INTRODUCING “AZ”

MY WHOLE LIFE I WAS A “DOG PERSON”, AND WAS DEFININTELY NOT A “CAT PERSON”. I HAD SEVERAL MINATURE DACHOUNDS, AND SALLY THE YELLOW LAB WILL ALWAYS BE A FAVORITE.

EVEN THOUGH PAULIE ALWAYS HAD A CAT IN THE HOUSE  GROWING UP, MY REPUTATION WITH CATS WAS MORE SINISTER.

AS A LITTLE KID I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW MANY CATS I KICKED UP IN THE AIR TO SEE IF THEY REALLY ALWAYS LANDED ON THEIR FEET?  THIS WAS ESPECIALLY COOL TO DO IN THE BARN, TO SEE IF I COULD GET THEM TO LAND IN GUTTER.

ONE WINTER IN FRANKVILLE I DECIDED THE FERAL CAT POPULATION WAS OUT OF CONTROL AND MADE IT MY PERSONAL MISSION TO SHOOT THEM.  I USED THE SAME .22 VARMIT GUN UNCLE HANS RECENTLY BLOGGED ABOUT TRIMMING HIS TREE.

UNLIKE UNCLE HANS I WAS A TERRIFIC SHOT AND HAD 21 DEAD ON HITS, OUT OF 21, INCLUDING ONE IN THE DARK.

LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS CAME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION, AND BETWEEN THE TWO OF US WE HAD KILLED OVER 40 CATS.  WHEN THE LOCALS BEGAN QUESTIONING THE DISAPPEARANCE OF CATS AT THE MORNING COFFEE HOUR, WE BOTH HUNG UP OUR GUNS AND RETIRED BEFORE WE GOT CAUGHT.

IT WAS SEVERAL YEARS LATER HAVING A COLD ONE THAT THE SUBJECT CAME UP AND WE TOLD EACH OTHER OF OUR SHOOTING SKILLS IN THE BACK YARD.

TERESA COULD TELL YOU A COUPLE OF CAT STORIES ABOUT REX, AND ALTHOUGH NO ONE WAS KILLED IN THOSE STORIES I WAS INJURED BY ONE ONE THE LITTLE DEVILS AND TOOK SEVERAL WEEKS TO HEAL.

ANYWAY AS THE WORLD TURNS AND I GREW UP, THAT ALL CHANGED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WITH THE ADDITION OF SUSIE-Q, THE CAT, TO THE HAPPY CAMPERS GROUP. SUSIE HAS TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT PET CATS. HELL, I EVEN SUBSCRIBE TO THE CAT FANCY MAGAZINE, AND RECENTLY RENEWED WHEN MY GRANDSONS WERE SELLING MAGAZINES AT SCHOOL.

ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO THEY FEATURED SAVANNAH CATS IN THE MAGAZINE AND I’VE BEEN WANTING A SPOTTED CAT EVER SINCE.  SPOTTED CATS GET THEIR SPOTS FROM HAVING WILD LEPOARD BLOOD LINES.  THE SPOTTED CATS ALSO SEEM TO BE MORE DOG LIKE, SMARTER, LIKE WATER, LOYAL, AND MORE OUTGOING THAN YOUR AVERAGE CAT.

I THINK OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF I’VE READ EVERY THING WRITTEN ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THE SAVANNAH, OCICAT, AND BENGAL BREEDS.

THIS SUMMER WITH THE ADDITION OF THE PORCH, I NOW HAVE ROOM FOR A SECOND CAT AND DOUBLE DOWNED MY EFFORTS TO FIND THE PERFECT SPOTTED CAT THAT I COULD AFFORD.  KNOWING I WAS GOING TO BE IN GREEN BAY ON OCTOBER 1ST AND COULD USE UNCLE NEILS SERVICES TO CUT DOWN ON THE VET BILL THE DEADLINE WAS SET.  IT IS NOW OR NEVER.

AS THE DEADLINE GREW NEAR, LAST WEEK I TOTALLY PISSED OFF A BENGAL CAT BREEDER IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA. SHE WAS NOT AMUSED WHEN I RAISED MY $250 OFFER TO $300 ON HER $750 KITTENS.  HER LAST E-MAIL TO ME, GAVE ME A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF A FLAMING E-MAIL.

INTERNET SEARCHES, CHECKING THE CRAIG LISTS OF ALL THE MAJOR TOWNS WE WILL TRAVEL THOUGH TO GET TO GREEN BAY, HUMANE SOCIETIES, BENGAL RESCUE GROUPS, PET FINDER, WANT-ADS,AND FINALLY E-BAY.

LIKE AN OLE FASHION SOAP OPERA THE STORY CONTINUES TOMORROW