Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Meanwhile over at truth Social, the former president is busy confessing to crimes.

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

Battle won, war still ongoing.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

We’ve had enough carrots to last a lifetime. break out the sticks.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

No one could have predicted…

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

Accused of treason; bitches about the ratings. I am in awe.

T R E 4 5 O N

Bark louder, little dog.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

Eh, that’s media spin. biden’s health is fine and he’s doing a good job.

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

This really is a full service blog.

Fuck the extremist election deniers. What’s money for if not for keeping them out of office?

Tick tock motherfuckers!

In my day, never was longer.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

You are here: Home / Pet Blogging / Cat Blogging / Another Kitty Update

Another Kitty Update

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Currently rolling with the name Stella. We’ll see if it fits. At any rate, fat boy knows something is up:

somethinggoingon

He knows that because Stella is like the Honey Badger, and doesn’t give a shit. She’s not hiding or being timid, she is exploring the space of the spare bedroom/kitty penthouse I have assembled to assimilate her:

stella

When she is ready to come out, she will. We’ll just keep everyone calm on the outside until she decides to make her grand entrance.

She is an aggressively affectionate cat, btw. She’s just so tiny- I guess my idea of cats has been Tunchified.

Reader Interactions

162Comments

  4. 4.

    bemused

    She’s got white pantaloons. I bet she looks adorable from the back side. Pictures some day, I hope.I adore watching our floofier kitty run to her food dish or a thrown toy. I call her bouncy butt.

  6. 6.

    Bobby_D

    I’m not a cat fella (yet), but have recently come to the conclusion that I can’t have a dog. My lifestyle isn’t fair (gone a lot, work 9hr days, etc) for a dog, but maybe a cat?

    Anyhow, I know almost nothing about cat breeds. So what kind of cat this beautiful Stella?

    I’m after a breed that isn’t particularly bad for people with sensitivities to hair/dander, is moderately affectionate, and isn’t super high strung and crazy. Any suggestions?

  7. 7.

    Schlemizel

    Mr. KowalskiCole is too busy making a pig of himself… Your face and your fingers are disgustingly greasy.

  8. 8.

    ruemara

    She is a tiny beauty. And remind me of Takkun who is also a tiny fuzzbutt who LURVES every thing and one and does not give a shit. Walk into my apartment, you will be approached for love. And then climbed on. Be forewarned, Cole. She will nuzzle you to death. SLowly.

  9. 9.

    Yutsano

    MOAR KITTEH!!

    Proper authoritehs alerted. Maybe I’ll get spared the tongue lashing. Probably not.

  10. 10.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    Yeah the gate may keep the other pets out of the bedroom but it certainly won’t keep her in if she decides to explore. I just hope you don’t wake up at three o’clock in the morning to out and out bedlam in the living room. That would be no fun.

  11. 11.

    Bodacious

    Oh yesssssssssss,
    Cole in a wife-beater, out on the porch, in the rain, hands on his head yelling, “Stellllllaaaaaaa!”

  13. 13.

    Angela

    I am very intrigued by how her aggressive affection will go over with the other four-legged residents of the Cole household.

  14. 14.

    My Truth Hurts

    In my experience black and white cats are generally very friendly, very affectionate, very outgoing and very social with people. I had one with an oramge tabby and when my weekly poker game landed at my house once a month or so the black and white would come out and say hello to everyone and sit in the middle of the poker table. The tabby would just hide under the bed for 8 hours.

    I am generalizing because they do all have their own personalities but the black and whites Ive known have all been very social and affectionate.

  19. 19.

    Dee Loralei

    What a gorgeous girl, Cole. Stella is a great name too. Hope Tunchie and Rosie are good to her too.

  21. 21.

    indycat32

    she looks just like my cat, Bones. Originally belonged to my ex-husband. He was the only thing I asked for in the divorce. Bones would never set on my lap, but would sit next to me so I could pet him.

  23. 23.

    Vasya

    It kind of looks like I’m in the minority here, but I’d really like it if BJ was more about politics and less about cats/pets. About 100% less. Just thought I’d state a dissenting opinion.

