Watch Out for Flying Cats

If birds could pounce

And cats could fly

How crazy it would be.

We'd call the fire department

When our bird went up a tree.

We'd bell the bird

And salt the the tail

Of any passing cat

Who was in need of catching

While the birdies stalked a rat.

We'd feed the worms to pussy gato,

Tuna to the tweeter.

There's be nests of fur and then

No birdie'd need a heater.

Kitty cats would turn their heads

To watch us with one eye.

And let's not even think how cats

Would pelt us from the sky.

These sky blue kitties are in my etsy shop.

Tama, the Original Maneki Neko

In the 17th century, at the beginning of Edo period, there was a rundown temple in Setagaya, in the western part of Tokyo. 

The priest of the temple kept a pet cat, whose name was Tama.  Though the priest was very poor, he always made sure that Tama had something to eat.

One day, Naotaka Ii who was the lord of Hikone district, was riding home from a hunt when he was caught in a sudden rain  shower.  He sought shelter beneath a big tree in front of the temple.

While he stood beneath the tree, Naotaka noticed that the cat seemed to be inviting him into the temple.

The tree was not offering all that much in the way of shelter, so Naotaka hurried from beneath the branches to the temple gates.

No sooner had he left the tree than the tree was struck by lightning.  Naotaka's life had been saved by the cat, who was, of course, Tama.

After his near-brush with death, Naotaka and the temple priest grew close.  Naotaka chose the temple to be the family temple for the Ii family, and its name was changed to Goutokuji.  Goutokuji became prosperous. So Tama not only saved Naotaka Ii; he saved the temple.


After his death, Tama was buried at Goutokuji's cat cemetery and Maneki Nekos were invented to honor Tama.

There are different kinds of Maneki Nekos. It is said that one with the left paw raised invites customers to a  place of business.  One with the right paw raised invites good fortune.  Both paws, logically, invite both.

Maneki neko charms and earrings can be found here.

God's favorite unrepentant calico cat

Recognition



Odd indeed
To think that we alone
Of all God's creatures
Are worthy of recognition
For I am certain beyond question
That when the last day arrives,
Our company will swell
With fox, raven, hare, and rat
And when we are finally admitted
We will see, sharpening her nails
Upon His most resplendent throne,
God's favorite unrepentant calico cat.



(C) 2000 Mary Margaret Carlisle
1st Rights:  Sol Magazine Projects



Calico cats are unrepentant here.

This Little Kitty

This little kitty carved pumpkins.

This little kitty's all done.

This little kitty ate candy corn.

This little kitty ate none.



This little kitty rode broomsticks.

This little kitty's all black.

This little kitty put mousies

In the trick or treat sack.



And this little kitty went meow meow meow all the way to the auction.

Kitties and Cream

Kitty cats and cream



Go well with morning coffee.



Now read the paper.




Can't find your glasses?  They're right here.

Siamese Cat Tails

Long ago, in Thailand, which was called Siam, there lived two cats ~ the very first Siamese cats. 



They were highly respected, as they were the guardians of temples, and when a person died, one of the cats was chosen to receive the dead person's soul. 



As temple cats, they had special powers... and special abilities.




Once, during a time of war, when all the men of Siam left their homes to defend their kingdom, just two cats ~ a male Siamese named Tien and a female Siamese named Chula ~  remained to guard Buddha's golden goblet in the sacred temple.



Tien soon became restless. 



He spent a little "quality time" with Chula, and then left to find another priest who could look after the temple.




Chula, however, took her responsibilities very seriously, to the point of obsession. 



She would not take her eyes off Buddha's treasure and never once looked away from the golden goblet. 



To be safe, she wrapped her tail around it so, if she happened to fall asleep, it would still be safe. 



Time passed and the kittens from Tien's last visit grew inside here. 



Chula waited and waited for Tien to return. 


But finally, after 63 days, her kittens were ready to be born.  Still she kept her eye on the goblet as she gave birth to her litter.



To her amazement, the kittens showed the very characteristics that Chula had acquired during her time as a watch cat: a kinked tail and crossed eyes. 



Even today, every so often, Siamese kittens are born with those features, perhaps because they are the distant descendants of Chula.




You can find their bracelet, a pendant necklace, and earrings here.