Cat Tuesdays: Charlie

Amelia and I got Charlie as a youngster from the North Country Animal League soon after she moved to Vermont. Amy loves big male ginger cats. Although Charlie was small then, she knew this was her cat. Oh, I should mention that Amy also likes cats with huge attitude. Charlie has it.

Charlie has thrived here. Although he violently dislikes strangers and will disappear into the woods until they go back where they belong, he is outgoing with family. He has few cat friends in the house. He hates Buddy (and Buddy hates him). They will fight if they are together in the house too long.

Charlie has his charming side (but it is often difficult for me to see it!). Amelia loves him but she moved to Newport and it would have been cruel to confine Charlie in a house in the city. So he is with me, harassing my buddy Buddy.

When Charlie wants to sleep in bed with you, he curls around your neck. No. "Curls" is the wrong word. Body-slam is better. He actually throws his body, painfully, against you to cuddle up. He doesn't fall over; he tosses himself. His purrs are outrageously loud.

Charlie has three gruesome habits:

1. He swallows his mice whole. I came across him one day this past summer in the woods as a tail disappeared down his throat. I was horrified!
2. Charlie decapitates his mice. He brings the pieces into the garage. But he doesn't leave his kills around my car like Buddy does. He seems to drop mice parts here and there randomly.
3. Charlie skins his kills. One morning this summer I came across a mouse head that was cleanly skinned. The rest of the details are not appropriate for this blog, so I will refrain from writing them.

I care for Charlie responsibly and with care. But I cannot say that I love him. He is a pain in the ass. I hope Amy soon moves back to the woods so that she and her beloved Charlie can live together in harmony!

Handsome copper-eyed Charlie stalks Buddy from my desktop.

Have a great week and happy blogging!