While sitting in the waiting room at the veterinarian’s office, we recently overhead a gentleman comment that he much prefers dogs because cats are “aloof and have no personality.” “Whoa!” we thought. Clearly this man has never visited The Lily Pond. We’ve got so much personality happening at the cat house that we could stage a Broadway show. All of our kitties are have wonderful qualities, but let us introduce you to the headline stars who keep us entertained on a daily basis…
BUTTERCUP is special, not least of all for his name. This cat is neither flowery or yellow-colored. He’s a jet black gentleman who nonetheless is very pleased with his colorful name and regularly answers to it. He also enjoys hanging upside down, which is not something buttercup flowers or even cats tend to do. It seems to us more like the behavior of a fruit bat, which given his bat-like ears, may be part of his ancestral family line for all we know. But the real show stopper is Buttercup’s set of vocal chords, which are not calibrated to emit a normal meowing sound. Buttercup quacks. “Quack, quack, quaaaaaack” is the sound you’ll hear, covering several octaves on the musical scale. He quacks to say hello; he quacks at the birds outside the window; he quacks his displeasure when you set a bowl of food in front of him. He’s the only cat we have ever encountered who runs the opposite direction at the prospect of being fed a nice meal. Buttercup also has an entertaining habit of shaking his head while making a “bluuurb” sound as his jowls wobble and spittle goes flying. It’s reminiscent of a bull dog shimmying off the water after a bath. Perhaps his ancestral DNA also includes elements of canine?
ABNER has turned goofy expressions into an art form. People have been known to catch a glimpse of Abner’s face and collapse on the floor in a fit of giggles. From his wide-eyed gaze to his fang-filled smile, Abner is master of physical comedy. We’re surprised we haven’t yet received a call from a Hollywood studio. Abner also has skills. Every time we prepare a wet food meal, Abner hops up on the counter to help by stepping in each of the bowls. Every time. But his most unique contribution to the general level of comedy at the cat house is his role as a feline pillow. For some mysterious reason, other cats feel compelled to plop right down on top of Abner and take a nice long nap. We’ve never witnessed this behavior with any other cat. Our green-eyed comedian doesn’t seem to mind, snoozing contently while smushed underneath some opportunistic kitty who preferred the comfort of Abner’s floofy orange fur to the five hundred other cat beds scattered around the house. Abner is certainly one of a kind.
TOBLERONE is Head of the Department of Mischief. He’s 100% kitten at heart, ever curious and ready toss catnip toys, play a game of chase… and cause trouble. A sweet soul, Toblerone is nonetheless quite skilled with his claws and talented at redecorating the cat house. Paper towel rolls shredded to a thousand pieces; curtains drooping in tatters, plants with chewed up leaves; lamps knocked over; and streams of toilet paper trailed through the family room. Yep. Toblerone. When six kittens arrived last summer, Toblerone appointed himself their babysitter, mentoring them in the finer methods of destruction with unholy glee. We finally had to give up the dream of decorating the cat house with curtains. Toblerone also has the endearing quality of a pesky little brother, annoying the older cats by stealing their treats or swishing a tail in their face. Despite his trouble-making tendencies and his rough start in life as a feral kitten from a local farm, Toblerone has a big heart. He loves belly rubs and a comfortable lap. Any human lap will do. He’s a happy-go-lucky guy; a lover of life; bringer of joy… and of mischief.
POESY is Queen of The Lily Pond. Got cattitude? Poesy does and she’ll wrap you around her fluffy paw faster than you can spell the word besotted. An incorrigible flirt, this calico diva likes to be the center of attention. Her green eyes are mesmerizing and her purr sounds like velvet, but if she catches you petting another cat – her little sister Sebelina, for example – she will unleash her fury and send you running for cover with her strongly worded meows and carefully timed swats of the paw. However, Poesy’s jealous fits of rage are really not what we want to emphasize. This lady’s got moxie. She’s smart, beautiful, regal and full of grace. She makes a sing-song trilling sound when she’s happy and will promptly defy any rule, prancing haughtily across the kitchen counter and other prohibited areas. Once she even hopped onto the stairway railing and slid down the bannister right into the dog room. Poesy is also an accomplished hunter and expert cuddler. Once she settles down in your lap, you will be trapped for days… maybe even weeks. That’s how wonderful she is. Simply put, Poesy is The Queen. We remain ever her worshipful minions, dancing attendance and awaiting her beck and call.
