Your very first kitty?

[Marcia]

My first ever cat was a long haired black and white female called Puss  She was a really sweetie  We think someone stole her about 3 years ago 
My other halfs first cat was a Miffy, a gorgeous grey and white female who unfortunately passed away 3 years ago, R.I.P Miffy. Shortly after getting Miffy though, he had a tortie and white girl called Perdie who is still with us but is as chubby as they come 

And our first cats together were Holly and Jasmine. Jasmine was a long haired tortie and white girl who passed away before xmas 

[LeighK]

My first cat was called "Scott" after the famous explorer. He was a beautiful ginger coloured 1/2 persian/moggy cross sort of like a fluffy Garfield. I had decided on having a cat for a pet as,at the time, I didn't fancy getting a dog because I was out to work and sometimes worked late and didn't fancy taking it for walks in all sorts of weathers late in the evening when I got home. A friend at works, sister in law's cat (the white Persian half) had just had kittens and I mentioned it to him and before I knew where I was I was at her house picking up this little bundle of fur. I bought him there and then, stopped by at a pet shop on the way back to work to buy all the normal things, bowls, food etc,. etc.. He  spent most of the day curled up on top of my computer which sat on the floor below my desk and his little exploring trips round the office prompted me to name him after the famous explorer. He was always a free spirit, I loved him greatly and very sadly he was killed in an RTA aged 2 (RIP little fella, see you at the bridge) but he really started me off on cats and, since then, I've never been without at least 2 cats, they sure get under your skin don't they.

Cheers

Leigh

[tiga]

My first cat was Mork, a grey tabby, that we got when I was about 9. I had got a puppy which I called Mindy. Yes, 'Mork and Mindy' - very embarrassing names. Some kids came and knocked on the door very early on a Sunday morning. They had this tiny bundle and were trying to find who owned him. They said did we want him? Did we ever! My sisters and I ran into my parents bedroom, woke them up and told them the plight of this cute kitten. No. We are not having a cat was the response. We went and told the kids but said to come back if they couldn't find anyone to take him. (We were pretty good at pestering!)

We went back to Mum and Dad with all our arguments and they said we could keep him if no one else wanted him. So we ran after the kids and brought him home. He was the best and he lived till he was 17. I remember picking him and Mindy up from the vets after being snipped. My sister was holding Mork and I was holding Mindy, but he was struggling and she was only little and couldn't really hold him. So we swapped. Not two minutes later I felt a warm wetness all over my lap as he peed on him. No wonder he was struggling! We still laugh about all the things he used to get up to.

[Leanne]

Jess is our first cat.

2 years ago I hated cats with a passion, especially after being attacked by an ex's cat.

But just after we got married we went to stay with Hubby's Aunt and Uncle, they have 2 adorable Siamese boys called bing and bong. And they melted my heart, they were so much funny and didn't bring out any allergies in me. So I started coming round to cats a bit more. We then went to stay with friends who have a birman and he is equally as adorable and so so cute so that was it we were going to get a cat.

After a lot of researching and talking we decided we wanted pedigrees either Birman, Ragdoll or Siamese.

Just after new year 2007 I stumbled upon cat chat and the NAWT page and they had a beautiful black and white cat called princess who was an indoor cat. I made enquiries and was told that princess had been booked but a little boy called Jess had come in that day that was indoor only but was quite nervous (the only question I asked was what colour was he as I really wanted a black or a black and white cat) Hubby and I talked it over and were keen to at least go and see him. We made arrangements to go and meet Jess which was not easy given the times that the rescue were open and coupled with we don't drive and the rescue centre was miles away.

Anyway we made it to see Jess and I was very weary but Gloria put him in my arms and he immediately started purring and head butting me. As soon as I put him down and went to walk away to let Hubby in, he came after me. Gloria couldn't believe how confident he was. I knew instantly that I wanted to take Jess on I was smitten with him.

It cost us £50 in taxi fares that day to meet Jess, Gloria agreed to do a home visit and to bring Jess on the same day to save us having to go and pick him up, that was so kind of them I'll never forget that.

3 days later Jess arrived, and as Gloria and her hubby drove off we watched them leave and Jess got straight on my lap as if too say I'm home.

The day we visited Jess, my Grandma was seriously ill in hospital with pneumonia she wasn't expected to pull though, as soon as we were back from meeting Jess we went to the hospital and told her all about him and she couldn't stop smiling and asking us questions I strongly believe that gave her something else to focus on.

And now we have Mini Milo to complete our family, I love them both dearly but Jess will always be slightly more "special" because he was our first cat, when he was so ill this year it broke my heart.

