In 1997, I got a cat to keep me company while I was away in college. I decided on a cat for the companionship since I rented an apartment off campus and I knew I didn't have the time to devote to training a dog. Cats are so independant and I love that about them. Tiggy kept me company through all my years in school and she was very much attached to me. After graduation, I moved back home to my parents' house and Tiggy absolutely loved the larger living space. She would go from the 2nd floor to the basement and even visit our neighbor on the 1st floor when he leaves his door open during the summer. After getting married and moving out, I decided to leave Tiggy with my parents because it would be another adjustment for her and I didn't want to have her move into a smaller space when she enjoyed the house so much. Rick thinks I abandoned her but I truly think that she loves my parents house and it wouldn't be fair to put her in a small apartment with no one at home during the day.
As Tiggy got older, she became more and more grouchy. She wouldn't hide from visitors but she wouldn't be friendly either. If a stranger goes near her, she will hiss and swipe with her paw. This has happened to family and to friends who thought, "Cute kitty!" and reached their hands out to pet her. Until this day, my dad and I are the only ones who can pick her up and set her on our lap without her getting upset.
Canine Victim #1: Tarzan
In 2001, my brother, Dennis, brought home his Yorkie puppy. Tiggy wasn't happy at all. She initially wanted nothing to do with him but Tarzan always wanted to play with her. Tiggy taught him a lesson (actually, she's still teaching him these lessons) by chasing him and scratching him. There were days when the house would be quiet and we wondered where Tarzan was. One of us would find him cornered by Tiggy against the wall, sitting there motionless, afraid to move an inch because Tiggy would strike. These attacks have subsided because Tiggy figured out that Tarzan isn't going to disappear anywhere but she still uses him to cure her boredom every now and then.
Canine Victim #2: Sobe the Newbie
Since I've gotten Sobe, I've taken him to my parents' house a handful of times. Most of the time, Sobe was too busy playing with the family or with Tarzan to really notice Tiggy's existence. There were a couple of instances where Sobe saw her and tried to go towards her but with his short attention span, he would quickly refocus on something he thinks is more interesting.
Yesterday was a quiet day at my parents' house and Tarzan wasn't around. Sobe discovered Tiggy as if it was the first time and tried to go sniff her. Tiggy gave warning hisses and growls to back him off. It worked and he knew his boundaries but his curiousity is so strong that it got him in trouble.
Seeing that Tiggy was taking her cat nap, Sobe siezed the opportunity to go up to her. Now we all know that cats never really sleep that deeply! They can be sneaky little things! So the minute Sobe got close, Tiggy was on alert and hissed at him. Sobe backed off and decided to go back to her again, as though he can't believe she doesn't want to be friends. This time, Tiggy let Sobe get closer to her. Straining his neck, Sobe leaned in to sniff Tiggy, not seeing her paw lifting. In the blink of an eye, Tiggy swiped him on the head and left Sobe yelping and running for cover. He hasn't gone near her since this incident!
Tiggy was always good at catching things: mice when my parents had a couple a few years back, waterbugs, roaches and dogs.
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