Meow - We'd love to share this portion of Catster with you, but first you'll need to login.
If you don't have a Catster account yet, you can register in about 60 seconds. Registering allows you to use all our free features while allowing us to create a safer, more meaningful environment for the community as a whole.
Registering is fast, free and lets you create your cat page(s), find adoptable cats, save your favorites, connect to your Feline Friends and more.
Coloration: Black and White
Likes: Eating food and drinking water, snuggling close, observing Smudge with respect, playing fetch with Sister (like a dog), knocking pillows around on Dad's bed.
Pet-Peeves: Not being allowed to eat Smudge's food. When Sis brings out the Dustbuster to clean up after me. The featherduster.
Favorite Toy: Stuffed duck toy (carries it in his mouth), Oatmeal (now his stuffed bear), plastic ball, hair ties.
Favorite Nap Spot: Human Sister's bed and shoulders, his own soft bed, travel crate.
Favorite Food: Kitten kibble. Wellness brand dry and wet food.
Skills: Climbing to high destinations, excellent soccer skills, making his human Sister happy. He is incredibly alert.
Dwells:
indoors
Arrival Story: I crossed paths with Tux whilst adding him to our growing number of Catster friends. I feel in love with him instantly, and I knew that he belonged in our family. At the time his name was 'Tux- Adoptable!', and he was located within the adoption parameters in Thornhill. I had been told that I had zero chance of bringing another animal into our home, as the loss of Kamara was quite difficult. The ripe age of Smudge was also a deterring factor to my parents, but I knew Smudge better than that! So, I began corresponding with Dianne at the North Toronto Cat Rescue. Meanwhile, every word I said to my Dad would be followed by a loud cry of "TUX". I also developed cheerleading chants, which spurred on my campaign. Having grown up as an only child, I had to call in for reinforcements. That's when my Dad's girlfriend (whom I call Tux's stepmom), was notified about Tux. She was able to convince him that a kitten would be a marvelous idea. We agreed that I would do all the work for this new addition, and before I knew it, I was clicking the 'Contact the guardian about adopting this cat!' link at the top of Tux's page. Exactly one week ago tonight (Sunday 9/30/07), I phoned Carol from North Toronto Cat Rescue. She gave me the contact information for Tux's foster family, who had recently suffered the tragic loss of 5 beautiful kittens to distemper on September 12th. As a result, she had grown more attached to Tux (who thank God was a survivor), and was reluctant to let him go. By the time of our phone conversation, I had already begun cleaning out the Petaxi box which would be bringing Tux home. I felt grateful to the foster mother for the care she had given Tux, and sorry that she would be giving him up. However, I was so glad that I had the sense to put him "on hold" weeks earlier. He was destined to be an O'Rourke.
Bio: Originally brought into the North Toronto Cat Rescue, by a woman who had spotted him hopping around her backyard. At just 8 days old, she thought he was a bunny at first glance. Tux Royale O'Rourke was adopted on 10/1/2007; the very date in which he was listed as ready for adoption. I spent the entire day watching the clock, and at 19:00, Mom drove us to Carol's house to have our first visit with Tux. Everyone from the shelter was there to wish him well, as they had grown fond of the little boy. It was so lovely to meet them all. Tux climbed up on my shoulder, and soon after I signed his adoption contract. Before leaving with Tux, he was given a complimentary blanket. I chose a black and white zebra print, as it matched Tux's colouration. As I peered into his travel box on the car ride home, I began to cry tears of joy, as this little bouncing ball of fuzz had already brought so much happiness into my life. He is known as 'My Littlest Brother', since Kamara was my Little Brother whom we will never forget. His middle name was inspired by the movie Casino Royale, because James Bond is known for his ability to work a tuxedo.
