Gigi the Cat Today

Gigi on the first day at home. Looking both relieved and worried
about how soon she will be thrown out.

I came across a photo of one of my cats the first day I found her in 2002. On the way home one late winter day, we took a side trip and drove down Queens Highway. Sitting in the middle of the road was a  hunched-over form that turned out to be a cat. It didn't move even when the car approached. Later I came to believe she was committing cat suicide.

Bill stopped the car and scooped the small cat up and handed her to me. She appeared to be three or four months old and severely malnourished.

I put her on the ground when we reached home, gave her food and water. Then my partner and I decided to take a walk to the woods on the back acres. The new little cat would not let us out of her sight. She followed us.

The next day we took her to the vets. It seems fleas were numerous and they had attacked her so badly they were sucking all the liquid from her blood. The vet kept her for a day to kill the fleas and re-hydrate her. $$$ already and just the start.

Gigi today -- queen of all she surveys.

That was ten years ago, now spade, with annual shots, Gigi has grown into a very healthy cat. She has several aliases, like most of our cats. Depending on the situation she sometimes goes by Poo-bear (this has nothing to do with Winnie the Pooh but more of an attitude thing), kielbasa-tail (she has quite a long, thick weapon that upon occasion speaks volumes if you know the language) and finally, La-Gee for the queen she pretends to be.  She particularly likes to sit on my lap when I'm using the computer. I always thought I wanted a lap cat... but not so much now that I have one. I think she would prefer to be in a one-cat only family, but she queen's it up over the other cats. She has a wither-away stare for those who intrude on her space and kibble and has a very loud howl-screech-growl that intimidates most of the other cats. However, a new addition, BB, loves to elicit such reactions. I kind of figure this will keep the old gal in shape and mentally alert. Children, however, are okay and treated gently. Dogs get a hiss, as do owners when they do something to make her unhappy. 

Update 11/2019: In September I carried a very skinny 17-year old Gigi out to the back porch. It was a nice, warm day. She somehow walked down the stairs but she never returned. BB had run away from the door one night the month before and never returned. Bill and I both walked around the house several times each following day until we knew, like BB, she was not returning. I still miss them.