My cats

There are four cats in our household. As I’m sure many families experience, two of the cats started out as my children's pets while they were in college (the children, not the cats). For one reason or another, the cats ended up residing with us. One is part siamese - mostly white with blue eyes and orange markings. The other, who by the way is the dominant cat, is grey and white. He definitely has nine lives. Last spring all the cats were outside in the morning. We were not home. Something, probably a coyote, grabbed him by the back leg. He obviously fought back because he's still alive, but he ended up with a dislocated hip and spent a month in a crate.

The third cat we acquired is one I brought home after going to a school event. A woman from the cafeteria had brought it in a box. It's the first pet that I actually chose myself. I didn't consult with my husband, I just brought him home. He's a tuxedo cat - black and white. The last cat we brought home we got from the humane shelter. He's orange and white. He's the cat with the most anxiety. He got chased into a tree at night by something and has been paranoid every since. Most anybody would probably be paranoid if they'd gotten chased up a tree. Lots of people in the area post signs asking if anyone has seen their missing pet. It's a futile question. Between fishers and coyote, cats that go outdoors don't have much chance. A year ago a fisher tried to attack a cat next door through a screened window. It wasn't successful but the fishere left it's impression on the screen. I also read an article about a woman in Gilford, NH who thought her cat was safe because she did not let her out. She got up one morning to find a big hole in her screen window and no cat. Fisher are viscious. Quite the predator. We did lose one cat to the coyotes. That cat was my daughter's. Again she got him as a kitten when she was in a dorm, but later on she wasn't able keep him when she moved into an apartment. Needless to say we no longer let our cats outside.

Each cat has its own personality and habits. They all pretty much get along, with the occasional spat. Tough to wear anything black in the house – constant battle with cat hair. It’s worth it though to have their companionship and affection. They’re all large cats too – around 18 pounds. That’s even with us feeding them weight control food. As you can see, one day the grey and white cat decided that my granddaughter's mat looked like a good place to take a nap.