  27. 27.

    mellowjohn

    rescued a calico cat named “velma” once. immediately changed her name to “ashcroft.”
    p.s. she looks a little skunk-ish. maybe “flower” (from bambi).

  29. 29.

    Ted & Hellen

    Stella was the right way to go. You were wise to heed my advice.

    I love her more exotic patterned and spiky fur. Nice contrast to Tunch, who is beautiful but slightly vanilla.

    They will be lovers soon.

  30. 30.

    Bobby_D

    FYWP! FY with a rusty chainsaw. Goddamnit, I’ll try AGAIN:

    I’m not a cat fella – yet, but have recently come to the conclusion that I can’t have a dog again. My lifestyle isn’t fair – gone a lot, work 9hr days, etc – for a dog, but maybe a cat?

    Anyhow, I know almost nothing about cat breeeds. So what kind of cat this beautiful Stella?

    I’m after a breeed that isn’t particularly bad for people with sensitivities to hair/dander, is moderately affectionate, and isn’t super high strung and crazy. Any suggestions?

  31. 31.

    Vasya

    Now that I’m actually posting on the site, I see that there is a “cat blogging” tag. I get BJ through RSS though, and it doesn’t look like there are different feeds, are there?

  32. 32.

    Baud

    @Vasya:

    Don’t agree about 100%, but it has been light on politics lately. The site upgrade might have something to do with it.

  36. 36.

    Ted & Hellen

    @Vasya:

    It kind of looks like I’m in the minority here, but I’d really like it if BJ was more about politics and less about cats/pets. About 100% less. Just thought I’d state a dissenting opinion.

    BJ is essentially DougJ’s and Anne Laurie’s blog now, with intermittent visits from ABL.

    Cole is just the crazy cat lady in the attic.

    Ignore Raven. It’s a bitter, lonely PTSD victim with unresolved rage issues. As you can see.

  38. 38.

    salsify

    Stella is a fabulous choice for her name, she is a star! Really, she is beautiful. So what BJ shameless ( kidding ) merchandise will she inspire???

  39. 39.

    Bobby_D

    Does anyone actually deal with the mod stuff here? everything I try to post goes straight to mod. No trigger words I can see…WTF, over.

  40. 40.

    gogol's wife

    I’m captivated by the picture of this cat! She is really cute! I so hope Tunch likes her and Lily can handle sharing John. For some reason I’m not worried about Rosie, despite all the JRT warnings.

  46. 46.

    geg6

    Not a cat person, but she’s very cute, John.

    Meanwhile, John and I are still trying to figure out if we should get another dog. Right now, Otis is such a needy attention hound and his usual neurotic digestive problems are flaring up. All because, probably, John and I have been working a lot of hours and he’s not getting the attention he needs. Wouldn’t you know I’d end up with a dog with colitis, after dealing with it in my family all my life. My mom had it, younger sister has it, and oldest sister has Krohn’s disease. And now my dog.

    I’m afraid my Otie may not take well to a companion. Though he’s always super interested in the neighbor’s dog and is fine with my sister’s. But it’s been a year since we lost Henry and Otis is used to being an only dog now.

  47. 47.

    asiangrrlMN

    @raven: Hanging in. How about you? Oh, and anecdotal evidence suggests that female cats tend to dominate male cats, but I have no hard data on that. And, I’m too lazy to Google that shit.

  48. 48.

    CatHairEverywhere

    What a gorgeous girl! She looks like a petite version of my Jones. Hope everyone assimilates soon. I have had many cats over the years, and have never had one not get along with everyone else. Hope you have the same good fortune.

  50. 50.

    jl

    My sense from the pic is that Tunch senses that a talented young student has arrived. (Bwa ha ha ha!).

    Tunchie seems to have slight Yoda aspect going there.

    And looks like Poor Cole is anticipating a sweet little feline Lily.

    I’m sure we’ll hear how it comes out.

    Edit: and what is this with ‘too much pets’. Here we see unfold before us, a battle shaping up between two immutable forces, Tunch and Cole, for the soul of sweet little kitten. It is like Art of the Highest Order unfolding before us.

    And, OK, a battle between an immutable force and a clumsy hapless dude who steps in pet doo naked at 3 AM. So, between two immutable forces, give or take a little.

