A Tabby to Love

by Michelle
(Arizona)

After having owned many cats in my lifetime, an orange tabby came to me and soon became my most favorite breed of cat.

In 2000 my mother was a new home builder when she discovered a kitten in an ash tray outside the office. A teeny tiny orange tabby left all alone.

Poor thing didn't even have his eyes open yet and was near death. My mother brought him home to me where I nursed him with a tiny dropper. I was sure he would be a runt his whole life, if he even made it to adulthood, as small as he was.

He surprised me though and grew into a big healthy cat. I named my new baby, Tiger. At first because he resembled one, but later became more fitting because he was as big as one. No one would ever have guessed he was that tiny thing left in an ash tray.

He was soon following me and my kids around everywhere we went. While never under foot he was always close to us. He watched everything we did and knew our routines better than we did. Tiger was so good with my children, never once did one receive a scratch. Tiger would crawl up in bed with the little ones and let them cuddle him like he was a teddy bear.

Tiger befriended our golden lab, a dog that before could not be bothered by the cats we owned. Now she not only would be found sleeping with Tiger, but grooming him as well. The two played together, batting around balls and other toys.

Tiger was my first short haired cat. I thought he wouldn't be as soft as my Maine Coon, but he was softer in a different way. Not an airy softness, more of a squishy softness. Tiger also loved to talk to us and had the most perfect meow, as if he was singing.

While Tiger is no longer with us he forever changed my thinking about cats. If ever I adopt another cat, I want a tabby. They are so resilient and loving, so playful and caring. Seriously the best cat I ever owned.