7.07.2008

Gotcha Story

Mom found my baby pictures, so slowly she is scanning them into the computer to digitize them so they won't all fade. These pictures were taken with the traditional cameras that actually used film!

This is my first picture in our apartment in Clemson, SC, which shows my adorable little face! That is one of the reasons why she fell in love with me at first sight. Can you blame her? I began early helping Mom organize her papers, which has been a life-long job for me. She just has too many papers around all of the time and needs someone to help her.

In the beginning . . .

Mom used to have a gray kitty named Muff (see post from June 9, 2008) with her husband. Well, her husband decided to leave her after 21 years of marriage and he took Muff with him. Muff had been diagnosed with Chronic Renal Failure and the doctor had only given her 6 months to a year, so mom told the man-husband that if she was going to lose them both, she would rather do it at the same time. Needless to say, Mom was very depressed. She tells me that it took her almost a year to stop looking for Muff to meet her at the door when she would come home. Muff lived to be 18 years old and went to the Bridge 6 months after I came to live with Mom.

Mom decided to change her life and left her full-time teaching job to go back to college and work on a Ph.D. She had been separated for about a year, had moved 3 hours away from home to go to college full time, and was feeling the itch to have another fur child in her life. She knew she wanted a really floofy kitty and starting looking in the paper for Persians, and especially Himmies! But every time she called, all of the kitties were gone.

One day (December 11, 1995) when she was visiting her parents in Columbia, SC, she stopped by a local pet shop just to see what type of kitties were there and how much they would cost - she swears she didn't have any intentions of buying that day. I had other plans.

She walked in the shop and guess what? There were some baby Persians in the shop. She told the polite lady that owned the store that she was interested in a female Persian. The lady told her that all of the solid Persians had already been adoped, but she had two Persians that were half red tabby Persian and half Himilayan and one was a girl. Mom asked if she could hold me and I put my plan in motion to go home with her. I immediately licked her face and began my loud purring. Mom walked around the store for about 1/2 hour with me in her arms and I felt so comfortable that I had found my human Mom that I fell asleep in her arms. That was all it took! The polite lady showed Mom my fur daddy (Little Tiger of Harbison) and my fur mommy (Chocolate Baby) and they were beautiful! The lady called me "Flower Face", but mom took one look at my sweet face and coloring and said, "Her name is Praline." Of course, she had to come up with a fancy name to complete my papers, so I became Miss Paula's Sweet Praline.

Mom took me home to Clemson, SC, where we lived for three years while she completed her Ph.D. I helped her organize (or reorganize) her papers for her dissertation and would put my stamp of approval (teeth marks) on math papers that she had to grade for the math classes she taught.

My first attempt at "bowing up"


My first toy - a ball that had another bright toy inside of it. Hadn't quite figured out what to do with it yet.

Playing with the ball on the kitches floor! That was fun. There was a hole under the cabinets in that apartment and I actually squeezed under it to get the ball, so Mom ended up putting up cardboard to block my entrance. I liked that dark space, but she was afraid I would get caught and she couldn't get to me.


My favorite toy was a shoe string. I carried that string all over the place. Hmmmm. Wonder what happend to that string?

Time to eat, Mom!

Tomorrow, I will share the adventures of my first vacation trip to my Mom's sister's house with more pictures.

14 comments:

Goldie, Shade and Banshee said...

The PM can't get over how sweet you looked. So, so sweet!

~Shade

Anonymous said...

ohmygosh! Mom wouldn't have left you behind in that store, either, Praline!! You were such a precious kitten!

jenianddean said...

Licking the face, purrs, then falling asleep ... works every time! Great baby pics!
--Jasper

Unknown said...

Oh mai Gosh!! Praline you were extremely too much cutez!!! Omaigosh!! Me want squeeze u!!!

Tybalt said...

Oh Praline, what a sweet Gotcha story ! My mommy can't stop squealing over your baby pictures. You were one adorable kitten, Praline! Just look at your sweet little floofy face!

Ana said...

Awww, that's soo cute. And what a lovely gotcha story! Sure your Mommy couldn't do anything else but take you home!

Anonymous said...

SQUEEEEEEE! Your baby pictures are the absolute cutest!!!

Daisy said...

What an adorable baby you were! And you are so lucky to have so many wonderful baby photos.

I am glad I was not the only cat to try to climb into that spot under the cabinets.

Laila and Angel Minchie said...

Mom was SQUEEING with delight reading your story and looking at your baby kitten pictures! She said the last one of you next to the kitten food container she thought you looked like a little owl. We can understand why you both fell in love with each other at first sight. Mommie's himmie was named Peggy's Blue-eyed Baby Cerise. Don't you just love Himmie names? We love yours!!! Can't wait for the story to continue.

Laila and Minchie

Zippy, Sadie, Speedy and M'Gee said...

Ohoh, mommy is making dem gooby baby kitty noyzes. Dat means yoo is to cute fur words. Da beans don't stand a chance when cute kitties turn on da charm.

Tommy and Teaghan said...

Yoo looked like a Tribble frum Star Trek! Who couldn't fall in love wif dat face? Mom just fell head ofur heals in love just now. Beau Beau would too if he wuzn't alreddy taken wif Powder.

Just Ducky said...

You were such a sweet little kittie.

Anonymous said...

ohohohoh SQUEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

There goes Mom again! :)

Praline, what a precious little floofy girlkitten you were! And oh, you sweet little face.

SQUEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!

Purrs and snuggles and smiles from Marilyn.

Lux said...

Those are the cutest pictures of you, Praline!