Sunday, September 13, 2009

Whistle for Nick, He'll Come Running


With his luxuriously long coat, Nick is easily the most beautiful cat in our colony. Because of his coat, big size and personality traits, we believe him to be part Maine Coon. His big paws look like someone couldn’t fit all the stuffing inside, with tufts of wayward fur splaying out from between his toes. Patched tabby coloring and blue sparkled green eyes enhance his playful, happy-go-lucky personality; and pristine, white, fluffed “pants” make him look like he is dressed in pantaloons for swashbuckling fun.



His exceptionally full and billowing tail acts like a giant feather, and when it is standing erect in a sweet natured greeting, it resembles plumage from a wide brimmed hat. I see him as d'Artagnan from “The Three Musketeers” as he leaps from floor to couch to top of the cat tree and around down through the hole, down again onto the floor, dashing by you at a speed that is faster than you can read this. He loves to jump up onto the top of the tree in one motion and slam it against the wall with a bang. It teeters back and forth while he stands on the top in triumph, flourishing his tail. Don’t blink, because he’ll spring off it before the thing has had a chance to stop rocking.

Nick was one of four cats DP had before I moved in with her. Nick, the name he came with, was chosen from a cat-only shelter in Salisbury, Massachusetts. He was still under a year old and lounging sprawled out on the floor, while the bigger cats walked around him. When he got up and walked over to one of the bowls of food, another cat hissed at him. Barely missing a step, he took the hint and sought out another bowl, unfazed. My partner knew this guy would get along well with her other cats and especially her three dogs. Because he is so good natured, he is usually the first cat we introduce to new kittens. If Nick gives the new kitten a tongue bath, the little one is well on his way to being part of the family.

Nick is exceptionally clean and takes his grooming seriously. We never have to brush him, although we do on occasion just because he loves it. Luckily, the top layer of his coat (his guard hairs) is silky and less likely to tangle. His cleanliness goes beyond his grooming though, as he is the one who is most likely to show me where there is a pile of throw-up. He’ll spend a fair amount of time scraping imaginary dirt, in a losing effort to cover it over. His only nickname is “Nick from Housekeeping,” or “Housekeeping” for short. He dislikes the smell of coffee and regards our cups of morning java equal to throw up.

He is quite social and will be one of the few cats who’ll come out to meet visitors and asked to be petted. His beauty and charm easily captures everyone. Nick maybe socially bold, but he does not like the vacuum cleaner. Inevitably, he runs ahead of me, trapping himself in the last room of the house. I usually stand aside and reassuringly shoo him out the door before I enter with the monster machine.

The most quirky thing about Nick would have to be that he loves to be spanked. It’s not exactly what you’re thinking, but close. If you’ve ever seen the YouTube video of a cat standing on a cat tree being, for lack of a better word, “pummeled” by a person with two foam paddles…you know what I mean. If you haven’t seen it, go to YouTube and search for “Drumming on the cat.” It’s kind of freaky, but we were glad to learn that other cats enjoy this. Nick will stand in place, kneading his paws, as you slap his big meaty thighs. If you stop, he turns and meows at you for more or comes around to stick his head under your hand for a pat or a bite. He even likes to have his tail tugged in loving, but rugged affection…his love bites can be a bit harsh in return.

A big muscular guy at six years old, Nick is the most athletic of our cats, always up for playing group games. His favorite toy is the laser light and he’ll jump up the wall after the red dot, well beyond the light switch, to oblige us by turning on or off the hallway lights along his way. He also barely hesitates to leap the highest after the flying feather wand, and can clear a jump over every baby gate we have without touching it, equestrian style. Another favorite toy for him is a plastic milk ring. Nick will batter the little ring between his paws, skittering sideways and chirping with joy across the kitchen floor. If no milk rings are handy, he’ll scamper across the floor battering an imaginary toy just for pleasure of it. Nick has a hissy fit (and I mean that literally) if anyone teases him, so of course they do. Sometimes he just wants to play by himself, but some youngster has go see what he is doing and maybe hone in on his toy. He stomps off with a hiss.


He is usually the only cat, who freaks out when a neighbor’s outdoor cat comes by to visit. He runs from window to window breathing like a dragon. The other kitties might watch the visitor for a bit, but Nick takes exception to the intrusion. This brings up his only fault, occasional “inappropriate urination,” more commonly known as peeing outside the litter box. Diligence on our part has helped to alleviate that issue for the most part.

