Tiger Lily: The Sassy Siamese

by Sharon Bonney

My name is Tiger Lily and I live in O’Connor Woods with my people, Mom and Daddy. I am not your run-of-the-mill house cat. I am Siamese; no wonder I am so beautiful. Those dogs who live here and prance around on their walks have nothing on me. I am the best!

My birth mother was dropped at O’Connor Woods late one evening. She didn’t know where she was or where to go, so she wandered around and finally found the security gate, where a guard helped her. She was very sick and very pregnant. Patty from Oreo Haven, an animal rescue program, took my mother home for the night. In the morning, I woke up with my six siblings who were born during the night. They didn’t move or eat or play with me, and soon Patty took them away. I was sad.

After a few weeks, Patty took me to the Woods to meet my future mom and daddy. I liked them and hoped they liked me. Patty took me to their home often and they played with me. Finally, Mom and Daddy said they had adopted me and as soon as I weighed three pounds I would live with them. I had a hard time eating enough to gain weight. I needed to weigh three pounds to get my first shots so I could move to the Woods with Mom and Daddy. Finally, four months later, Patty moved me to the Woods. WOW! I was so happy to have a family.

My new home is wonderful. I have two patios on the second-floor porch. I sit on the patio and watch the people and dogs on leashes go by. I hide inside the house when the garbage trucks come by. So noisy. I don’t like it when the rain blows on the patio. Even if I sit under the potted plants, I get wet. I usually go inside on rainy days and Mom plays with me. I puff up my ridge back and my tail and hide. When Mom comes by, I jump out at her, chase her around and run under the bed or behind Daddy’s chair. I grab Daddy around his elbows and bite him. He yells at me and I let go, but he is still mad at me.

Sometimes Mom or Daddy tells me to get off the kitchen counter or the refrigerator or the couch. Sometimes I get back at Daddy after they go to bed. I love to unroll the toilet paper, especially if it is a new roll. I get tired of unraveling it after a while. Then I rip it up, chew it and spit it out on the floor. I also love plastic bottle caps that I also throw around and hide all over the house for future use.

Sometimes I get on top of the bed in the middle of the night. I stretch my hind legs and then hop on Mom, grab her legs in my paws and kick her in the stomach. She yells at me because she doesn’t understand that I am playing. Mom yells at Daddy to get me out of the bedroom! I don’t like being banned from the bedroom, but it sure is fun to kick Mom in the stomach! It is worth being banned because I can cry outside the door and keep her awake.

I describe myself as loving when people visit. My next-door neighbor says I am sweet and soft. I greet them, wait for a head pet or an ear rub. I am inquisitive. I love sitting on Daddy’s office chair, spinning it around while I lay on my back and dangle my legs over the side. I also enjoy ripping up the papers on Daddy’s desk and throwing them on the floor. Neighbors have tried feeding me wet cat food, but I hate it. Dry and crunchy is the best. I do love treats when I find them hidden somewhere. Mom says she loves me. I know she does because she kisses me when I let her do it.

There is always something to watch off the patio. Birds to chase off the porch and new things to eat. Best of all is the tall dresser in the bedroom. It is wonderful for napping all afternoon, yawn, while Mom and Daddy play Mexican Train. Oh yawn…Did I say…nap?