  51. 51.

    different-church-lady

    She’s just so tiny- I guess my idea of cats has been Tunchified.

    My tuxedo is a reasonably solid, beefy fellow. I have a good friend with a dainty little shorthair, and every time I go over there the size difference makes me think, “Oh how cute, you have a scale model of a cat.”

  53. 53.

    LT

    They will fight John. You may be all over this, but just in case – they will fight. We introduced a new cat – a small female – to our big Tom several years ago. They still fight. While they’re not sleeping cuddled up next to each other. They play fight, Formula-1 fight/race around the house, and real fight sometimes. No biggie. Don’t freak out if they fight.

    Best of luck. She looks like a sweetie.

    EDIT: Should note that we had to leave them – wiht a sis in NY, from regon – when we moved overseas. Blerg. They’re doing great.

  55. 55.

    Concerned Citizen

    @Vasya: I disagree. Politics is boring and lame at times. I like the animals and food posts. Just skip the ones you don’t like. It’s easy.

  62. 62.

    Darkrose

    @Vasya: Yeah, not gonna happen. Most of us are here because of the pets and the food and the gaming talk–and yeah, the politics. It’s kind of a package deal.

  64. 64.

    Darkrose

    She’s a gorgeous girl!

    I frequently look at Ogdred and think he’s small. I have to remind myself that he’s cat-sized; the problem is that Alistair is fucking huge. (Seriously, he’s only smaller than Tunch because Tunch’s white fur makes his ass look fat.)

  69. 69.

    La Caterina (Mrs. Johannes)

    She’s gorgeous! Hope she and Tunch are cuddling happily together in the near future. . . .

  72. 72.

    Mike in NC

    Sweet looking kitty.

    We have friends in the community who had to have their poor little guy put to sleep yesterday. He was 6+ months old but hadn’t grown or gained any weight since they adopted him from the shelter. The vet said even after $1000+ in treatments, the prognosis didn’t look good. Pulmonary embolism was among the problems, I believe. He was listless and had trouble breathing and staying warm. Needed long-term equivalent of ICU care, which isn’t even available locally.

  73. 73.

    Mnemosyne

    @Bobby_D:

    IIRC, one of the odd things about cat allergies is that most people are allergic to either short-haired cats OR long-haired cats, but usually not both. You might want to have the allergic person try to figure that out before you fall deeply in love with a kitty.

  74. 74.

    gbear

    Good news. Young cat Edward (who I had to return to the animal shelter because he and my old cat Halley couldn’t get along) has been adopted today. I’ve been checking the shelter’s website a couple times a day (OK, hourly) and his picture is off the ‘available animals’ page after 10 days. I called to find out if he was still around and they told me nope he’d been adopted this afternoon. I hope that he’s in a home where he gets lots of love and always gets to be the center of attention. Hopefully the tears will stop in an hour or so…

  76. 76.

    Roger Moore

    @Bobby_D:

    Anyhow, I know almost nothing about cat breeds. So what kind of cat this beautiful Stella?

    She’s probably a moggie (i.e. mixed breed). Relatively few cats are purebred or even pedigreed. Most cat people don’t care about fancy stuff like that; they just get a cat whose individual personality fits with them. You can sometimes guess part of a cat’s ancestry based on body type, hair length, and/or markings, but it’s chancy.

  78. 78.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Stella is like the Honey Badger, and doesn’t give a shit.

    Stella is a lovely name, but jeez, why not just call her “Honey” and be done with it?

  79. 79.

    raven

    @asiangrrlMN: He said his loss to Iowa was the worst of his career and he had some bad ones when he was here.

    eta I never liked him much and then I heard an interview with him and he really is good people when it comes to his players.

  80. 80.

    eemom

    She’s a beautiful kitty! Congrats Cole!

    Love the kitty, love Cole, love the whole world! I don’t have to go to fucking Dallas after all, yaaaaaaaay!!!!

  82. 82.

    MazeDancer

    @Bobby_D:

    Get two cats. When you’re gone all day they will keep each other company. Also, at the shelter, or rescue place, there will be plenty of sibling or otherwise bonded pairs. Their personalities will be known. You can get what you’re looking for – except the non-allergenic part. There is no poodle of cats. They don’t come in non-allergenic.

