Short Tales






A FREE-FALLING FELINE:

In the 1970's a cat named Andy lived with his owners on the
sixteenth floor of an apartment building. You guessed it! One day poor Andy fell out of the
window and plummeted down all 16 stories - that equals nearly 200 feet! (two thirds of a football
field!) Fortunately Andy survived and still holds the world's record for the longest non-fatal feline fall.

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EGYPT OR BUST! I WILL SURVIVE!

Here is a remarkable story that testifies to the fact that
cats are extremely self reliant, adaptable, and just plain "tough."

One day a female cat was accidentally enclosed inside a
shipping crate full of automotive parts in Detroit, Michigan. SIX WEEKS LATER
the crate was finally opened up in Egypt. What did they find inside after all that time?

The cat was alive, although pathetically weak - but that's not
all they found. This hardy puss had given birth to a litter of four healthy
kittens! The little family had endured in total darkness without
food or water, but miraculously the mama cat was able to
feed her babies and keep them and herself
alive during the whole ordeal. Truly amazing.

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HAIL TO THE CHIEF! - MORRIS FOR "PURR"-ESIDENT!

Speaking of Presidential kitties, did you know that in 1988,
Morris, the popular and well-known 9 Lives "spokescat," in responding to "paw-titions"
from adoring fans, announced his candidacy for President? Thousands of bumper
stickers and buttons were distributed. After receiving the
expected criticisms (must have been from cat-unfriendly folks), his press secretary remarked,
"It's true, Morris does not talk, but he thinks a lot, and in a politician, that's not a bad trade-off."

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HOW THE KITTY WON A SENATE SEAT:

In September of 1971 a cat named D. E. Gordon Oltman was elected "paws-down" to the student senate of Southern Illinois University. He won on a platform concerning the problem of stray dogs roaming the campus. How did this happen, you ask? It seems this "politi-cat" was entered into the race by his owner, Diane Oltman, for the "purr"-pose of proving that the students were paying too little attention to the way they cast their votes. I guess it taught them to be a little more serious about their responsibility to vote! (I wonder if the kitty got to keep his senate seat?)

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THE LARGEST DOMESTIC CATS EVER!

Himmy, a neutered male tabby, owned by Thomas Vyse of Redlynch, Cairns, Queensland, Australia, still holds the title of being the heaviest recorded domestic cat ever. When he died at the age of 10 in 1986, he weighed a whopping 46 lbs 15 oz, just one ounce short of 47 pounds! Imagine having him jump on your stomach to wake you up in the morning! His neck measured 15 inches, his waist 33 inches, and he was 38 inches long. Wow! (Are they sure he was a cat?)

Another cat named Poppa came very close to Himmy's record. He was also a male tabby, owned by Gladys Cooper of Newport, Gwent, UK. He tipped the scales at a mere 44 lbs in 1984, the year before he died.

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WHERE THERE'S A WILL, THERE COULD BE A RICH CAT:

A few years ago an alley cat named Charlie Chan became the
sole beneficiary of an estate worth over $250,000. It included a three
bedroom house, a seven acre pet cemetery, and a collection of valuable antiques.

The will also stipulated that when Charlie Chan passed on, all the proceeds
from the sale of the estate must be donated to several designated humane societies.

Many wealthy, possibly eccentric (?) cat lovers have
bequeathed millions to their surviving beloved cats. I wonder
what the relatives thought about it, if there were any,
especially if they were left out of the will. Do YOU know any rich cats?

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WHO IS "TOM?"

Did you ever wonder where the term "tomcat" came from?

Way back in 1760 an anonymous story called "The Life and Adventures of a Cat" was published and became a big hit. The hero of the story was a studly male cat named "Tom the Cat." The popularity of the story inspired many cat owners to start naming their male cats "Tom."

What did people call male cats before 1760, you ask? How about "ram cat." I much prefer Tom, how about you?

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HANNIBAL THE CANNIBAL GETS CUES FROM A CAT?

What do you think about this?

Sir Anthony Hopkins says the secret inspiration behind his portrayal of the beastly criminal Hannibal Lecter is a cat. He says Dr. Lecter has a distinctly feline quality. He modeled his character's walk on that of a cat. "I like cats. And I love the way they pad around. I wanted to get that feel when Lecter is padding very quietly and stealthily in the shadows around the streets of Florence."

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