He is a member of the Moo Club – a group of our kitties who line up on the kitchen counter every evening to receive a spot of milk. It’s a nightly ritual in which Nick always participates. Most times he can also be counted on for cheese giveaways handed out when I make dinner.

You can often find Nick sleeping on the edge of tight places, limbs hanging over precariously balanced. If he rolls and falls, he simple lands with grace, on all fours, shakes off and goes onto his next adventure. I think Nick’s most endearing quality is that he comes when you whistle for him. No matter what he is doing, even if he is sound asleep, he will get up with a sleepy meow, and come loping down the hall and onto your lap ready to purr and be petted. Nick has enjoyed meeting you, we hope you've enjoyed meeting him. -Lisa Co9T

21 comments:

  1. Hello there, Nick! You are quite the handsome mancat, with such an interesting personality to match! We can see why your mum and DP are so happy with you. And it sounds like you have them well-trained! MOL

    Purrs and hugs,
    The Kitty Krew

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  2. Nick sure is a handsome boy! So photogenic! We love that picture of you on your cat tree!!

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  3. We read Moseley and BJ's introductions too, so we're caught up now. They are certainly unique, each one of them.

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  4. Hi there, all of you! Thanks for visiting my blog. You sure do have a big family! I read all the way from the beginning and look forward to meeting the rest of the kids!

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  5. Nick, you are a kitty after our own hearts! You is so calm, cool and collected - kinda like Frank Sinatra!

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  6. Nick has quite a personality. I really enjoyed meeting him.

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  7. Hi, Nick! Nice to meet you. I like how your purrson has written up your story and used so many cute...er handsome...pictures of you too.

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  8. Hello Nick, you certainly are a handsome fellow & I certainly did enjoy hearing your story. Your sure are lucky and it shows in your smile!!!

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  9. Nick, we just love your big floofy tail, pantaloons and furs! You sound like Grayson, the most congenial of us. Grayson loves everybuddy!

    Now we are wondering how we can get a Moo Club started around here! Hmmmm...

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  10. Nick
    You are indeed a lovable character. I share your "housekeeping" traits. I clean up after I have finished eating, whether everyone else is finished or not. I paw paw paw up the missed morsels and invariably run off anyone who isn't quite through. YOU truly are a furry handsome mancat and your tail is definitely the cat's meow.

    purrs
    Abby

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  11. Hello Nick! Nice to meet you! I love all your furr and your nice to that itty bitty kitty!

    Noir

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  12. What a lovely wonderful big tail you have!
    I love it!

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  13. Nick is wonderful, we are in love!

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  14. That was a very cool introduction to Nick. Siena especially liked the description of his tail. What a great personality!

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  15. Hi Nick you sound a lot like me... well sorta, a great cat anyway.

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  16. Oh Nick, you've stolen our hearts.

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  17. can you hear our hearts a-purring. we 3 girls here are in kitty-wuvs. he is one cool dude.

    -Us4 Gatos

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  18. Hi Nick, nice to meet you. I was so pleased to read that you like being spanked because I do too. Mum always thought I was weird, but now she knows I'm not. She taps the cat tree and I jump up and away we go. I sharpen my claws like crazy on top and act like I'm on nip. I like the photo of you on your cat tree. I like to sleep upside down too. You have a lovely floofy tail.
    We forgot to come back after finding your blog the other day so we are adding you to our reader.
    Flynn

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  19. Nick is a gorgeous boy, he has a tail much like Miss Faith Boomerang.
    Love his paws... very interesting read.
    Love & Purrs,
    Mommy ML and KC

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  20. I think Nick has more than just a little touch of Maine Coon in him. I know whereof I speak because of my Dante. Aside from Nick's gorgeous looks and his plumy tail (very MCish), his personality also sounds like a Maine Coon. They are very laid back and amenable (social) but are big chickens when it comes to any sudden or loud noises. My Dante also likes to groom his brother like that -- he has almost motherly instincts sometimes. And Dante also loves dairy products (his favourite is yogurt, but milk is appreciated, too).

    The big paws and meaty thighs are a giveaway, too! Do you know how much Nick weighs? MC's are very big-boned and long.

    So happy to meet you, Nick!

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  21. Nick is a handsome boy. I have a Maine Coon cat. So Nick does look like he has some in him.
    Glad to meet you Nick.

    Paws & Whiskers,
    Jude,Poo,Babybella,Piper&Marley

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Thank you for taking the time to comment. We read every one of them!