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This is really Tiger’s story, but I’m telling it.

So, I’m going to tell it "My Way".

Everything else has to be

"Her Way".



OOPS!

 
This is a cat story and already there’s a dog in it!

(just a little background before I get started)

 



We had a Shih Tzu dog, named Zumi, approaching the age of 16.

We were making plans to travel full time and decided "no more pets".

However, this did not keep my dear friend, Anita, from insisting we

needed a replacement. She had a litter of adorable Llasa Apso

puppies needing a loving home and offered us one "free of charge".

Absolutely confident we would not change our minds, we went to see them.
 
I don’t have to tell you "the rest of the story" - Mitzi went home with us.


 



About six months later, Zumi left us for her home in "doggie heaven".

And, in another six months, we were "on the road again".

Mitzi toured much of the United States with us and was a good traveler.

But…when left alone, she’d tear up everything around windows and doors,

no matter where she was, trying to escape. In order to continue travelling,

one of us had to be with her all the time, and we had to give up doing

a lot of things we wanted to do. So, you’ve probably already guessed,

we ate at McDonald’s a lot!


After a year of full-time travelling, my husband was diagnosed with cancer.
 
He passed away four months later. Mitzi looked for him everywhere we went.

I returned to work, Mitzi had to stay home alone,

and I had to take care of endless repairs!




 
NOW, BACK TO THE CAT STORY!


Again, my dear friend, Anita, came onto the scene. She decided that

"Mitzi needs company".

And, again, she had the answer – some kittens that needed a

loving home. This time, she didn’t invite me to come see them.

She paid me a surprise visit and handed me a

fluffy ball of energy with four legs, a tail, and a mind of its own!
 
Being a cat lover, I fell in love with that little baby, totally unaware

I was obligating myself to 6:00 a.m. feedings ‘til death do us part.’

I named her Tiger Lil.

 
 


Tiger and Mitzi seem to share something special.

Perhaps it’s because both came from the same home and had the
 
same guardian mother, Anita.  Whatever their relationship may

be, Mitzi has been content to stay home alone – with Tiger.



 
They became good playmates. Tiger loves to hide and jump out at Mitzi

when Mitzi least expects it.

 


 
She keeps us

entertained with her antics and keeps Mitzi on her toes.

 

 
She learned how to intimidate Mitzi with her "boxing matches".
 
The power behind those front paws is amazing.
 
With this intimidation technique, she can make Mitzi
 
cry. She will lay in a doorway or pathway, or in front of their
 
food and water dishes, and won’t let Mitzi by. Fearing one of
 
those boxing matches, Mitzi will not try to trespass.  She will

sit and cry until someone rescues her.  Sometimes, this is in

the middle of the night!


One of the first things Tiger taught 'us' is that she knows how
 
to tell time. When it’s 6:00 a.m. in the morning, it’s time for
 
the "games to begin". It’s Breakfast Time!  Her first trick was
 
to rattle necklaces hanging on a wall-mounted necklace holder
 
above a dresser. She would pull them away from the wall, rattle
 
them, and let them hit the wall. If that didn’t get you up, she
 
started on the venetian blinds, pulling or pushing the slats
 
until they made a popping noise. It doesn’t take long to figure
 
out how to avoid all that. Get up and feed the cat!



  
A few years of this and then she added something else. Getting a
 
head start and at full speed, she runs across the bed  stepping
 
on human legs with all of her ten pounds trying to avoid any contact
 
with the bed. One time will usually get you up. If that doesn’t,
 
you’re asking for another round. Better get up and feed the cat!



  
Around 4:30 & 5:00 p.m. each day, Tiger arrives in the kitchen
 
area, usually straight from her afternoon nap, and waits for
 
some sign of her pending supper.


  About 5:00 p.m., she starts doing
 
little things to make you notice her.  She rubs up against you,
 
or gets in your lap if it's available.  But she waits
 
patiently.  As soon as she's sure supper is being prepared, she
 
goes and gets Mitzi.  She gets right in Mitzi's face and will
 
rub up against her until Mitzi makes a move to go eat.




Shortly thereafter, it's bedtime. She loves shoes for pillows!