Tales






A FAMOUS CAT LOVER:
ERNEST "PAPA" HEMINGWAY (1899-1961) was not only a Nobel Prize winning author and macho big game hunter in Africa, he was a fanatical lover of cats. Hemingway was known for having a fiery temper which led to public feuds and four failed marriages; but he definitely had a tender heart when it came to his feline companions.
During the 9 years he spent at his home in Key West, Florida, where he wrote 70% of his work, he had as many as 60 cats occupying the grounds. Many of them were inside crawling all over his desk as he wrote masterpieces, such as "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and others. He also kept another 50 to 60 cats at a home in Cuba.
What makes Hemingway's cats so unique is that many of them were polydactyl, meaning they have extra toes on the paws, a condition that can be passed on to the next generations.
In spite of all his success in his life, "PAPA" suffered from depression and took his own life in 1961 at his home in Idaho.
Soon after his death, a local resident purchased his Key West home and converted it into a museum. A private foundation maintains the home, and cares for the 60 cats, including the polydactly descendants of Hemingway's very own beloved friends. These celebrity kitties roam freely on the grounds and periodically some are sold to the public.
You can tour the home and see the famous felines on any day of the year, but when you do go, please control yourself and obey the sign that says: "Please do not pick up the cats."
For more information about the museum go to this website: http://hemingwayhome.com

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LET THERE BE CATS: CREATION OF THE CAT (THE UNTOLD STORY?)
On the first day of creation, God created the cat.
On the second day, God created man to serve the cat.
On the third day, God created all the animals of the earth to serve as potential food for the cat.
On the fourth day, God created honest toil so that man could labor for the good of the cat.
On the fifth day, God created the sparkle ball so that the cat might or might not play with it.
On the sixth day, God created veterinary science to keep the cat healthy and the man broke.
On the seventh day, God tried to rest, but He had to scoop the litterbox.
Yes, it's a cat's world afterall. Amen!

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THAT "POE" CAT
Every school kid in America reads the works of Edgar Allan Poe at one time or another. Poe is known for penning a range of works from tender poetry to horrific and sinister short stories, including "The Black Cat," a story of the mutilation of a cat.
Considering what happens to this poor puss, you would conclude that Poe must have hated cats. But this is not the case at all. In fact Poe loved cats and had many over the years. One cat in particular, named Catterina, served the family in a very special way.
During the winter of 1846-47 the family was going through some destitute times. Poe's wife Virginia was very ill with tuberculosis. There was no money, no food, no fuel, and no blankets. But there was Catterina, a large tortoiseshell cat, who became a living blanket to the sick woman. Virginia would bundle up in Edgar's overcoat and Catterina would lie on Virginia's chest, sharing her much needed body heat with her mistress keeping her warm and comfortable through her illness.
Now, isn't that just like a cat?

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