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Coloration: Gray
Likes: watching the birdies, napping on the desk, being brushed or vacuumed, snuggling with his Daddy
Pet-Peeves: visits to the vet, especially the thermometer, being kept out of the office, being stepped on
Favorite Toy: anything he can chew on, he loves straws and often brings them to bed , sock filled with catnip, yellow practice golf balls (the kind with the holes)
Favorite Nap Spot: the edge of the bed in front of the floor fan, or the desk, he likes to lay across Dads arm. At night Dad MUST lay facing Zack, not me, otherwise he will tap him on the back till he turns around!
Favorite Food: Hills CD ( he is a FUS cat) but he loves to sneak a jalapeno potato chip or two, also cheese
Skills: open and close kitchen drawers, open cabinets, fetch a ball, being a major pest!
Dwells:
indoors
Arrival Story: My husband rescued Zack as a kitten, being kicked by three boys. As a result he has had lifelong seizures, and is prone to some bizarre behaviours. Hence the nickname (wacko-zacko) The seizures have slowed him down in recent years, and he sleeps more and more. Still he remains people loving, affectionate , and extremely intelligent. You have to make sure he's not watching where you put the treats. His worst habit is chewing on EVERYTHING. Phone cords, tooth brushes, drink straws, edges of the computer monitor, cell phones, you name it. At night his grey color makes him almost invisible, and we are always stumbling over him. We even looked for a fluorescent collar. Well, it would help if he didn't always sprawl out in the middle of all pathways. Still, we love the guy so much.
Bio: Zack loves company, especially Halloween, insisting on greeting every trick-or-treater. I have to carry him to the door. Any service person working at the house has to watch their tools, as he will root through the toolbox, climb a ladder, just trying to "help". He also loves to be vacuumed, except when his tail goes up the hose! I can literally pull him along with the vacuum wand. Bean dip, peas, lettuce, jalapeno potato chips, and carrots with ranch dressing are his favorite non-cat food snacks. Oh yes, and he snores. Even with all his quirks, he's still the heart of our home. I don't know what we will do when we lose him, so we just love him to pieces, every day.
UPDATE: Our precious Zack was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on his colon. He started losing weight rapidly, in January, and the vet suspected cancer, but gave me hope it might be his thyroid. A month later, he was even thinner, and we had an ultrasound done. The tumor was seen on his colon, but not yet inside it. He is now on a liquid diet, and we are fighting to keep the weight he has left, on him. At his heaviest weight, Zack weighed 18 pounds. He was a large cat. He now weighs barely 7. Our thin man. I will love this boy forever, and I will care for him until he tells me he needs to leave. But for now, it's one day at a time, and we will treasure each one. FINAL UPDATE: Zack died in my arms, on May 16. His heart and organs failed as the cancer had advanced. We both held him, and told him that he was the best cat of our lives. How will I live without him? Rest in eternal peace, my beloved Zacky.
Forums Motto: True Blue to My Girl Kiwi
Just a fast love letter to my girl, Kiwi, who turned 13 today!
I wish you a wonderful day, my little love.
I wish I could have mailed myself to you, all tied up with ribbons, to tell you how much I love and miss you. But instead, watch for a card, and a little gift following a day later. I hope they arrive today, in time, but Maine is a long way from Texas, and mom was late in getting to the post office.
Have a fun day sweetheart, with your pawsome parents and loving family.
Know that you are in my thoughts always.
Love and kitty kisses,
Your >^,,^< Zacky ♥
P.S. an apology to my friends for our families silence and absence this summer. We are getting our act together, and should be back full-time soon.
XO~Z
Hello my dear friends, and my lovely fiancée Kiwi.
Please forgive this old boy for being so quiet this summer. The Texas heat is pretty unbearable, and my typist has gotten very behind.
Tomorrow, August the 15th, would have been my fourteenth birthday. Some of you may still have it down as the 18th, but that was an error. (Mom found my original vet records)
Please do not make a fuss over me. I was so honored by all the kindness during my long illness, and after...no more is necessary.
My mom is still pretty sad. Does any angel cat know any funny tricks or jokes to make her laugh?
I have tried tickling her in her sleep, with my wing tips, but she only screamed because she thought it was a bug on her! That didn't work. :(
I thought, don't worry mom, I won't let any bugs get to you. Remember, I am Zack, the Bug Slayer.
I thought, in honor of my birthday, I would tell you how >^,,^< became part of my name. You see, long before I was born, long before computers, and email and emoticons were around, people used to write letters. Remember those?
My mom has always been a cat person. When she would write a letter, or send a card, she would draw the little cat face next to her cats names. Yeah, she signed the cat's names too. Silly lady. When visitors came over, they always remembered me. I was a people cat, very social. I greeted everyone, and never met a human I didn't like. (possible exception, the white coat guy) Anyway, people would even ask on the phone, "How's Zack?" So when mom sent a letter, or thank you note, she always added my name, and the >^,,^< cat face. When we joined Catster, many years later, it seemed only right to put it there too. So now you know!
Purrs to you, my friends. I love you all deeply and sincerely.
Mom promised a story tonight, so I am going to hang close to make sure she gets the details right.~Love, >^,,^< Zack
The Bug Story
This happened many years ago, when Zack was about five. My husband had taken a part time job on Saturday nights, as a scorekeeper at a local car race track. Secretly I thought it was just his clever way of getting "a boy's night out". He would be gone from early evening until nearly one am. Not being used to being alone at night, I used to get jittery. This one night I had been watching TV, when I heard a noise in the kitchen. Now I have to break away, and tell you a side part.
In our coastal town, we have thousands of Palm trees. While interesting and statuesque, they are home to the infamous "palmetto bug", or the large Texas coachroach. (shudders just typing it) Now, it is not a matter of how clean you home is...if it rains, these big bugs come inside. I have been deathly afraid/repulsed by them since I was a child. If I see one, my husband says my shriek can be heard to the next street. (probably so)
So it has always been my husbands responsibility to be the "bug slayer".
Well, back to that night. Yes, you guessed it. The noise was a big bug. BIG.
I was utterly terrified, and had no idea what to do! If David had been home, he would have rolled his eyes at me, lectured me again, for the hundredth time, on how silly I was being, and how much I was overreacting. But he wasn't home...
So I took a chance. "Zacky!" I yelled. Bug! Bug! He came at a mad dash. I pointed to the kitchen. "You have to help mom, Zack", I said. He looked at me, and I could see he totally understood what he had to do. He ran into the kitchen, (I was standing a full room away, such a chicken) and I could hear him jump onto the counter, then leap at the wall. Zack knocked the bug to the floor, and put his front paw on him. I told him "GOOD BOY", and he blinked at me, and held his prize. Now it was still almost an hour before my husband was due home. What was I going to do now? So I had another talk with Zack. "Zacky...listen carefully to mommy". "You can't let that bug go until daddy comes home, understand?". He looked at me, and blinked again. Now, I tell you this in total honesty. That cat laid there on the kitchen floor, for an hour and fifteen minutes, with his paw on that bug. Normally he greets his daddy at the door, but this night, when David came home, he stayed in the kitchen, completeing his mission.
That is the kind of cat that I was blessed to share my life with for 13 1/2 years.
Zack...you were a once in a lifetime friend, and I will love you forever~
~~~~note: This story was read and approved by Zack ~~~~
My Account
Isn't she gorgeous?!
This is 
This is my wonderful friend, 
