motel cat named Gato

Four days into a five-day trip we took this week, Jim and I were having
severe Rosie and Cinder withdrawal pangs. Curled up in a flower pot outside
the door to the motel where we stopped for that night was a disheveled
long-haired tabby cat.
I spoke to the cat, and he answered with a polite meow.
I could tell someone had groomed the cat, because there were no mats
evident, but he was very thin and I could see where his hipbones were.
At the front desk, I asked about the cat and offered some money to buy him
some good meals.
The woman smiled and told me that she lived on the premises and that he was
her cat. His name is Gato (Spanish for cat). She said he was almost 18
years old and showing his age. He gets eight meals a day of a special diet.
In fact, he had just been to the vet a couple of weeks ago to the tune of
$144.
I got the feeling that she was telling the truth and was quite relieved.
It just goes to show that things aren't always as they first appear.
When we got home, Cinder was waiting just inside the door. I could hear
Rosie calling me from behind the bedroom door. (We keep the door closed when
we are gone overnight because the ladies don't always get along.)
Although Rosie is about 7 years old, she has a tiny voice and she sounded
like a little kitten going mew mew for its mother.
It felt so good to hold her and hear her purr. She was like Velcro all
night. I gave her an extra hug and asked her to send some of those purrs to
Gato.
Annie, who did not leave the cats alone, but hired a cat sitter to check on
them in our absence.

in article , Annie Wxill at
wrote on 3/13/04 4:39 PM:

Four days into a five-day trip we took this week, Jim and I were having
severe Rosie and Cinder withdrawal pangs. Curled up in a flower pot outside
the door to the motel where we stopped for that night was a disheveled
long-haired tabby cat.
I spoke to the cat, and he answered with a polite meow.
I could tell someone had groomed the cat, because there were no mats
evident, but he was very thin and I could see where his hipbones were.
At the front desk, I asked about the cat and offered some money to buy him
some good meals.
The woman smiled and told me that she lived on the premises and that he was
her cat. His name is Gato (Spanish for cat). She said he was almost 18
years old and showing his age. He gets eight meals a day of a special diet.
In fact, he had just been to the vet a couple of weeks ago to the tune of
$144.
I got the feeling that she was telling the truth and was quite relieved.
It just goes to show that things aren't always as they first appear.
When we got home, Cinder was waiting just inside the door. I could hear
Rosie calling me from behind the bedroom door. (We keep the door closed when
we are gone overnight because the ladies don't always get along.)
Although Rosie is about 7 years old, she has a tiny voice and she sounded
like a little kitten going mew mew for its mother.
It felt so good to hold her and hear her purr. She was like Velcro all
night. I gave her an extra hug and asked her to send some of those purrs to
Gato.
Annie, who did not leave the cats alone, but hired a cat sitter to check on
them in our absence.




Some it starts at 15 or 16 but by 18 they really do get skinny and try as
hard as you can to comb, their hair can be really ratty. I'm glad he is so
old and happy.

Karen

"Annie Wxill" wrote
Four days into a five-day trip we took this week, Jim and I were having
severe Rosie and Cinder withdrawal pangs. Curled up in a flower pot
outside
the door to the motel where we stopped for that night was a disheveled
long-haired tabby cat.
I spoke to the cat, and he answered with a polite meow.
I could tell someone had groomed the cat, because there were no mats
evident, but he was very thin and I could see where his hipbones were.
At the front desk, I asked about the cat and offered some money to buy him
some good meals.
The woman smiled and told me that she lived on the premises and that he
was
her cat. His name is Gato (Spanish for cat). She said he was almost 18
years old and showing his age. He gets eight meals a day of a special
diet.
In fact, he had just been to the vet a couple of weeks ago to the tune of
$144.
I got the feeling that she was telling the truth and was quite relieved.
It just goes to show that things aren't always as they first appear.
When we got home, Cinder was waiting just inside the door. I could hear
Rosie calling me from behind the bedroom door. (We keep the door closed
when
we are gone overnight because the ladies don't always get along.)
Although Rosie is about 7 years old, she has a tiny voice and she sounded
like a little kitten going mew mew for its mother.
It felt so good to hold her and hear her purr. She was like Velcro all
night. I gave her an extra hug and asked her to send some of those purrs
to
Gato.
Annie, who did not leave the cats alone, but hired a cat sitter to check
on
them in our absence.