Lives Remaining: 7 of 9
Forums Motto: Littlest Brother Catster Local Spots I've Marked: North Toronto Cat Rescue The Groups I'm In: "Canadian Kitties" who want to be Friends with all Kitties..., ♥ Hello Kitty Fan Club ♥, ♥All Fur Fun♥, Black Tie Association, Cats forever, For the Love of Cats and Dogs, Sweet Face, TERRIFIC TUXEDOs, The Tuxedo Gang, Totally Tuxedo, Tuxedo Cats
The Last Forum I Posted In: Catsters In Need of Serious Purring
Approximately one year later, we O'Rourke's have returned to Catster / Dogster (in Gem's case). This unplanned hiatus occurred when Sister decided that she needed a break from working on our pages. The loss of our Smudge had much to do with our absence.
But not to worry. Although our pages have gone unmaintained for such a lengthy period, our Sister gave us plenty of love and attention. As the months rolled by she watched me, Baby Tux, grow into young adult Tux. I went from unraveling toilet paper rolls, to drinking out of the toilet bowl. From kitten formula food, to adult cat food. From the first notch hole on my collar, to a larger size...You get the picture!
Now not all of our news has been peachy. My younger Sister, Gem, has been giving us plenty of woes. She's currently on vacation in Texas, and recently took a bad health spell. After throwing up and bleeding, Mom rushed her to an emergency vet clinic. Whilst staying there over night, she was x-rayed and tested for everything under the sun. It was finally determined that she had a weakened immune system, further complicated by a bacteria in her body, in which she was having a very difficult time fighting alone.
After being placed on a drip, and given the best care money can buy, our little champion pulled through. Thankfully, it seems like she will be able to make the car journey back home.
Please keep your fingers crossed for my Sister, Gem. I hope you all didn't miss us too much!
I went outside for the first time today! Sister took Smudge's collar off of her green leash, and that's what I used to go on my little stroll outside. I was also sporting my brand new red collar, with four embeded metal stars.
Today marks the second month without my Sister's physical presence in our home. It has been a pretty difficult holiday season for my human Sister, as this has been the first Christmas without both Smudge and Kamara. She has very realistic dreams of them both, and I always ready myself to be nearby when she awake each morning. In return, Sister made sure that this was a very memorable first Christmas for me.
My name was puff painted onto the pet's stocking, and placed on the mantel along with the family stockings. Over the holidays I wore a purple scrunchie around my neck that Sister had made for her in 1993. I looked very festive, and she called me "Harlequin" as I looked like a little clown cat.
Todd took many photos of me, so I will be ready for Catster's 2008 Holiday Picture Party. During our Christmas Eve dinner at Dad's house I slept in my bed while my family ate.
Santa Claws must have thought I was a good boy, because I received my first ever Christmas gift! It was a plush round fish, that Sister calls my "Fishball". I love carrying it in my mouth, and Sister and I play fetch with it when she is on the computer.
I spent Christmas day with Sister, at our Mom's house. There, I interacted with Gem, and we were both given turkey during our dinner. What a treat!
Unfortunately, Sister only had three days off of work. However, she took the day off last Monday and made my final appointment at the John Street Animal Hospital. On the last day of 2007, I was neutered.
Before we left the house at 8:15 am, Sister played with me by the fireplace. It has now become our morning ritual before she leaves for work. As the radio played in the background, the song 'Sea of Love' started. Sister began to cry, as this was the last song she sang to Smudge before she went to meet our Brother in heaven. Adding to the emotion was the fact that she had not heard this song play on the radio since that time before Smudge's passing. My family believes that Smudgey was sending us a message that my surgery would be a success, and that there would be no need to worry.
It has been a complete week since my operation, and I am as fit as a fiddle! I did not receive stitches as the incisions were so small, and I had absolutely no complications. As a reward, Sister and Dad gave me a special toy mouse and a soft fuzzy blanket.
As we were about to leave the animal hospital, I had the pleasure of meeting Hope. She is an adoptable kitten from the North Toronto Cat Rescue, where I was adopted from. She was placed in my Dad's arms, and as she snuggled in, he held her up to my Pet Taxi box. There was no hissing or spitting, as all cats from the shelter are raised to be loving towards one another.
I really hope that a loving family will adopt Hope. In the meantime, Sister is working diligently to convince our Dad that another shelter-adopted addition to our family would be a wonderful asset. Amazingly, she appears to be making some strides. Wish her luck, and I will be given the gift of a new sibling to play with!
My Account
Ontario