And now I am a fully fledged mad cat woman and many people just can't believe it.

[em1209]

  There's so many lovely stories here, most of them bringing a tear to my eye!

My very very first kitty was a big fluffy, tabby stray that just appeared one day. I must have been about 4 or 5. We be-friended her and I think my parents decided we could keep her. But she only stayed about 2 weeks and then disappeared again. However a while later an old lady in the village got a big fluffy, tabby cat and so to this day I'm convinced it was the same cat. She adored her though, called her Tippytoes, and I still remember when the old lady died going to the church and their being a wreath from Tippytoes 

But then "my first proper cat" was Minnie, an absolute beautiful black and white rescue that my Nana got for me. It was near Christmas and I had been at a friends brithday party, I was about 5 or 6. On the way home my dad told me there was a surprise for me at home and so as it was so near Christmas I thought it was Christmas tree. I got in, everyone was in the sitting room and I was told there was a surprise for me under the dresser, and there she was She was about 1 and became my bestest friend. She was put to sleep when she was 12 after her kidneys started to go (oh pants, why do I do this when I'm at work, tissues and deep breaths .....) That was 14 years ago now and I still miss her.





After being absolutely devastated by that, we started looking for another cat or kitten. We went to all the local rescues, but we didn't pass the home visits as we were too near a main road, despite living on a farm and having endless fields the other side of the house. Naughty I know but we found some kitties in the local paper "2 black, fluffy girl kittens", so went to visit them. There were 3 in the litter and the little boy had already been reserved. So of course how could we only have 1?! So I had to ring home to my dad to ask him if we could have 2. I was told "only if you look after them"!!! Now bearing in mind that my dad has asthma and is allergic to cats, and sent us out for 1 short haired cat, 1 would have been the sensible option!! So we got them home and my dad took one look and said "they're fluffy", "oh no, it's just a bit of kitten fluff, it'll go!!"  . But anyway he's got used to them and actually quite likes a quick cuddle now and again! So these naughty pair are Simpkin and Teasel and are still back at home with my parents. They're 14 now and are still very active, bringing in presents of rabbits, lots of mousies and we even had a squirrel once!






Since leaving home and being in rented houses in various places, I couldn't really have a cat myself. So once we'd bought our house the other year, we got our current 2 gorgeous monkeys. I now can't imagine living without them, they really do bring so much happiness and laughter (usually at them ) xx

edited to add photos

[Dawn F]

I've told my story before but here goes - visiting my new boyfriends sister near Leeds, he had lost his childhood cat about 4 months before, his sister tells us about a feral colony at the end of her street so we go and have a look, all scatter except a tiny black bundle with running eyes and nose - oh picks him up and takes him to his sisters house, once we are ready to leave we decide he can't go back to the field and is wrapped in a shirt for the journey to London, its late on a Sunday night by the time we get home, next day oh takes him to the vet, they recommend feeding oxtail soup and melted icecream (it was 1991 don't know if they have cat milk at the vet in those days) but say as he's only about 3 weeks old he probably won't make it - he did and lived with us for 14 years -  Bluto was  a beautiful all black boy who if it was a bit cold did get runny eyes but other than that his bad start with flu never bothered him at all

[Puffball (Louise)]

I had been wanting a pet for some time, but not a caged animal, I wanted something that is free to interact with you as and when it wants. That left a cat or dog. I would have loved a dog, my parents had dogs when I was growing up but I didn't think it was fair as I was at work all day and not having a garden I didn't want the hassle of walking a dog late at night in central London. So for a good year or two I ummmed and ahhhed at the idea of a cat, convinced it was a compromise and not really what I wanted.

While visiting parents for Christmas in 2006 I mentioned to a friend that breeds cats that I was thinking about getting one. She had the last of a litter that someone was due to view the day after tomorrow but if I want her she's mine. Well it was love at first sight and a total impulse decision. My friend kept Willow until the day I came back to London and after a huge shop at PAH we travelled back on the train. I took her out of her carrier and she slept inside my cardigan all the way back. Now I am a total convert! Willow has since been joined by Asha and can't imagine life without them. Here's Willow when I first got her...

[Philip]

My first kitties were Jemilla and Tiffy.

Both wonderfull cats. I cuddled Jemilla all the way home in the back of my uncle's landrover. She was always my cat.

Both with me through so much.

Sadly lost Jemilla 2 years ago but her brother Tiffy is still with me.

The pic is of Jemilla with Tiffy a few hours before I took her on her last journey to the vets.

