkish Van, so the fur was soft with an undercurrent of ginger! Also a little black kit named Voodoo. When we moved to another state, these two came with us.

Years later, once Smudge and Voodles had Gone to God, the vet bestowed "the Clinic Cat" upon us : Hector, a large Jellicle cat, even at 2+ years weighing around 8kgs. We promptly named him "Hector Lysander" - amazing how many people have never heard the song "The British Grenadiers"!!   He is still here, even tho' My Beloved has since "Gone to God" :((   Although Hecky was obtained to help me with a CHF condition, he immediately latched onto my partner and insisted on lying on his chest and purring and kneading amongst his long beard, whenever he saw but the slightest opportunity!! "Hect" leads to lots of word-play (like Hectopascal), but lately, as he has got more vocal, I call him "Jessica Mauboy" (Aussie singer/actress) and comment on his "Mau Mau Uprising" when he gets very insistent!

My friend has had three little jet blacks named Mishka & Pushkin and currently Percy. He is named after Sir Percy Blakeney, aka the Scarlet Pimpernel. He was "Twentiklaus-and-some-Teeth" whilst he was growing from kittenhood, but is still rather too free with his weaponry …

My sister has had DeLuna, a stunningly beautiful silvery stray but who, sadly, was definitely "moon-touched" and could not really be trusted. Also The Babby, a long-legged black boy who recently returned to Source after 20 years. He was named from dialogue by a wee Scots boy in the 1990 film set in Nova Scotia, called "The Little Kidnappers"!

Cheers!
Rich-Joy, (in Down Under land)