My "Cookie Cats" Figgy (short for Fig Newton) and Roonie (short for Macaroon) could hardly have been more different. While Figgy was the ultimate marshmallow, happiest in the arms of his favorite people, Roonie was a firecracker, most in his element when demonstrating the upper limits of a domestic cat's speed.
Both Figgy and Roonie came into my childhood via the rescue route, Figgy from a small municipal shelter and Roonie four years later from a cat sanctuary in upstate NY.
Figgy had been scooped up by the shelter as a kitten, and made his snuggly way into my home still in the midst of his babyhood. Roonie, on the other hand, "roughed it" on the streets for nearly the first year of his life; at the age of 10 months, his rescuers found him living between the local fire station and police department, both of whom had been feeding the charming little guy. Just as Figgy's infinite appetite for cuddling had stolen my heart when I was nine, so did Roonie's hyper-kinetic joie de vivre enchant me at thirteen. My very patient parents let me make the executive decision for both adoptions!
My Mom snapped this shot during my freshman year of college, so that I could admire and pine for both of my boys in a single photo. But don't be deceived by their "peace-in-the-valley" appearance here: while they grew to tolerate (maybe even enjoy?) one another, and Roonie was deeply depressed when Figgy passed away in 2004, the number of times we caught them cuddling were few indeed.
As the "little brudder," Roonie was always more interested in playing with Figgy than vice versa. Roonie would often wait until Figgy was in a deep sleep before stealthily sneaking up, then sloooowly laying down to cuddle with the unsuspecting Figgy. When Figgy awoke to find his pesky little brother at his side, he was always visibly surprised!
The only thing I'd change about Figgy and Roonie would be their dreadfully short life spans. Each of these "good red men" (as my Dad called them) lived to fourteen, and I miss each of my very different, very loving and very beloved boys every single day. I trust and hope that we will be reunited someday.
© Angela Townsend
This also appears in the 2008 Winter Holidays Photo Gallery. They were indeed beautiful boys, but I was most taken by Angela's wonderful tribute to them.
My Cat of the Week photos are chosen from pictures submitted to other galleries on this site. Sorry, but I can't accept photos that don't comply with the Photo Submittal Guidelines.
Both Figgy and Roonie came into my childhood via the rescue route, Figgy from a small municipal shelter and Roonie four years later from a cat sanctuary in upstate NY.
Figgy had been scooped up by the shelter as a kitten, and made his snuggly way into my home still in the midst of his babyhood. Roonie, on the other hand, "roughed it" on the streets for nearly the first year of his life; at the age of 10 months, his rescuers found him living between the local fire station and police department, both of whom had been feeding the charming little guy. Just as Figgy's infinite appetite for cuddling had stolen my heart when I was nine, so did Roonie's hyper-kinetic joie de vivre enchant me at thirteen. My very patient parents let me make the executive decision for both adoptions!
My Mom snapped this shot during my freshman year of college, so that I could admire and pine for both of my boys in a single photo. But don't be deceived by their "peace-in-the-valley" appearance here: while they grew to tolerate (maybe even enjoy?) one another, and Roonie was deeply depressed when Figgy passed away in 2004, the number of times we caught them cuddling were few indeed.
As the "little brudder," Roonie was always more interested in playing with Figgy than vice versa. Roonie would often wait until Figgy was in a deep sleep before stealthily sneaking up, then sloooowly laying down to cuddle with the unsuspecting Figgy. When Figgy awoke to find his pesky little brother at his side, he was always visibly surprised!
The only thing I'd change about Figgy and Roonie would be their dreadfully short life spans. Each of these "good red men" (as my Dad called them) lived to fourteen, and I miss each of my very different, very loving and very beloved boys every single day. I trust and hope that we will be reunited someday.
© Angela Townsend
This also appears in the 2008 Winter Holidays Photo Gallery. They were indeed beautiful boys, but I was most taken by Angela's wonderful tribute to them.
My Cat of the Week photos are chosen from pictures submitted to other galleries on this site. Sorry, but I can't accept photos that don't comply with the Photo Submittal Guidelines.
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