[MrsR]

Suki, a little black cat was my first, I must have been no more than 4 years old and I remember her clearly with her royal blue collar on. 

[littlekitty]

My first kittie was when I first married my hubby over twenty years ago.. She was called Smokey (grey/white obviously) she was my best friend during and after my first baby, until one morning she didn't come home. I was woken one morning by some kids knocking at the door asking if I had a grey cat and they told me there was one lying dead at the side of the road, some  in a van had run her over and just left her to die.So I went to bring her home and we buried her in our garden. I was devastated, I'd lost my companion and best friend.
Then we got a ginger tom called Tigger he was six months old and needed a new home. He was with me for about six years but because we were about to become homeless I had to give him away. I was heartbroken at leaving him behind but he deserved a better life than I could give him at that time.
This is Tigger.

In 1990 I was given a grey male kitten called Smokie. He became my best friend, my boy. He trusted and loved me and vise versa. Here is his story. It's a bit long so apologies.
It's now nearly three years since my beloved boy passed away.
He was 15 years old and I'd had him since he was a kitten, he was a gentle loving cat who trusted me totally. He had never had an illness in his life. We were never apart, only when I went on holiday he had to go into kennels, but the love I got from him on my return was wonderful.
One morning I woke up and let him in for his breakfast, when I noticed something on his tummy. It was a lump and it had somehow come from the inside of him and looked very sore. Took him to the vet, my regular vet was off that day, and she said it was a harmful lump, maybe a cyst and he was booked into the hospital the next day. Took my boy into the hospital and was told to call back later, which I did, and was told that he might have breast cancer. I was in total shock at this point, couldn't believe what I was hearing, didn't think a male cat could get that. She explained that the lump had been removed and sent off for testing. We had to wait for a week for the results.
We did get the results and it was cancer. My beautiful boy had cancer. He went back to the vet a couple of weeks later and she said he would need another operation to take the rest of the cancer out. My poor boy had to go through yet another op and with him being 15 weren't sure if he was strong enough to cope.
Anyway after his op the cancer was gone, and he had to have checkups every other week. Six months down the line we discovered he had more lumps, it had come back, and also spread to his lungs.
There was nothing else we could do for him but to have him put to sleep. I knew that morning before we went to the vet's that he wasn't going to come home, as he had gone really thin and wasn't himself, I think he knew his time was up.
I will never forget the look on his face when I left him at the vets that day, which I regret deeply not staying with him. I couldn't stay with him, it upset me to much to see him like that. Think of him everyday and miss him terribly.
Rest in peace my beautiful boy. 1990-2005  Here is a picture of Smokie.

[Indys Mamma]

though Indy is my first cat I had a kinda pet cat when I was at Uni, a skinny stray called Murphy, we fed him as a street (student housing) and he soon plumped up

[Maddiesmum]

My first cat was a black one called Bobby.  He was the family cat when I was a child.  He was a terrible thief and once appeared in the newspapers cos he could knock on the front door and open the latch on the back door.  When he had to be put to sleep as an old cat, the vet came to the house and I went ballistic and called him a murderer.

[Linda D]

When I was a child my father wouldn't allow us to have any pets because he was in the armed forces and we could have been posted anywhere at any time and the cost of shipping one and then quarantine coming back would have been prohibitive.  Or so he said, plenty of our neighbours had animals but we didn't and I longed and yearned for a cat of my very own and promised myself that one day I would share my life with a special kitty.  My sister married and when when she and her husband later separated she got herself a kitty-companion.  One day, I went to visit her and kitty-companion had  a short time beforehand had a litter of kittens but only one special girl had survived.  When I left her house I had the most beautiful tabby and white short-haired 12 week old kitten in a cardboard box to take home with me.  It was love at first sight on both sides and she became my constant and adored companion.  When I was at home she never left my side, she followed me everywhere even into the bathroom, she loved to sit on the edge of the bath while I bathed and always slept on the bed with me.  My flatmate at the time used to feed her if she came home first but she wouldn't eat until I came in.  She was the sweetest puss I have ever known and I was inconsolable when I had to let her go when she developed renal failure at the age of 18.  It took me a very long time after that before I could contemplate having another feline friend in my life but there was just too much empty space on the bed after all that time.  Bebe Daniels is waiting for me on the bridge

[maryas]

Glad you started this off again Pav - love all the stories.  Gill, I was sooooooooo surprised to read that you didn't like cats!!!!

