Finis P. Shelnutt

Finis is the newest member of our family. I found him hiding in the wheel well of a car at my local grocery store. He had come out of nowhere, run across the lot, and jumped up to hide from the vehicles cruising for parking spaces. It took the help of another, but after a bit, Finis was safely extricated. When I saw his face it was love at first sight. I knew he'd be coming home with me. Fin was named for a gentleman from New Orleans that had appeared in newspapers in hurricane Katrina's aftermath. He was the owner of Patout's restaurant, Finis Shelnutt. My wife and I thought the name unique. Our baby Finis was given the full name of Finis P. (for Publix Market) Shelnutt. He is called by may variations, ie. Finny, Fin, Finis P. and Fin Baby. He was very young when we saved him and is a grateful, loving kitty.

Sweet Georja Brown

Georja Brown was born to a to a cat that appeared one day in my mom's barn in upstate New York. She was one of three in the litter. My mother winters in Florida. When she arrived that fall, Georja became our cat. My sister and my mother kept the other two kittens and my mom located a home for the mama cat up in New York. Georja was about three months old when she came to our home. Immediately, Kenny Big-Boy became her surrogate mother, cleaning, playing, and protecting her from all the older bitchy kittys, that begrudgingly accepted her. She has had a series of names beginning with Spotty, for the obvious reason. Briefly she was Georgia O'Kitts, for Georgia O'Keeffe, because her markings were quite painterly. Finally we settled on Georja. Georja Brown followed naturally. (because of her sweetness)

Sylvester

Sylvester is not technically our cat. He comes around quite frequently, sits in our lawn chairs, and tries to get in the backdoor to eat our cat's food. When he's looking pitiful enough we'll bring left-overs out to him. He ranges all over the neighborhood, and probably eats at several locations. I think he had an owner at one time because I have petted him occasionally. We theorize he was owned by the crazy lady that used to live three doors down. Every neighborhood has a crazy cat lady. You know, she's usually in her bathrobe and slippers, hair looks kind of witchy, has dozens of cats in her house. She's the one that calls the cops when firecrackers go off nearby. When she moved and sold her house the new owners tore everything down except the basic frame, because of the cat odor. So that's where we think Sylvester came from. He has survived worse than being on the street. For the record, with just seven cats, we are eccentric. Only after twenty or so can one be labeled "crazy"

Kenny Big-Boy

Kenny the kitty is another of our adopted by proxy cats. Some time ago, (almost two years now) my sister and brother in law entrusted Kenny's care to us because they had to move from one house to a rental while waiting for a new one to be built. The new landlord did not want pet-owners. Things did not go quickly on the construction, and then the Florida hurricanes of 2004 slowed things down to almost a dead stop. After a short period of adjustment Kenny became a vital member of our family. When my mother brought us a kitten, (Georja Brown) born in her barn in October of 2004, Kenny became a surrogate mother. Kenny displayed the same loving behavior with Finis, whom I rescued from a supermarket parking lot in September of 2005. Perhaps because he was rescued from a life hanging around a ball field when a kitten, he recognizes their need. Kenny's alternate names are Biggy and/or Big Boy, because at almost 20 pounds he is one one the largest (not fat) cats I have known.

Spunky

Spunky's full name is Spunky Magruder. Don't know why, we just liked the sound of it. Spunky is a litter-mate sister of Spooky. As kittens they lived next door and would come to frolic kittenish in our yard. Not long after being adopted, their owners had to move, and the cats could not go. We were asked if we wanted to adopt one. We could not bear to split them up, so we became caretakers of the "Calico Sisters". As they have grown older they no longer play with each other, but they are a formidable alliance among the five others. Spunky has a rich tapestry of markings. A small birthmark like spot on her face has given rise to one of her many nick-names, Cindy Spunkford, after model Cindy Crawford.