Cat's Name & Age:
Bob & Frank 16 & 10
Best Characteristics of the Breed
Bob fetched paper balls & took walks with me like a dog, Frank is royal
Most Challenging Characteristics of the Breed
can't think of any
When, Where and How I Got My Cat
When Bob was 6, we took him out to the SPCA to find a friend. The woman there was shocked to see me bring in an older cat nested on my shoulder , and shouted out, "You're not leaving THAT here, are you?"
"No we came to find him a buddy." We took Bob to the cages and he walked by the first three kittens, and he stopped by the fourth, and started licking him through the cage. We knew that was the one. They have been best buddies ever since. Playing, cuddling, preening each other. We have since lost Bob, and Frank howled out for him for weeks, non stop, even though we got new kittens since. They were so close!
I'd Describe My Cat As…
Bob, an orange tabby, was very loving towards everyone he met. He was the king of the neighborhood. When we got Frank, Bob took care of him as though Frank was his own. He was very protective of Frank. He loved to go on walks with me every morning on a leash, he went camping and on road trips with us. His favorite game was to fetch paper balls. Never any big medical problems.
Frank is so slender and tall, we think he is part Abyssinian. He is very royal-like, and will cuddle with you on his own terms, of course.
Now that Bob is gone, he's gotten more friendly with the other cats, and with us. Being that he doesn't have his cuddling partner any more, he's realized that our laps are just as warm and friendly. And he's warmed up to the other cats as well, who are younger orange tabbies.
Advice
- My best advice, if possible, is to let the older cats take part in choosing a buddy. That was the best thing we could have done with Bob and Frank.
- If not possible, bring in a kitten who's very young.
- I haven't had real good luck bringing two older cats together. They would co-exist okay, but the love just wasn't there.
- Bob and Frank were wonderful friends, and I can't think of a better way to do it.