My 1st cat was Tibby, my mum and dad got her from the RSPCA when I was 3 months old way back in May 1960.  She was never loved by one of us more than the other but she always slept in my bed and kept my feet warm.  When a new cat food came on the market we would let her try it but no, she would only eat her pilchards in tomato sauce.

My mum and dad owned a cafe and we had a coal shoot which Tibby used to get in and out.  After about 11 years Tibby went missing but 3 months later we heard her coming down the coal shoot!!!  She lived to be 26 and when she was dying at home I took her to the vet to end her misery.

R.I.P Tibby - you made way for me to have Smudge in my life and now Bonnie.

Mary x

[pappilon]

I thought since i posted this, there have been so many new members and they might like to read some of the lovely posts and stories & share their stories 

Oh and ignore the poll, its long past it sayby date

[Den]

Thank you Gill and Helen.

Isn't it odd how you can attach yourselfs so much to something and it'll change your life just like that.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Love that Den and I replied right at beginning of the thread and I wasnt a cat person either and one little grey cat changed my life forever 

[Beccles]

In July 2006 I got Misty; her human mum had been sectioned under the mental health act  (taken into hospital very suddenly) and was too ill to make any arrangements for puss - family weren't interested and were on the brink of handing her over to the RSPCA to rehome when I stepped in - the police had had to break into the flat to get Misty out and I'd actually gone to see what all the fuss was about. 

I said something like "but can't someone just keep the cat so that when K comes home she can have her cat back?" and got a chorus of "oh no, we don't do that" from all present. So muggins here offered to have her... 8 weeks later K was released from psychiatric care and was overjoyed to have Misty back - who I now know is actually called Fluffy, K's sister misinformed me at the time. K and Fluffy/Misty live next door to me, I see both of them once in a while, walking to the shops together. 

I missed Misty so much when she was gone that I started looking for a kitten that needed a home... the rest, as they say, is history.

[Gillian Harvey]

Meant to add pic of Sophie, forgotten I'd got this one - really old of course, so bit blurry, well it WAS the 70s as you can tell from the patterned sun lounger LOL!

[Millys Mum]

The first cat i can remember is a black and white called Happy. My mum rescued him from a nasty man who abused him  dispite his history he absolutley adored me as a toddler and would be willingly manhandled allday. I never hurt him but my mum would still move him away from me but he would always return for another session 

[Tiggy's Mum]

Den, that is such a lovely story    Has made me eyes go all *ahem* misty 

[Den]

Memphis is my first 
I've never ever been a cat person in my life. My garden seems to be the cat toilet of the area and it annoys the hell out of me (still does). It got worse when I got my dog, since she would always be at the bottom of the garden looking for cat poo. I had worked in a kennel/cattery for a few years so started to appreciate and get a better understanding of cats. I realised they weren't all evil. I still never thought I'd own one.

Up until a couple of months ago I had zero desire to get a cat. Then I started volunteering at my local animal shelter. I worked with the dogs for a week, then they moved me onto the cats. The following week I was put on the cats again and was told I could help them feed some kittens who had just come in.

I went in and saw these 7 tiny skinny, little bundles - 5 tabbies, 2 black and whites. I helped syringe feed them every couple of hours (they were found under a tree and estimated to be 2-3 weeks old). They were messy little things, one even pooped all over my hand .. who knew baby cat poo is bright orange 
Now I REALLY fell in love with one of the black and white ones. I don't know what it was about it, but I was head over heels in 
Days of feeding and cleaning dirty bums went buy and my feelings for him got stronger .. it was at that point I knew he was mine.

I went in one day to find 7 was now 6  They were all so very week and it was touch and go if any would make it.

The following week I went in and asked how "my baby was doing" my heart sank when I heard a b&w had died. But something inside me said it was the 'other' b&w. I still don't understand it as there was a much weaker tabby. In fact the 2 b&w's seemed the strongest ones out of the lot.

Funnily enough everytime I went in there they gave me the cats to clean - which meant I got to clean up these stinky, dirty little kittens - I really loved and appreciated doing it too.
Every single week I would ask if there was a release date on them (to be moved from quarantine to rehoming). Every week I was told the same thing - No. Weeks had passed, the kittens were getting bigger and stronger .. all I could think and talk about was this little b&w kitten. I just knew he was the one. I could picture myself with him, could picture him growing old with me 

One day I went in and was told some good news - firstly it was a boy!!!! (Turns out I was very bad at sexing kittens - one minute he looked like a boy, then a girl, then a boy then a girl, then I wasn't even sure  ) I desperately wanted him to be a boy - would have had him even if he was a girlie. Secondly they had all been given the all clear from the vet. Had to wait 2 weeks for their first injection then they would be available to reserve (it's policy you can only reserve when they are "offically" available for rehoming).

