Here is my portrait of the glamorous Tanner also known as “Tannie Man” and “Sweet T”. It was especially difficult to complete this portrait as Tanner was in my lap pawing my face and walking across the keyboards.
It is time to tell the Tanner story:
Once upon a time, I found two very young kittens in a garden hose unattended. Needless to say I scooped them up and took them to the vet where they got a clean bill of health.
My boyfriend at the time became the best Pappa Kat 2 kittens could have. He fed them, bathed them, soothed them when they cried and named them: Black & Tan!
As they grew up, Tannie Man, developed into quite the character. As a little kitten it became very clear that he was the “love bunny” of the 2 kittens. After each meal, of kitten mush, he would look for me and then walk up my chest until he reached my face… where he would rub his messy paws all over me. I expect he thought I was his mom and should clean him up. Which is just what I would do. He would then fall asleep into a wiggly kitten nap, chasing his tail in his dreams I am sure. Baby wipes became a standard item in the house.
(BTW he has just come back and is ready for more attention! Hold on while I hoist him on my lap…)
As he grew up and was big enough to sleep in my bedroom, it became clear that I was going to have to share my pillow. He also had to adjust to the fact that I like to read books in bed and they are not there to be chewed on or pawed at. More on this later…
In the house, of the 2 kittens, Tannie became the alpha male. But as I began to take he and Blackie to the vet for their usual physicals, I noticed that Tannie was very timid. What a surprise! He is the first one to inspect new visitors to the house and the first one to pop a new kitty on the head. He will even run Blackie off of any sleeping spot if he wants to be there. But, to my surprise he is only the alpha male in his own home!
When I call any other kitty, Tannie is the first one that shows up…most of the time I call Blackie when I want Tannie.
Tannie’s favorite food is … any kind of food. His is not picky and usually eats hours after I have served up Fancy Feast or Science Diet dry food. Human food holds no interest to him.
When he was a teenager kitty, Pappa Kat and I created a game called “topple tannie”. We would go to this pizza place where you could win very small stuffed toys in this crane thing. We would bring home these little toys: footballs & balls. Once home, we would chant: “topple tannie, topple tannie”, immediately Tannie would run to the top of his cat tree and we would stand on either side of the tree winging the toys over his head. The cat tree is over 6 feet tall and has a little cupped area on top that Tannie lays in. Today this is his most favorite game. He actually swats at the toys as they sail over or he catches them.
His other favorite toys are feather sticks and tissue paper. Catnip makes him wild-n-crazy. He will wrestle with Blackie when he is hopped up on catnip. His tail gets big and fluffy!
To wrap up… here is our evening ritual. Around 10pm if I am not in bed, Tannie will come looking for me. He will do what ever it takes to get me to go to bed. Whatever it takes… swipes at the metal mini blinds are his last resort…. which usually works like a charm!
Once he sees me heading towards the night time ritual…he watches all the events, that lead to bed: computer turned off, dishwasher is turned on, TV turned off, glass of ice & water prepared, lights turned off, book thrown on bed & lastly teeth brushed ~ mine! Now, all systems are ‘go’ for Tannie. After this…. he races to the foot of the bed. Once I begin reading he proceeds to take a big cat bath and then trots off for a quick dry food snack. After about 10 minutes he leaps on the bed and pads over to me and snuggles next to me. His head on my pillow, front paws draped over the bed, his back to my side ~ he begins to purr!
All is well in the world.
The Whippy Curly Tail's Mom
Meow all furry friends, Tannie Man here…
