Mickey the spoiled house cat speaks out

Mickey's Secret Home Page

 

Here's the deal: I was here before the goats, sheep and bees and related paraphernalia arrived. As my people spend more time with them, I get less and less attention. I think this is just wrong! My therapist suggested I take up a hobby to deal with my free time. So, I've decided to launch my own website to tell my side of the story and as a focus for my creative enegeries. Please don't tell my people!

I'm a Cornish Rex cat. I was born May 14, 1994. I'm not exactly a spring chicken, but I'm doing pretty well considering my age.

My complaints: Since my people have gotten into the small ruminant thing and the resulting fiber products, they like to try out their product ideas on me. While I admit this can be a warming experience, they could pay more attention to my keen fashion sense.

This is me in my younger days when I used to have more hair. I am now diabetic (on insulin) and this seems to have caused me to lose hair. This makes it hard for me to stay warm. Although as you can see below, I'm not exactly the only household member who has lost a bit of hair over the years.
Mickey by keyboard
This is a felt hat - made from the wool from one of my people's sheep. They were experimenting with making felt and decided a small hat might help keep me warm. It is warm, but it feels funny on my ears and looks dorky. I'm not real fond of this hat. Makes me look like a shorter version of Harvey, the 10' rabbit - or an Imperial Storm Trooper. (I really wanted be the Sith...)
Mickey on Paul's chest

Here are two more attempts to keep me warm. The blue knit scarf is made from yarn spun from a "Totally Tubular" kit purchased at Black Sheep Gathering a while back. Actually, I think they never intended the scarf for me; I was just something handy to drape the thing on for a photograph. That's OK, it's not exactly my size anyway.

The red scarf and hat is just my size. It is wool from Goat Knoll Shetland sheep, hand spun, dyed a fairly attractive shade of red and knitted to fit my petite frame. Actually it was knitted to fit a metal garden frog that lives in my person's office that they dress up for the holidays--but that's another story...I'm not real fond of this outfit.
Mickey in red scarf and hatMickey wearing long blue scarf
Now look at this! I can live with this! This is a 100% cashmere sweater designed and knit by one of my people. It is incredibly warm and comfy. I don't even try to take it off. My person is working to create a knitting kit containing the pattern and yarn. No, you can't have this one!
Mickey in gray cashmere sweater

April 23, 2008: I had a problem. The above sweater, after two years of wear, had some serious holes. I tried purring. I tried yowling. I tried getting my paws stuck in the holes. Finally, I got a new sweater. Fortunately, my person had written down the pattern, so here's the new one. It's trendy, in a cat-in-the-hat sort of way and very warm. If you have a cold cat in your life and want the pattern, email my person.

 Mickey wearing striped cashmere sweater

October 9, 2010: I'll bet you've been wondering what I've been up to and if I'm still around. Well...Yeah...I'm still here! Thanks for asking! My life now is about keeping warm, especially in winter. In the summer I spend a lot of time on the porch catching rays, but in the winter I have to resort to other heating methods. At right are my heating methods of choice. When my people are drying food, I can use the first method. There's this warm little vent I like, right near the bottom. I know I shouldn't be on the counter, but I can get away with it when company isn't here because I'm cute.

 cornish rex cat sitting next to food dryer
This is me and my person's new Charkha. It's a very good deal for me. To operate it, my person sits on the floor. My height - get it? She doesn't have a hand free to pet me while using the dang thing, but I find I can either sit on her lap or climb over the box. This usually elicits a little word (of praise I believe) and she'll stop to unwind me from the string and pet me.
Mickey and charhka

 

For keeping warm, the fireplace works well, too.

 

 

 

 

Below (August 6, 2011):

Here's my new ploy. I go outside and climb up in the seat on the Kubota. Pretty soon my person will see me, feel sorry for me and take me for a ride down the driveway. Question: How can I get him to let me drive?
mickey the cat in front of fire
Paul and Mickey in jitney Mickey in jitney with Paul

December 2011:

Finally! A new sweater. This one is only 50% cashmere with a fashionable dark lamb wool collar. My other two sweaters, while very luxurious, didn't hold up under the armpits, if you know what I mean. My person was forever mending them. This one is more durable, very soft and a little bit shorter. I'm not sure if I'm getting a bit smaller as the years go by or what, but I was having trouble stepping on the ends of the last one. Very annoying! My person's husband continues to grumble that I have had three hand-knit cashmere sweaters while he's still waiting for his first one, but heh! that's life! Buck up!

 

 

April 3, 2012 - Update from Mickey's People:

Mickey died April 3, 2012. We miss our little buddy. He would have been 18 years old in a few weeks. He had a good run!
Mr Bill - Mickey's special friendYo Mick!

April 4, 2012 - Update from Mickey:

No worries big buddies. I'm not gone; I've just gone virtual!

 

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