At this point all the Kittens had their little personalities and the b&w was exactly how I thought he was going to be. I took my mum along to go see all the Kittens and she instantly saw why I loved him. He's FULL of character .. and thats what I always look for in my animals. It was destiny that I started there around the time the kittens came in. Since being there, I've dealt with A LOT of cats and kittens .. not one has ever made me feel the way I felt with him.

Anyhoo, the final week arrived. There was a date on them for rehoming. I was full of nerves and excitement. I went in Monday morning all ready to reserve him. I was told the date had been changed to the Thursday as they were short staffed, it was half term and a lot of people had phoned in asking for kittens. I had a torturous wait for Thursday to arrive. They open at 12pm .. I went in at 10!! I was about to reserve him when I was dealt the worst possible news ............ one of the board members wanted him. She was promised him by another member of staff. Something the rehoming person knew nothing about (as she had been on holiday). I was told there was nothing that could be done. I was devastated. I knew no one on the planet could want or love him as much as I did. Hearing that news tore my heart in two. I was a complete wreck and crying like someone had just died. I also couldn't believe just HOW much I loved that little guy. Apparently that was evident at just how emotional I was. I went into the shelter and offered to donate the things I had bought specifically for him .. It wasn't just a cat I wanted. It was this ONE cat. I was told not to give up hope because the rehoming person truly felt for me, knew exactly how much I wanted him and was working on it.

I had a HORRIBLE wait until the next day. I went in and was asked if I wanted to be the new owner of a cat ....... somehow she had managed to persuade the woman not to have him. I was over the moon. I worked the whole day - was on cloud 9 and at 4pm I bungled him up and and went home with my little man 

He really is perfect, and I can't imagine life without him. It feels like I've always had him (even though he's been mine for less than 2.5 weeks  ) He is exactly what I had had expected him to be. He's funny, bold, brash .. he fitted PERFECTLY. He settled in instantly. I still firmly believe he's meant to be here with me.

My whole family adores him, the dog loves him even the rabbit likes him!!! He brings a smile to so many people's faces. He is super friendly, incredibly people oriented. LOVES to be with people, be around them, sleep near them.
He is so special to me and means so much to me.

He has also made me realise I like to have a cat around the house .. so looks like I'm always going to have at least 1 dog, 1 rabbit and one cat around from now on  I can certainly see myself getting another cat in the forseeable future as well. He has totally changed my viewpoint.

[dolcetta46]

My first cat was Hobbes.  A female cat of my friend/colleague had a litter and she was desperately looking for families for them.  I was among one of them asked, I looked at the picture and one of the spotted tabby sort of jumped at me, I said I would like to meet him, but I was not at all sure because my then husband always said "I don't like cats".  I asked him and he was like "if you want.  I don't really care if you look after him yourself"  So, a few days later my friend brought Hobbes over while I was at work (we worked at the gym, manning the Nautilus area all by ourselves, so we could actually do whatever we pleased, even meeting a cat!").
She took him out of the cage and directly placed him on my lap.  He immediately started purring, nuzzled against me, then relaxed and peacefully went asleep right on my lap as it were his everyday routine!!
I knew right there we were meant to be together!!   After all even my ex warmed up to him quite quickly, I couldn't help a little grin the next morning when I found a little tray of milk placed on the kitchen floor, undoubtedly his doing!!

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

My very first cats were when i was 5yrs old - 2 tortie and whites called Sooty and Sweep.
Sooty was killed RTA aged about 7 i think  and Sweep was PTS with mouth cancer aged about 10.
They were lovely cats

Then we got Marnie and her kitten Tiger from a rescue. Marnie was a dark brindle tortie and Tiger was a tabby.
Poor tiger was run over by a neighbour in his drive way !!! 
Marnie lived to a great age but suddenly dropped down dead one day and i mean literally ! She was running round the frontroom, my Mum was laughing at her being such a nutter and she just stopped and fell to the floor and was gone.

