xenogere

The Kids

The term The Kids always refers to the animals who share my home and life.  Time marches on, so members of The Kids change, but regardless of who’s involved, they are my children.  You can always see all of the posts related to my kids by going here.

There are currently six furry friends running things around here who collectively are The Kids.  There are two separate sets of siblings — The Boys and The Twins — plus The Rescues, adopted kin saved from life on the streets.

The Boys is the eldest pair of cats — Grendel and Loki — who were adopted in early February 1997.  They have always been considered old money because they were in foster care before I adopted them.

Grendel is the alpha male of the house, is a domestic short hair (DSH) dark gray tabby, and has had some health problems in his life (hip surgery and severe asthma).  He's a totally selfish attention sponge (he can't get enough), but he's also a very sweet cat who enjoys being around people.  He's very laid back and takes everything in stride, which means he's the first to investigate new things and meet new people.  Grendel fights with his asthma each and every day, but he's a winner and doesn't let it slow him down much.  He's also the master of the silent meow — the strongest weapon in a cat's arsenal — yet has no problem voicing his opinion when it's called for.

Loki is the acrobat and athlete of the house, is a domestic medium hair (DMH) tuxedo, and is likely Satan himself (or killed Satan and took his place) since he walks sideways on furniture and hunts everything.  Loki has acrobatic and athletic abilities that boggle the mind.  For instance, he was being chased by Kazon one day and proceeded up the side of the new cat castle.  When he got to the top of the castle, he simply turned and ran across the side of it — completely defying gravity — then ran down the other side head-first.  And he accomplished all of this so quickly that he was back to the ground and around the corner before Kazon even realized he just went by.  Loki doesn't take "no" for an answer on anything, and he talks at me, not with me.

The Twins is the youngest pair of cats — Kako and Kazon — who were adopted in October 1998.  The Twins were extremely sick when they were adopted (upper and lower respiratory infections, flees, ear mites — they had the works).  The Twins are considered new money because they were left on the doorsteps of the local Humane Society on a cold and rainy morning and knew nothing but hardship until I brought them home.

Kako is the only lady in the house (there are four male cats in addition to her, and I'm not sure the term "lady" really applies in her case) and is a DSH black tabby (with ferret-like hair — light at the root and dark at the tip).  Because she's the only female in the house and is the most petite cat here, she has an attitude that you can see before she enters the room.  She will fight me anytime I say "no" to her, and heaven help me if I decide I need to be physical with her (a tap on the nose, a swat on the butt — it all leads to violence).  She has a white trash relationship with Grendel (that's her man), but, incest aside, it's actually quite cute as she will hunt him down anywhere just to snuggle with him.  Kako is a talker (her lungs must take up most of her body), and I sincerely believe she uses the phone all day when I'm not home.

Kazon is the baby of the house, is a black DSH (with a few small sprinkles of white), and is likely the sweetest cat I have ever seen in my life.  Difficult childhood aside, Kazon could not survive without people.  He's comfortable sleeping on me when I'm watching TV, cuddling with me under the covers when it's time to go to bed, and curling around my neck on my shoulders to walk around, snuggle, or just to get attention.  He simply must be with me at all times (I call him my puppy as he follows me around everywhere).  Unfortunately, Kazon is as equally uneducated as he is sweet.  Although I hate to admit it, he's the dirty family secret and probably doesn't have a single synaptic spark occurring upstairs.  Things are always new to him, which can be entertaining, but he's also impossible to discipline because he has no idea why I'm scolding him or what he's done wrong — he simply doesn't remember.  Kazon has the most pathetic speaking habits known, as most of his meows are broken in such a way so as to infer an unbelievably pitiful existence (despite the fact that they're all spoiled rotten).

The Rescues is a group dedicated to those creatures I save from a life on the streets.  The current members actually were saved from a life at an urban lake where both had been dumped.

Vazra is an adoptee captured from a life outside where he’d obviously been abandoned, and he is a black Persian.  He is a terribly sweet cat who gets along well with everyone.  I gave him food and water for several months as I helped him grow accustomed to me and the cat carrier I left on the patio.  Eventually, I was able to capture him, tend to his health and dental needs, and fully adopt him into the family.  His acclimation is ongoing, but he appears set to become a fully accepted member of the family who can live the rest of his life in luxury (especially when compared to how he was living here around the lake).

al-Zill is the most recent addition to the xenogere homestead.  I first met al-Zill in early May 2007 when he began visiting my patio for a free meal.  A petite cat at the time, I suspect he was no more than a year old.  Almost a year later he appeared with a gaping wound atop his head, his body no longer able to respond to the wishes of his mind.  Wounds from head to neck would define his existence to come: Feeble, simple, impish as a child trapped within an adult’s body.  I rescued him as soon as I could, and he has since become the rambunctious, childish, meddlesome feline who stirs up trouble at every opportunity.