Cats Because, Well Just Because: Cats of Sunnyside, Part 2

By Luddd Creef

Part 2 of Cats of Sunnyside has revealed that you just never know who cat people are by seeing them. The gamut stretches from big strong career Marines to career librarians and every other profession from A to Z.

Men like cats because they are a complete package of independence. Cats grow their own uniforms and boots. Cats' mothers teach them to fight and hunt with their teeth and claws. Cats like to hunt at night for thieving rodents and some cats like to fish.

Women like cats because cats are clean, groomed, and dependable, all the qualities they wanted in a boyfriend. Cats can keep a secret, a quality they wanted in girlfriends. The cat only has two all important criteria when selecting a human: are they up to my standards and are they trainable?

The cats of Sunnyside are the cream of the crop and they know they have arrived in a special tobacco and dandy lion-free environment.

BUDDY CAT BRADLEY:

First impressions are lasting impressions and seeing Buddy for the first time caused me to think of “Mister Clean” because his colors are so spotless. He was at the front door standing up with his paws on the storm door glass wearing the look of intense curiosity.

Linda Bradley introduced Buddy, and he came closer to give me the old sniff test and a genuine bump of approval.  He is a sturdy looking fellow with light orange or tan on the top and white on the belly or bottom.  His life as a Bradley began about four years ago at the Harrisonburg SPCA where he was next for the “put down procedure.” Linda wanted a kitten but the only one available was a “wild child cat.”  As she was about to leave, she spotted a young cat in a cage on a shelf, a three-year-old cat with a stitched up gash on his head.  It was instant bonding and now at seven years they are inseparable. There is no indication of his past wound as now he is a complete and perfect ball of playful fur. He is neutered and declawed so he is an indoor cat who has tried the outside world but returned in a jiffy to the best deal any cat ever had.

He has a special brush and has taught Linda just how he likes to be groomed. Recently Linda had a brief hospital stay and good neighbors provided his care and comfort.  He was on his best behavior.  Buddy is an alert sentry and he watches the sidewalk for all those doggies on leashes and those half-crazy suicidal squirrels. Protecting his home is of primary importance because this is his Kingdom and there is only one food dish, labeled Buddy.

ROO CAT MANCINI:

A pretty lady with a beautiful auburn burnt orange fur coat, she is the furry face at the window. She is Abyssinian and was rescued by Barbara Mancini from Northern Virginia. She had a previous home and family in Ashburn, Virginia, but the children had allergies to cats.

Roo is very affectionate and went out of her way to welcome us in to see her. However, she is not fond of being picked up except by mom Barbara.

Roo is about ten years old but she does not look a day over five years old. Proof that good food, proper rest, quality toys, and plenty of sincere attention will keep you young or at least looking young. One of her daily habits is following the sun’s progress looking for that special soft afternoon sun, the best for a sincere afternoon nap.

Roo knows that she has found the best place and the best person for her, and she plans to take full advantage of Sunnyside Cat Retirement. This wonderful experience began in January of 2019 but already it feels like it will last forever.

Roo cat is pampered and she loves the attention from her own personal nurse who brings her toys and special food. Roo is not a pick-up cat except by mom Barbara. The trust bond is building and after only five months both know the other is a keeper.

SOPHIE CAT HARKINS:

A cat on a mission to manage a house and train a dog to follow the rule “that the cat knows best,” that is Sophie.

Sophie is covered in long fur which is a mix of auburn-red-brown, very pretty. She is a Somali long-haired version of the Abyssinian breed. She came from a breeder in Maine but ended up with a rescue group in Boston, Massachusetts. She is happy to be part of the Tom and Pat Harkins family even if she must train Scout the dog.

It takes endless patience to train a dog especially when the dog is just spoiled rotten and so forgetful; every day is retraining day. Scout is a pretty, playful fellow who claims dad (Tom) because they are both retrievers. Sophie draws the line on car travel but as a trade-off she cooperates fully when it is time for claw trims. Her breed of cats are prone to tooth problems and tooth extraction is a possibility, but she has not crossed that bridge. Pat described Sophie as a “Talker,” very verbal and quite playful with her binky toy or pipe cleaner retrieval. Sophie has a touch of asthma and must use an inhaler each morning. After that, a treat is the reward. She was a little show-off during the interview playing with her toys and demonstrating the inhaler procedure.

Cats like a schedule and every cat comes with a built-in clock to keep the household on schedule. Feeding the cat at the proper time is most important. In addition, cats do not like “over-due” kitty pans either; rules must be kept!

BERT AND JAKE CATS NOFFSINGER:

When introduced to these cats, it was a two-step process because Bert is a fifteen-year-old extrovert and easy to see. Just scan the room and the snoring gray fur ball with whiskers is a cat named Bert, all quite normal.

We were assured and reassured several times that there really is another cat, and he was described as a little shy. So we figured, they are joking, there is only one cat. Again and again the shy cat was described, and finally we were led to the guest bedroom where we were introduced to a lump under the quilt. When the quilt was lifted, sure enough there was a large dark colored Tabby cat! Our names were immediately added to the family guest book, and we were the 8th and 9th humans to view shy Jake Noffsinger.

John and Mary Noffsinger both said, “SEE THERE IS A SECOND CAT.” To say he is shy is to say “a termite loves wood” – the cat was petrified! So we retreated to the front room where Bert awoke and joined us for the question-and-answer session. First order of business was for the person sitting in his place on the couch (that would be me) to move out of his space. John and Mary told the stories of how Bert adopted the Noffsinger family while they were at Winter Green, March of 2004. It seems that the Noffsinger children found cats for mom and dad to comfort them in their senior years ahead.

Jake (the shy one) was a wild barn kitten found during October of 2006 someplace around Waynesboro. The veterinarian in Waynesboro did the BIG fix, so Jake has his own personal reasons for being extremely paranoid! 

Cat persons who have a beautiful, intelligent, photogenic feline (that describes all of them) with a story to tell, please contact Ludford Creef at (phone 8286) or (email Mucky@htcnet.org). We will ask your permission to take a picture of your special cat to accompany the story.       

HERE KITTY, KITTY, KITTY…..