My first cat as an adult was from Foalfarm, A 3yr old B&W who we called Baby !
She is still alive and well but lives with my Grandparents THEY KIDNAPPED HER !
They were meant just to look after her while we went on holiday but they never gave her back 

[unseeliechylde]

I was 12, and my best friend lived out in the sticks. Her "neighbours" (2 miles away) had several cats, none of them neutered ( ). One in particular was a pretty little old female simply called "mammy cat", because she was permanently pregnant or nursing (poor girl), and because as a result she was mammy to almost every cat in the area. My friend had one of her daughters, as did many other people. Anyhoo, it so happened that mammy cat had a litter of furbabies, but her "owners" were struggling to find homes for them (since anyone nearby already had at least one, and more often several, of her babies from previous litters).
I went to see them, and fell in love with one little one in particular (still blind and very young). It was the only one to crawl towards me and snuggle against me before falling alseep!
I of course had to take this little furball home, so asked my mum if I could have a cat. After much pestering, she relented, on the condition we got a boy (easier to neuter). Well, I went to visit the fluffies each week until they were old enough to be sexed and homed, and guess what? Of a litter of 7, my little favourite was the only boy! Clearly, it was meant to be
And so I became Ash's mommy

[Gillian Harvey]

My first cat (s) -  never did things singly LOL! were 3 black kittens from the petshop over the road in 1976. My then hubbie was overseas, we had just moved into our first house together, I was bored, and thought I'd just wander over to the petshop! Saw these 3 black kittens in the cage and thought I'd have one - but then I thought one would be lonely, I'll have 2 - but then I thought, but that'll leave one on its own - so had all three!

Sophie, Schweppes (don't ask!) and Sherry came home that day - hadnt a clue about looking after cats, but muddled along! We lost Sherry quite young, she got run over, Shcweppes lived till she was about 15 and Sophie was about 16 or so when she had to be put to sleep.

Sophie was special, she went blind when she was quite young, but she still used the cat flap and went outside, but one Christmas Eve she went missing, I went out every day looking for her, my heart was broken, I was convinced she'd been run over. Then on New Year's Eve a neighbour knocked on my door quite late in the evening and said he'd been out walking his dogs on the playing fields and they'd found a black cat curled up in the snow - was my cat still missing? -  I was all of a dither and the neighbour bundled me into the care and drove to the playing fields - and there she was, just as he'd left her. I can't tell you the joy of finding her, I'm in tears now thinking of it even after all these years! She was fine apart from being thin - and amazingly she must have had to cross a busy, fast road to get to these playing fields, without being able to see - and lived to tell the tale. 

[blackcat]

I was 17 and my best ever friend Rozzy's cat had had kittens. Mouse was five weeks old, half siamese and blue with a white chest. He was so tiny that when he stood his tail on end it was shorter than my little finger and had only about 5 hairs on it when he fluffed it up to take on our dog (who hated cats with a passion). He was always an outdoor cat as Dad would not have cats in the house (dirty animals, well, that is until he met his downfall with Pumpkin the burmese, but that is another story). Mouse lived to a ripe old age and when we moved into the city, and nana was living downstairs, he used to be put in the garage at night and would proceed under the house and knock at Nana's back door (which opened into the undercroft) and spend the night on her bed. He was lovely.

[pappilon]

Here we have some lovely and stories , so this is just for the peeps who havent had the chance to say their story!!!

[Gail Bengal Slave]

Bodie was my first kitten.

I had him when I still lived at home, he was black semi -long hair,yet in the sunshine his coat was auburn. His Mum came hanging round as a stray, with a tummy full of kittens. Mum took her in and fed her but had to put her out when she went to work. Dad shooed her away. Cath 3 doors away took her in where she gave birth to 2 sons and a daughter on the day Charles & Diana got married.

when the time was right Mum Had mum and called her Kizzy and I had daughter and called her Bodie, yes I loved Lewis Collins from the proffessionals. Bodie went in for her spey and the nurse found two little round things, yes Bodie was a boy  , did we care???? cause not we loved him all the more.

Bodie passed away in Feb 1992,he had cancer, not long after Kizzy passed also with cancer. At this time Kizzy had moved a few doors away,someone cat napped her. Bodies 2 brothers also died with cancer  .

Bodie had a fab fat curly furry belly that was so munchable. but you dare not munch it else he have you. So that tum went unmunched.

I can also say that Beau was my first cat as I am married own home etc and Beau was the first one in the basket sitting waiting, while they were looking at Thai's bits to see if male or female. Thai I am happy to say is, always was, and always will a beautiful little princess. 

[sylsuki]

The 1st family cat we had was  a Ginger Tom called Ginger (original I know!).  The 1st Cat I had myself (well shared with my brother) was a Seal Point Siamese called Pippin, who we had for 15 years, broke my heart when he died.  But grew up with him, he was a present from my Step Grandmother for my 14th Birthday.  he used to be the Boss of the House, lording it up over the two dogs we had and used to climb on top of them at night and all three would sleep together. 