    Now there are several BJ threads tbat include discussions of cat allergies (Google is your friend finding them, but here’s one https://balloon-juice.com/2013/01/17/cat-rescue-bleg-north-carolina/ Maybe these cats are still available.)

    But short version: You can adjust to your own cats and still be allergic to other people’s. It takes time. But plenty of BJ posters, myself included, can attest to that reality.

    Also, high quality food – no dry food except when you’re gone over night, no low quality cheap stuff ever – matters as well. Cats are obligate carnivores and detox through their skin. Anything that is not meat is going to detox and affect you.

    Spend time with other people’s cats. See how that feels to you. People who haven’t spent a lot of time with kitties can be surprised what complex and compelling creatures they are. And how much love they will bring to your life.

    And, congratulations, John Cole, on your beautiful Stella!

  84. 84.

    22over7

    @gbear:

    Oh yay. Fingers crossed for a good match, and don’t beat yourself up. You did the right thing. Yes, I know, that doesn’t help.

    And YAY eemom for not having to go to Dallas! When I left that hole, I never looked back. Don’t get me wrong–my dad was a Texan, so I’m half-Texan, but Dallas…oh geez…

  86. 86.

    mainmati

    @raven: We have one male and one female. Both are neutered. The male (a Jakarta cat, almost no tail; it’s genetic) thinks he’s a dog and acts like one. The female is a local rescue tabby and doesn’t take any sh*t from the male. They mostly only fight right before breakfast.

  87. 87.

    JenJen

    I adopted my new kitteh Jonesy on Boxing Day. Day 1 was chill but after that, it took a good week for him to come out of the basement and another few weeks until he was totally comfortable with my dogs. We’re still not 100% but it’s so much better now than eight weeks ago.

    Patience. It will be tricky with Tunch.

    Stella is a perfect name!!

  88. 88.

    Janet

    The best cat we ever had was named Stella. It suits her (your new girl). I hope it sticks. Congratulations on the new addition.

  89. 89.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    @Bobby_D: The breed you seek is American Rescue Shorthair. They can be found at many shelters nationwide.

  90. 90.

    asiangrrlMN

    @gbear: ::gentle hugs:: Don’t be too hard on yourself. You did what was best, and now, hopefully, Edward will have a happy forever home.

    @raven: I’m indifferent to him, really. But, yeah, he does seem to be good to his players.

  92. 92.

    MikeJ

    @Roger Moore:

    Most cat people don’t care about fancy stuff like that

    My ex-gf never, ever, ever got anything but Siamese. Seal point, chocolate point, didn’t matter. Had to be a Siamese. Wasn’t at all interested in showing them, but always went to a show quality breeder, got a pedigreed cat, and clipped it.

  93. 93.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    Feliway is your friend Cole. Things may go fine, or they could get tricky. The new missy is lovely, btw.

  94. 94.

    debit

    @MikeJ: If a person likes a particular breed I don’t see the harm in it. I would get another Turkish Van in a heartbeat, except I suspect two in the house would cause more mayhem than my nerves can handle.

    ETA: I forgot to offer Cole my congratulations. She’s lovely and I suspect will be a great fit into your household.

  95. 95.

    22over7

    @MikeJ:

    If you can afford that sort of thing, why not? My ex bought our daughter a show cat, and he turned out to be the most socialized, friendly cat I’ve ever had. But he’s also the only bought cat I’ve ever had–all the rest have just sort of showed up at the front door.

  96. 96.

    General Stuck

    @Bobby_D:

    Dude, you got to roll with the word press flow. It’s like a spider web, the more you struggle the more you are caught.

  97. 97.

    Rosie Outlook

    @Bobby_D: Yes, go to the animal shelter and the right cat will pick you out. For allergies, it really doesn’t make much difference, despite the claims of people selling various kinds of expensive cats, because the allergens are in the saliva and all cats, even the hairless ones, lick themselves.

  98. 98.

    waratah

    The look in her face makes me think that John will be yelling Stella quite often. I do not think she will be another soft loving Lily.
    I think she will be a demanding loving.

  100. 100.

