Ti (seen above in 1982)
was born May 15, 1979 in Minnesota. I was recovering from surgery when Ted decided I needed another
companion. My only pet besides the family dog MacGregor (in Texas) was my hamster Tessie. Now, I wasn't
sure how well a cat would get along with a hamster, but I decided to give it a try. So, one sunny Sunday
Ted drove me out south of Minneapolis to the home of a wonderful, sweet little old lady who had kittens for
adoption. The mother cat had wandered into her yard some time before and she kept her. There in her kitchen
I first met Ti. He was the only male of the litter, very quite and loving. His sisters were beating up on him
something awful! So, I took him home and we enjoyed our time together.
When we got home the first thing Ti did was check out Tessie and he could have cared less!! He was more
interested in chasing leaves out on the balcony of my apartment. He'd pounce on them and "wrestle" them
to the ground, returning with one in his mouth to bring to you as a gift. Like all my kids, Ti was a housecat
and rarely went outdoors, unless on a leash. He was actually quite a good leash walker, amazing the people
in the neighborhood.
Ti also loved car rides - rather strange for a cat, but he did. I couldn't leave the house without him when I was
going out and about. His favorite thing was to sit on the back of the headrest and watch the world go by.
I can remember the amazed or startled looks I used to get from people over that one. He also loved to play
with Marion, Lynette and Jim's cat that lived upstairs from us. The two of them used to sit on their hind
haunches and "kitty box", it was a sight to see!
When Ti was just over a year old I got Pooh who he took as his "baby". They were inseparable to say the least.
Pooh followed him everywhere, and Ti seemed to have the "patience of Job" over that one. On occasion he
would hide up on the top edge of a door (yes, that little narrow space near the ceiling!) and peek down when
he'd hear Pooh crying for him. Once he'd of had enough he would make his presence known to Pooh and come
down. When Pooh was a baby he'd cuddle up to Ti like he was a mama kitty, and Ti would let him. He'd
clean Pooh up and make sure he was ok at all times.
When he was two Angus joined the group which didn't phase him. As long as he got his own lap time
and I played fetch with him he was fine over the ordeal. This was good since when he was 3-1/2 I moved to
Texas and he had to share space with MacGregor (my folks Cairn terrier) and Merlin (brother Rob's half
Cairn terrier).
Ti decided one morning that it was "fun" to make grandma make her sink faucet slowly drip so he could drink
fresh water. Didn't matter if he had fresh water in the bowl, it was just something he wanted her to do. Once
I caught him drinking from the bathroom tub faucet in the sunken tub. He didn't make me turn on water, just
my mom. She was the only one he did that to, so it sort of became their morning ritual.
Ti used to sit about half way up the entrance foyer stairs and watch people go by (at about head height). My
brother Rob used to "hiss" at him when walking by. After a while, Ti began hissing at Rob the moment he saw
him, then would bat him on the head as he walked by the staircase. Served him right! Ti didn't actually dislike
him, just wanted to show him who was the "boss"
In June of 1983 I found out he was developing liver failure as a side effect of a medication given to him for
pnuemonia earlier in the year. Liver failure is a painful way to go, so I went in and said my goodbyes and
had him drifted off into endless sleep. I couldn't make him suffer because I didn't want to loose him. Pooh
and Angus missed him dearly, as did I. It is a comfort to think of him playing at the Rainbow Bridge now with
Pooh, Angus, MacGregor, Merlin and his other cousins and friends.
Until we meet again my first boy....