[pappilon]

I thinkso aswell, some of the stories .Also i think is nice to remember our kitties if they came to us a very long time a go, its not often you go back to that many years ago to talk about the first one,or the one who changed your life or view  , i love the ones which the cat is next to the baby and......it shows how time has changed these days some peeps choose, cat or the baby , its nice to share kitty stories

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Such a wonderful thread 

[clarenmax]

Maxy boy is my first cat 

When I was born we had a dog, but when he was pts through cancer (I was about 4), my folks decided not to get any larger animals again as my Dad's asthma was terrible, so we only ever had budgies and a hamster when I was growing up.

When I moved into my ex boyfriend's house, we decided to adopt a cat, and were chosen by Max.  Thas was in 2000.

I took custody of my boy when we split up, and he's been with me ever since, he'll be 9 at the end of the year 

[Gwen]

My first ever cat was Ging himself.  He is still going strong,my sister got him for me for my 13th birthday and although we had Pwt Ging was my first cat I could call my own.

He'll be 18 in December and I will just break my heart if anything ever happened to him and I dread the day it does

Anyhow heres my handsome baby boy having some loves with my nan

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v518/welshigirl/?action=view&current=nainaging.jpg

[Angiew]

I got my first cat when I was about 6 years old. My dad was a baker and we lived above the bakery in a main road in Cardiff.
One day a man came into the shop with a very small kitten asking if we'd lost one. Of course she stayed. A tiny torty and white kitten we fed milk to out of a tea spoon. She moved everywhere with us (my dad living in tied houses we moved every couple of years, sitting in the back of the furniture van with the cat) and she was the constant companion during my childhood.
She died while I was at University/first job, can't really remember now as it was a hectic time in my life. Around that time I also got 'my first' kitten from an ad in the local paper, followed by 2 others and I've alway had 3+ cats since.

[karenjet]

My very first cat was called Elizabeth and I was about 5. She was a tabby and my Nanna took her in thinking she was a stray, we'd only had her a few days when her owners claimed her though. Not long later we got a pure black cat called Lucky. We had her for about 6 years but she was killed on the road. My Nanna had idolised her, was heartbroken when she died, and swore she'd never have another cat, and she never did.

Three years ago my friend's boyfriend was fishing and found two kittens in a plastic bag beside the river. I took one of them, a tabby and called her Molly. I had a pomeranian dog and thought he would be fine, in hindsight it was a stupid idea as he was ten years old and had always been the only animal in the house. Molly climbed all over him all the time wanting to play, and he was too old for it really. He got quite depressed and wouldn't even let anyone pet him. So my aunt took Molly and she's very happily living with her and her other cat, Towser.

That was it until about January last year when Miss Jasmine came 

[Soxey's Mummy]

I like this thread some nice stories, here is mine ...

My mum had her cats before I was born so always lived with cats, I can remember my first cat (the first I picked to come home), we got her in fife so had to drive home with her in the cat (the cat boxes back then where not very nice, so my mum did a nice box with bits for her inside with the lid loose, in the car she popped her head out and sat withe her head and paws sitting out all the way home with her head followinjg each and every street light home.

She was an indoor/outdoor cat as the area was a lot quiter. Outside our home there was a tree that had branches by my bedroom window and her last wonder before she came in for the night was after my bed time, so every night she would climb the tree, walk on my window ledge and meow until I let her in to sleep in my bed!

She was also the first cat to bring me a dead bird and mouse! 

And her best trick was stealing everyones toast 

I've had several pets since her but remember her as if it was yesterday  (obs before microchipping, had her for 12 years, then one day she when out and never came home, we could not find her and saw no sign of her, she was a tuxedo cat like Sox with a special mark on her foot, in fact sadly when I see an older cat the same colour I still check even though I know there is no chance as she would be 20 now.

[Kittybabe (Ruth)]

Ah Pav. What a great thread!

I had cats all my life really until I moved to the UK, and they were really all family cats. Our first cat Sasha (Lexy took her name from her - Alexandra) was a rescue who had just been spayed after a litter of kittens. She was a gorgeous black and white lady ... and I do mean lady who would never sleep on the floor, unless there was a cushion to sleep on  . A few years later my mum got me a kitten, Cinder, who was a long haired mackerel tabby girl who was tiny tiny tiny. She was rescued from a factory and was as feral as they came. But she became my baby.  And of course our Fuddy, who is my sister's bridge baby another Black and White girl.

So Lexy was my very first cat that was mine I guess. I had just bought my house, and was desparate after 14 years of really not having a cat of my own to share my home. Many of you know this story, so forgive the retoric  .