    Mnemosyne

    Type-wise, I’m guessing Miss Stella is what vets abbreviate as DLH — Domestic Long Hair. “Tuxedo” is a description of her coloring, not a breed type. Furminating will definitely be necessary.

  101. 101.

    Gemina13

    I’m not fond of “Stella,” but if she likes it, and it fits her, kudos. She’s a beautiful little girl. Can’t wait to see how fast she has the whole damn household wound around her finger.

    In my experience, female cats do tend to dominate males–especially neutered males. Right now, between all the housemates, we’ve got three cats–Palpatine (a black male), Lucky (my black-and-white boy), and Solstice, a lynx-point old lady. Solstice had Lucky whipped into shape within weeks of my moving in; Palpatine, who’s only 2, still needs some discipline, but Solstice rules the roost. She eats from their dishes, drinks from their water fountains, and takes the best places to sprawl, sit, or curl up. They have no recourse.

    As for black-and-white cats, Lucky has been sweet and affectionate from the day I brought him home. The SO was won over when he first reached to scratch Lucky’s chin, and was rewarded with an offer of cat belly, without swats or bites. The household calls him “Loaf-viathan” for his size–he could be Tunch’s brother by another mother–but he’s friendly and lovable.

  102. 102.

    RoonieRoo

    In that photo she is a perfect copy of my very first cat, Kizzy. When I got Kizzy, I was a teenager and Roots had been broadcast for the first time and I was enamored of the series.

  104. 104.

    imonlylurking

    @Baud: Nope, ’twas I:
    imonlylurking

    ETA: I can’t figure out how to link to a single post, so:

    Greetings from a Crazy Cat Lady, post 128.

    Don’t worry-I’ll share my winnings with you.

  105. 105.

    imonlylurking

    And yes, congratulations on the kitteh! She has the look of love-I get that from Bob all the time. It will be a contrast to Tunch, that is sure.

  106. 106.

    Aaron Baker

    She’s a pretty little thing. Her coloration reminds me of our Isis (who’s a short-hair, though).

    Congratulations, and I hope Tunch doesn’t eat her.

  107. 107.

    South of I10

    John, your new kitty is beautiful. I missed the names, but Stella would be a lot of fun to yell from the porch.

  108. 108.

    Princess Leia

    @MikeJ: Actually Pepe is the skunk. Someone had the name for the lady cat he woos on one of the earlier threads. But Stella is a dead ringer for her. So cute- she’ll have everyone wrapped around her little finger in….about 48 hours!

  112. 112.

    koalaholik

    @My Truth Hurts: My black and white boy helps the plumber when he comes and the washer repairman and the mailman and anyone else who shows up. He is the friendliest cat I have ever had – until you try to pick him up, then he goes all whiney “let me down” kitty. Stella looks a lot like Spookers in the face, but he has less white on his body. She’s a real cutie pie

  113. 113.

    MLC

    My wickedly awesome kitteh Timmeh is missing. I live in the country and worry that coyotes got him. He is a great cat, with a loud purr and very communicative and he snuggles with my dogs. Please think some good thoughts for Timmeh as he hasn’t come home for about a week. He’s a really good cat.

  115. 115.

    phoebes-in-santa fe

    @My Truth Hurts: I have a wonderful tuxedo boy named “Robin Obama”. He’s about 3 and a half and is very, very timid around people – other than me – but gets along great with his tabby older sister, “Alice Obama”, who’s about 6 years old. Both are rescue cats and “Alice O” is the most outgoing cat I’ve ever seen. She could be a dog. Anyway, she and “Robin O” adore each other – they’ve been together about two years now and they spend hours grooming each other and sleeping together.

    So, in my case, my tuxedo is shy and my tabby is out-going. By the way, they’re both in the 2013 Balloon Juice calendar. I think they are one of the later months and are pictured together, sitting on a table, looking out the window at a birds nest.

  117. 117.

    kindness

    Stella Blue!

    And Cole goes for the Jerry influence. Next thing you know he’ll have in a tie-dyed t.

  118. 118.

    Steeplejack

    @Vasya:

    You know, there’s this advanced technique where you can skip the threads you don’t like. You should check it out.

