The person: Nancy Woodruff.
Pet’s Name, breed and age: Fish. Previous owner (Mommy 1, “M1”) gave her this name because when she held the cat she flopped around like a fish. Current owner, that’s me (Mommy 2, “M2”) didn’t change it, because by the time she came to live with me, Fish was five years old and was already used to the name. Besides, I thought it was unique and different, just like she is. She is a tuxedo cat. Her most unique feature is the white blaze down her nose and her white mustache on an otherwise black face. She has light green eyes that glisten in sunlight. And she is eighteen years young! She is still incredibly healthy, despite a little arthritis and some thyroid issues that she controls with medication. But she still plays like a kitten (for about 30 seconds, but it’s still playing and we celebrate that).
Nicknames: Fishalicious, Fishy, Fatima (not many since her real name is unique enough).
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How I met my pet: M1 was moving to California and could not take Fish or her nine siblings. I am friends with M1, so offered to take Fish as a companion to my then 2-year-old puppy. My home is small, so I could not accommodate all her cats, but Fish had already made a huge impression on me and she was the one I chose to live with me.
How my pet has enriched my life: She is one of the most loving cats there is. She is a great hostess, welcoming anyone who comes into my home. She can make a cat-lover of even the most diehard cat-haters. She wears them down with her purring, rubbing, nose-bumps, and those intense green-eyed stares into their souls. When she is feeling particularly amorous, she will nip the end of your nose. She has a way of saying that something doesn’t belong by pushing it off the table, dresser, whatever. She once swept a lamp off an end table in the living room. The TV remote, cell phones, pens, coasters, you name it, they all fall prey to “The Paw.” And she looks me in the eye the whole time, as if daring me to defy her action. Fish has a certain amount of fame, as well. She currently graces the month of August in the first ever Red Bandanna Pet Food Store calendar. Her goal for 2013 is to be on the cover of the calendar so that all may admire her beauty for the entire year, rather than just one month (she would appreciate your votes when the time comes).
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If my pet could talk she might say: “I own this place. You are welcome to come in and stay a while, but just remember that this is My House!”
Patch would like to meet your dog, cat, snake, lizard, monkey, llama -- whatever kind of pet you have. If you're interested in being profiled in Pets and Peeps, email Ralph.Ellis@Patch.com.
If you enjoyed this article, here are some previous Pets and Peeps.
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