The music is "Evergreen"

Catrisha Mae Edwards Birthdate: May 5, 1987 Birthplace: Los Angeles, California Nicknames: Catsy, Cat-tee, Catty-cats Likes: Being petted andtold I'm a good Catsy for kissing mommy. Dry crunch food! Washing Tommye and sleeping with her. Dislikes: Too many cats wanting me to wash them! Being ignored by mommy or daddy. Greatest wish: That humans could understand my language.

I'm so sad--my little girl is growing up.

Catsy was one of five kittens born to a little stray kitten we took in. Actually, one of our neighbors found the kitten and brought her to us, knowing of course that we had a lot of cats and would naturally want another. Naturally. We named her Mini, after another black and white we had lost. We usually had our kittens spayed at about 6 months, or after their first heat, but somehow we missed on Mini and she became pregnant. As we had just added a second bathroom to our house, Mini decided she would have her kittens there. They were big, beautiful, healthy babies, and of course we kept them. Catsy, who looks just like Mini, and her brother Bubby are the only ones left now. Sadly, Mini and the other kids were lost, one at a time, to the road here. It seems odd that they were safe in a busy neighborhood like Highland Park (L.A.), California, but didn't survive in this relatively quiet country area.

Since moving here, we've had lots of experience with cats' disappearing, then showing up again a month, or months, later. Catsy's mother and sister did this, as well as three of our other cats. Catsy did too. She suddenly disappeared, and was gone for several months. Then one day she showed up, so skinny and weak she could hardly walk. In order to get her to eat I had to feed her formula with an eye dropper until she was strong enough to eat on her own. It didn't take her long to get her balloon-like figure back, and she has shown no interest in going outside since that time. Don't we sometimes wish they could talk--tell us where they went and what they did?

Catsy's a talker, but in her own language. She will keep up a running dialog with you as long as you want to meow back at her. If you meow, she meows. If you meow-meow, she meow-meows. She also has the habit of touching me repeatedly on the arm or back with her paw, meowing at the same time until I give her the attention she demands. She's recently learned to kiss on request, which none of the other cats will do. I stroke her neck fur and say, "Give mommy da kiss," and she'll stretch her neck forward and touch my lips with her furry ones. Then I have to say, "Good Catsy, kisst her ma!" She'll do this over and over if I let her.

Of all our kitties, I'd have to say she's the most loving. When we adopted Tommye, she had been weaned a little too early. Catsy became her surrogate mother, and allowed her to nurse, though Catsy had never had kittens of her own. She washed and cared for Tommye--they even slept together. Funny thing is, Tommye nursed on this barren cat for two years, and Catsy allowed, even welcomed it. They are still close, still nap together, and Tommye at three years has now been fully weaned. That's love for you--kitty-love, that is.