    And it’s not like there is a finite amount of blog space where cat posts are bulldozing heavy-duty serious political stuff into the ether.

  119. 119.

    Steeplejack

    @Bobby_D:

    Go to a shelter, look at the short-hairs (possibly less of a dander issue) and pick one that seems simpático. You’ll get a good cat and you’ll be doing a public service.

  121. 121.

    Ted & Hellen

    Why do people say “kitteh” on the intertrons? Is it just one of those inexplicable memes that people use to feel they belong to something larger than themselves and are in the know?

  122. 122.

    Tomolitics

    Stella. That was my first cat’s name. Great name, Mr. Cole, and a lovely little kitteh. Well done on the latest adoption & congrats.

    Edit: “Kitteh” used retroactively just to piss off Ted & Hellen.

  123. 123.

    kc

    Haha, I can just see Tunch now. Been there.

    Seriously, give extra love to the big guy, Cole, and stop calling him “Fat Boy.” You’ll give him
    a complex.

  126. 126.

    Roger Moore

    @MikeJ:
    I’m sure there are some cat people who really prefer specific breeds; there wouldn’t be breeders if there weren’t. But cat people are a lot less likely to care about breed than dog people are.

    I suspect a lot of it is that we haven’t bred cats as intensively as dogs. There are literally dozens of kinds of dogs- not breeds but classes of breeds: sight hounds and scent hounds, cattle dogs and sheep dogs, guard dogs and lap dogs, etc. Different tasks require different physical and mental attributes, so there is a huge range of dog types to choose from, and those choices give you very different dogs. Most cats have been kept for pest control, which tends to select for similar traits in every breed. Picking a cat breed is mostly about appearance rather than personality. Sure, some people care, but it’s not an overriding concern the way it is for dogs.

  133. 133.

    FlipYrWhig

    @Ted & Hellen: why would someone say “intertrons”? Is it just one of those inexplicable memes people use to pretend that they’re part of something larger than themselves and are in the know?

  136. 136.

    Roger Moore

    @TooManyJens:

    What party does Tunch belong to, anyway?

    Tunch isn’t old enough to vote. The requirement to be eighteen years old to vote discriminates against nonhuman Americans.

  138. 138.

    kideni

    Such a gorgeous kitty she is! I hope she and Tunch work it all out quickly. How are the dogs dealing with the changes?

  139. 139.

    clayton

    @Baud: Stella

    She was the big one. The only one for me.

    That’s a keeper name for a survivor girl.

    I’ll cry now. Remembering my Stella.

  140. 140.

    Poopyman

    She really looks scarily like our own Tux/Poopyman/Shithead, and I’d bet anything she’s got a lot of Norwegian Forest Cat in her, for those that asked for a breed. Otherwise, I’d say she’s purebred American Rescue Cat.

  141. 141.

    Ann Marie

    Congratulations, John! She’s beautiful. Tunch thinks you’re cruel, though, bringing him a beautiful lady friend and then keeping them apart. (Not that you shouldn’t keep them apart for a while.)

  143. 143.

    RoonieRoo

    @Poopyman: Norwegian Forest Cats are freaking huge. The small ones are a good 12 lbs when a healthy cat weight. Not Tunch weight. I highlight “healthy” weight as a large percentage of cat owners don’t know what healthy weight actually looks like.

  144. 144.

    tess (formerly librarian)

    Until my ~10-lb. Duncan, my smallest cat was a not-fat, all-muscle 13-lb. female tortie. I spent the first year we had him, as his brother grew to 15 lbs., wondering if we should take him to the vet to see why he wasn’t growing. Now, I realize that if he were a big boy with the same ratio of personality to size, we’d need a bigger house and round-the-clock petting service to appease him. Bet you discover the same trait in Stella. :-)

  145. 145.

    Anne Laurie

    @Roger Moore:

    But cat people are a lot less likely to care about breed than dog people are.

    Well, cats are less genetically plastic than dogs — barring advanced technology that does not yet exist, there’s only so much variation you can get with cats. It can be iffy even using traditional methods — for instance, the ‘Manx’ gene is lethal, which means all surviving tailless Manx cats have a mixed Manx/normal gene set. So even before humans could look at genes under a microscope, Manx breeders knew that their purebred Manxes whould have smaller litters — the Manx/Manx embryos would be re-absorbed or die shortly after birth — and one of every three or four surviving kittens would have some kind of tail.