A week after I moved in, I stopped over at Battersea to drop off some food my sister had left over that Spenny would not eat.  I got there, and figured that while I was there I may as well register and then once I had the house ready and all sorts ready for a cat, I would go back.

I guess the interviewer was so happy to see me as most people had gone in asking for kittens and I was adamant I wanted an older cat, so she said to me, "even if you aren't ready now how about going up to the cattery and it will give you an idea of the type of cases we get in and the ones that we find hard to home". 

Off I went, not intending at all to take a cat home that day, and my heart broke over and over again the hour I was in the cattery. There was one little boy who was 15 and I loved him, but they wanted a home for him where someone would be home all day as he had medical needs, so I had to close my heart.

Just as I was about to go home, feeling so helpless that I couldn't take them all home, one of the homing staff walked in with a carrier and moved to one of the pens. Opened the carrier and helped this little black body climb into the pen. This little munchkin huddled under a couple blankets and turned around, and just before the pen door closed, she looked right at me and blinked.

That was it, my heart was a gonner. I didn't even know what her history was but I said to the homing lady "that's the one". She looked at me like I was a nutter and said "but you don't even know her history!", so I said "if she's suited to someone who works outside the home then she's still the one".

Jessie was a "gift to the home" 5 days before, her previous people had given her up as they moved into a flat that would not allow cats, so they decided to give her up. She had special needs, she was terrified of the out doors, other cats and most people. She had just come into the homing section after her evaluation period. She was guestimated at 3 years old.  Jessie looked just like Fuddy, and I knew that with a little love and patience she would be special.

So, I walked out, went to the shop attached to the home, bought a fortune in cat stuff and went back collect Jessie. She was microchipped and her paperwork handed over. On the way home, she sat silently in the carrier, terrified, and I was speaking to her and asked her what name she liked. I ran through a few and said  something along the lines of "I can't name you Sasha, even though you look like her, you need your own name. How about Lexy short for Alexandra? What do you think of Lexy?" She looked at me and blinked again the way she had earlier that morning.  And that was it.

Lexy moved in and became my little princess. She's still terrified of the outdoors, and most people  but every day she does something new.  She's my little girl. 

[Ellie]

What a great thread 

My parents had a lab-cross when I was born called Glen    but my Gran, who was know as the cat lady, had several cats 

I remember clearly staying with her one weekend and the doorbell going late at night. I heard my Gran shouting to my Papa that  someone had dumped 4 wee kittens on her doorstep  In the morning I wanted to name one, my Gran said ok but they might not make it but promised if they did she would keep one for me to have as my own  One wee black boy stole my heart and I called him Bairn as that's what my Papa called me  After a long struggle Bairn made it and I had my first cat  even although he stayed with my Gran  That was 41 years ago  I loved him so much and was broken hearted when he went to the Bridge at the six 

[snarf]

this is great!
over my life ive been owned by 3 cats- none of which i choose!
the first was tibby, my mums cat of about 2years before i was born. mum had pretty much always had cats, my dad hadnt and didnt really like them but was desperate to keep his new wife happy. he brought her as a surprise, made a house out of cardboard for her and went to pick up mum from work. he knew nothing about cats and was shocked when he came home to find that this tiny bundle of fluff had almost destroyed their home- and the very cute cardboard house! however he was an almost instant convert and there are many amusing stories that get told over and over again- the night i was born, dad apparently came home exhausted, made a bacon sandwich and sat on the sofa, he fell asleep with the sandwich in his mouth and woke up when tibby dragged the bacon out of the other side! according to my mother "tibby thought i was hers" and wouldnt let anyone other than my mum touch me, she slept under my pram and in another tall tale fought off rats that tried to get into my pram (hmmm didnt that happen in lady and the tramp?!!)
Scamps was the next, tibby had passed on long before. mum did some volunteer work helping new mums with their new babys. one house she went to, the lady had about 6 children under the age of 5! lots of cats and 3 very young kittens. mum took one look at scamps and said hes not staying here!, she took the other two to a friend of hers. she picked us up from school and said she had a surprise for us, and it was love at first sight for the rest of us too.
Lucifer arrived at my neighbours 5th march this year, covered in oil or petrol or something, very little and shouting his head off! shed knocked on my door to say could i take him for the night as it was so cold and her male cat was distressed by him. id been very well if i have to, ill take him to the shelter first thing etc etc but within a splitsecond of meeting his eyes i was in love. i did look for owners but tbh my heart sank at every phonecall i received. my parents feel they cant have a cat anymore because they travel alot so they spoil lucifer every chance they get