Aww, it's so nice to get home to them when they show you how much they
missed you. It's true about older cats losing muscle. Frank's hips are very
bony these days.

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
Email marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/frankiennikki

Aww, it's so nice to get home to them when they show you how much they
missed you. It's true about older cats losing muscle. Frank's hips are very
bony these days.

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki

How old is your Frank, Marina? (I guess I am confused with someone else...I
thought your Frank was pretty young!)
So many kitties to keep track of.....

Sherry

"Sherry " wrote

How old is your Frank, Marina? (I guess I am confused with someone
else...I
thought your Frank was pretty young!)
So many kitties to keep track of.....

He is 16, will be 17 in November. He may be elderly in body, but he is very
young in spirit. He is even starting to get some white hairs. Nikki, who is
15 now, has a sprinkling of white hairs all through her back fur. She only
used to have three white hairs on her rump.

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
Email marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/frankiennikki

"Annie Wxill" wrote in message ...
Four days into a five-day trip we took this week, Jim and I were having
severe Rosie and Cinder withdrawal pangs. Curled up in a flower pot outside
the door to the motel where we stopped for that night was a disheveled
long-haired tabby cat.
I spoke to the cat, and he answered with a polite meow.
I could tell someone had groomed the cat, because there were no mats
evident, but he was very thin and I could see where his hipbones were.
At the front desk, I asked about the cat and offered some money to buy him
some good meals.
The woman smiled and told me that she lived on the premises and that he was
her cat. His name is Gato (Spanish for cat). She said he was almost 18
years old and showing his age. He gets eight meals a day of a special diet.
In fact, he had just been to the vet a couple of weeks ago to the tune of
$144.
I got the feeling that she was telling the truth and was quite relieved.
It just goes to show that things aren't always as they first appear.
When we got home, Cinder was waiting just inside the door. I could hear
Rosie calling me from behind the bedroom door. (We keep the door closed when
we are gone overnight because the ladies don't always get along.)
Although Rosie is about 7 years old, she has a tiny voice and she sounded
like a little kitten going mew mew for its mother.
It felt so good to hold her and hear her purr. She was like Velcro all
night. I gave her an extra hug and asked her to send some of those purrs to
Gato.
Annie, who did not leave the cats alone, but hired a cat sitter to check on
them in our absence.


Awwww, please give your happy girls an extra snuggle for me.

We will send some purrs Gato's way in hopes that he has many more
years of checking guests into the motel. A working cat is a wonderful
thing. :-)

------
Krista

Wow. Both Frank and Nikki look much younger than they are; Finn cats must be
hardy.



"Marina" wrote in message
...
:
: "Sherry " wrote
:
: How old is your Frank, Marina? (I guess I am confused with someone
: else...I
: thought your Frank was pretty young!)
: So many kitties to keep track of.....
:
: He is 16, will be 17 in November. He may be elderly in body, but he is
very
: young in spirit. He is even starting to get some white hairs. Nikki, who
is
: 15 now, has a sprinkling of white hairs all through her back fur. She only
: used to have three white hairs on her rump.
:
: --
: Marina, Frank and Nikki
: Email marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
: Pics at http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/frankiennikki
:

"Hopitus2" wrote
Wow. Both Frank and Nikki look much younger than they are; Finn cats must
be
hardy.


It has its drawbacks. ) This morning they were having the crazies like two
hoolikittens, and ended up pulling down the computer speakers. Fortunately,
they didn't break. Both cats of course disappeared into their black holes
while their hoomin swore at them.

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
Email marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/frankiennikki

"LOL" wrote in message
om...

Awwww, please give your happy girls an extra snuggle for me.

We will send some purrs Gato's way in hopes that he has many more
years of checking guests into the motel. A working cat is a wonderful
thing. :-)

------
Krista

Hi Krista,
The girls thank you for the extra snuggles.

I always enjoy doing business with a place that has a cat or other animal
greeter, especially if I am away from home and missing my own fuzzy
snugglers. I hope Gato hangs in there.
Annie

"Marina" wrote in message
...
Aww, it's so nice to get home to them when they show you how much they
missed you. It's true about older cats losing muscle. Frank's hips are
very
bony these days.

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
Email marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/frankiennikki

Purrs and hugs (if he will allow them) to Frank and Nikki.
Annie