    But the real difference between professional cat people and professional beauty-show dog people is that cat shows have a separate category for “household” cats, non-pedigreed (rescue!) cats who win their own ribbons for being beautiful & healthy. The AKC has grudgingly admitted “not certified purebred” dogs into various performance activities (like obedience, agility, flyball) but they will give out ribbons for pretty-but-not-papered dogs on approximately the twelvth of Never… maybe.

  147. 147.

    Anne Laurie

    Cole, Stella is a close ringer for our late beloved Figaro, Marquis de Carabas… those are not ‘pantaloons’, they are swashbuckling musketeer boots! And you will shortly discover that she can use that lovely feathered tail as adeptly as any musketeer uses his broad, featherd cap…

    From her pictures, and your description of her behavior, you have just adopted a “Maine Coon type” cat (you lucky basterd). The first thing peple notice about purebred MCs is their enormous size, but the markers Maine Coon breeders look for are little bobcat-type ear tufts, dense furry ‘snowshoe’ paws, and a pronounced ruff & squirrel tail.

    Also, the Maine Coon personality. MCs are pirates, they love people, they love to be in the thick of things, but they are not biddable cats. Tunch has trained you well, so don’t be getting any foolish ideas about you telling her How Things Work.

    If things don’t work out between her & Rosie (although I’m 99.99% sure Stella will compensate just fine) I call first dibs. Yes, we will drive down to West Virginia, if necessary!

  148. 148.

    InternetDragons

    Stella’s gorgeous – though not at all a Maine Coon type — far too fine-boned.

    To Bobby_D: Not sure you should get a cat; you don’t sound like you even particularly like them, and you sure as heck got impatient here over a very minor issue. Pets require patience =P.

    To respond directly to your question, though, there ARE cats that are known (and backed up with research to demonstrate this) to be less prone to producing the dander that typically creates allergic reactions. They’re all purebreds, though, so you’d have to be prepared to either pay purebred prices or go through applying with a breed rescue organization to adopt one that needs a home.

    You may be lucky enough to find a mixed-breed that doesn’t trigger your allergies, but it would require setting up some visits with your local shelter to see which cats may work out for you.

    The breeds I am aware of that are known to be hypoallergenic include Cornish and Devon Rex cats, Balinese, and Bengal cats. I have rescued Bengals – they are beautiful, and I love them dearly. There are a couple of other breeds that tend to be hypoallergenic that I can’t recall at the moment.

    The hairless cat breeds like the Sphynx are hypoallergenic also, but a lot of people don’t like the way they look and they are pricey.

  150. 150.

    opie_jeanne

    @Bobby_D: I’d recommend a very short-haired tabby, which is not really a breed but we have one now and have owned others. And males tend to cause more allergies than females, something to do with their saliva, so a female.

    We have had both males and females, both make fine companions as long as they are fixed.

    You need to find out if you would enjoy a cat for a pet, though, before you adopt one. If you have friends with cats, ask if you can spend time with theirs. They do need some attention, they get lonely just like a dog will but aren’t quite as obvious about it usually.

  152. 152.

    Montarvillois

    Love the name Stella. My heart goes out to the confused Tunch but he will adapt, eventually.

  154. 154.

    Ken J.

    Probably no one will see this as the thread is hours old… my wife pointed out last night that Stella’s shape in the photos, and the descriptions of her size and behavior, match very closely to our much-missed purebred Siberian cat. See Wikipedia for more Siberian cat photos.

  155. 155.

    Ken J.

    Probably no one will see this as the thread is hours old… my wife pointed out last night that Stella’s shape in the photos, and the descriptions of her size and behavior, match very closely to our much-missed purebred Siberian cat. See Wikipedia for more Siberian cat photos.

  156. 156.

    Butch

    Probably late to the party, too, but that kitty couldn’t look any more like our Mooch, who was found as a kitten wandering around a trailer park.

