Cat Nights starring Tory

Critter Corner - Tory

I love the Old Farmers Almanac. For years I have bought my Dad one at Christmas and now I do the same for the hubby. Besides the necessary info we all need regarding planting and the moon, it is always full of great trivia and lore. You would think the fact that both of my main men keep their copies in the throne rooms would bother me, but since they spend LOTS of time in there and I actually read in there too on occasion, it doesn't hurt my feelings...

While reading the hubby's copy yesterday (in the living room, mind you), I came across this interesting little tidbit that ties in with my latest Critter Corner post introducing you to the residents of MoonCat Farms:

Cat Nights Begin (August 17)

This term harks back to the days when people believed in witches. An Irish legend says that a witch could turn into a cat and regain herself eight times. But on the ninth time, August 17th, she couldn't change back. Hence the saying: "A cat has nine lives". Because August is a "yowly" time for cats, this may have initially prompted the speculation about witches on the prowl.

Anyone that lives with cats (especially a large # of them), is always amazed & annoyed at times, by their peculiar little quirks. This blurb in the Almanac really came at a good time for me as one of our older cats has been doing that at night lately. Tory will walk up and down the length of the house and yowl for seemingly no reason at all. If he did this during the rest of the household's waking hours, it wouldn't be an issue. Since it has been in the realm of 2 or 3am, he has been out of favor a bit! Maybe he's a witch/warlock trapped in the body of a big, fat silver tabby with owl eyes?

Two Ton Tory aka Torytorytoodletons or just Toto

Tory is the LARGEST of our kitties. He weighed in at 30lbs at one time, but the new kittens keep him hopping - literally. They enjoy jumping in the middle of his pudginess and wrestling with him. He is a real sweetheart and very gentle cat.

When Michael first moved in with me, I warned him that he might not see Tory for the first month or so as he is very shy. Imagine my surprise when Michael woke me up in the middle of the night to ask if the large purring blob on top of him was the famous Toto! I think it just goes to show how much of a critter lover my hubby is that Tory took to him within hours of meeting him. He's such a lover, but only to Michael & I. He's pretty much a "fraidy cat" which could stem from his start in life.

He was rescued directly from the mouth of a dog who had killed the rest of his litter when he was just a week or two old. His name was a bit of a twist on the word "victory" or "victorious", but most of the time he's just my Toto. His favorite thing is to rub noses with me after he's settled his bulk in the middle of me, causing me to lose my air in one big whoosh.. I am working on his (and my) fat issues, but with numerous cats in the house, he always manages to snag some food from the other furfaces when I'm not monitoring him specifically.

So, world meet Tory. Tory, meet the world!