  158. 158.

    gvg

    Hypoallergenic breeds….I too have heard that ONE of the rex breeds is claimed to be. They are called Rex because they have curly coats. their fur has regular waves in it like a perm or a royal coat from long ago. Odd look but some like it. both rex breeds are skinney slim siamese types.

    I have been told the commonest allergen is the cat saliva not so much the dander and that because cats groom themselves so much, they cause reactions in more people than other species. I was told soaking in water cleaned the saliva off (no soap). A rinse won’t work, it had to be soak. This is a problem for most cats unless they are raised to it from kitten hood and then it’s no big deal.

    I had a show bred Angora that was raised to put up with baths and she was easy all her life. all other cats have been dangerous to bathe but they just arrived or I as a non allergic person didn’t bother to raise them that way. Any breed you get young can be taught to put up with baths.

    Vacuming is also a good idea and many cats and dogs hate the sound so raise a young un to think it’s nothing.

    If you still have problems you may need to keep cat out of safe zone bedroom. Vet also recomends that you make bed before work so that comforter keeps cat hair and dander off sheets, then remove comforter to sleep on if you get congested while sleeping (some allegic people not all have mainly problems while sleeping). Allegy meds are cheap, common, over the counter and much better than the past so mild cases are no problem.

    I’ve always wondered if a Turkish Van cat-the ones that like swimming-would be nearly hypoallergic because of the water baths. I love the idea of a swimming cat but I’ve never owned one. Tunch’s markings imply he may be part Van.

    Google pictures of the breeds. CFA is the main cat breeder org and they must have a web site but it’s been years since I cared about shows. All the cat registry orgs (there are rivals unlike the dog AKC) have non purebred personality shows for ribbons and also allow showing of spayed/neutered cats which I think is better ethicly (don’t litter)

  159. 159.

    Karounie

    @a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q):

    We recently took in my deceased brother’s two cats, bringing the total number of cats in our two bedroom apartment to five. There was much drama, so we put in a Feliway diffuser which did help. After about two weeks, the new cats – who are a spayed female and a neutered male and both seriously senior citizens – started behaving as though the female were in heat. We unplugged the Feliway and the behavior stopped but the drama increased. We asked the vet, who said Feliway can’t bring about the effect we were seeing, so we plugged it back in. Two days later, more heat behavior yowling etc. so we unplugged it again. two days after that, no heat.

    Anyone else ever experienced anything like this?

  161. 161.

    Mararama

    Stella is a beautiful, petite kitty! Just remember to GO SLOW on her introduction to Tunch. I know you’ve received lots of advice on other threads already, but it bears repeating (I speak as someone who currently has eight cats at home. Each one is different!)

    Remember that it is Tunch who needs to feel that he controls his home, and not the newcomer. He the senior member, and it is Stella who needs to adapt to him. Start by letting them trade places 30 minutes or so – let Tunch spend some time in the bedroom, smelling Stella’s scent, while Stella gets to explore the house. Once Tunch starts sniffing at the door a lot, or they are poking their paws under it, open the door just an inch or so and let them eyeball each other. Continue from there, open the door a bit further while you supervise so that no one charges the gate.

    After a day or two, your might find it easiest to bring Tunch into the new kitty lounge and close the door so they can meet quietly, face to face,under your close supervision. Without the dogs. If you can make this a gradual process, especially one where the cats don’t feel threatened, it can work out very well. But a lot depends on each cat’s disposition, and that’s a hard thing to predict!

    You’ve got to show a bit of patience – some cat groups say that this process should take weeks, which is a bit excessive, I’ve usually accomplished it in a few days. Other folks just throw them together and hope for the best, and sometimes it works, but it can also backfire. Take your time and make your decisions based on Tunch’s reactions. A bit of hissing and growling is okay, but back off and try again later if things get heated.

    Good luck, it will be worth it to take your time and have two cats who are best buddies!

  162. 162.

    Keith G

    From the few pics I have seen showing Stella’s eyes, posture, and ear and whisker positions,the young girl seems to have a out going personality that would allow her to become quite an operator.

    Assuming there are no non-recoverable personality conflicts (Rosie), a year or two from now she may be playfully running the show – particularly if her Maine Coon ancestry kicks in and she gets to be the size of some of the mixed girls that roam my neighborhood.

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