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Sex: Female Weight: 11 lbs.
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Leave a treat for Betaille (1990-2007)
Nicknames:
Batty, Madame Fur Coat
Kitty Complexion:
| | | | | | | | | Activeness | | | | | | Intelligence | | | | | | Curiosity | | | | | | Friendliness | | | | | | Vocal | | | |
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Likes:
Attention
Pet-Peeves:
Other cats
Favorite Toy:
birds
Favorite Nap Spot:
Backyard cedar bench; special sheltered cat sun porch I made for her; heated fleece-lined winter house
Favorite Food:
canned food
Skills:
glaring
Dwells:
indoors and outdoors
Arrival Story:
I found her on a snowy night at a gas station in Seattle's University District. She was in a cardboard box on the pump island marked "Take us, we're free." The woman in the car in front of me was leaving with two beautiful Himalayan kittens; Betaille, who is an Abyssinian-Himalayan mix, was left alone in the box. I picked her up and took her into the office to see if they would let her stay indoors. When they refused, I got back into the car with her clinging to my coat collar.
Bio:
BETAILLE (pronounced Beh-TYE; it means "little wild thing" in Cajun French) had a close encounter with a speeding car when she was nine months old. It left her skittish and elusive. At one point, she took to hiding out at the house of a neighbor, Sarah, who had an elderly cat. Betaille would steal the old cat's toys and bring them home. I would return her loot to Sarah's mailbox. About a year after I got Betaille, I awoke on my birthday to find a small stuffed animal on the pillow. It was holding a little sign that said "Happy Birthday." Betaille was playing with it. I took her picture with the toy before going over to Sarah's to inquire about it. It turned out that Sarah had received the stuffed animal as a gift for her birthday the previous week. She was quite amused to hear that Betaille had stolen it and given it to me. We have never figured out how Betaille knew it was my birthday.
After I got married, Betaille developed a ferocious crush on my husband, Brady. She would insist that he come to her favorite cat tree (she has designated petting places, or "DPPs") and pet her until she shrieked. She enjoyed being petted on the bathmat by someone taking a bath. She would lay on her side on the mat and "swims"; if you stroked her head, she rooted hard with her nose and snorted like a small pig. If you failed to pet her sufficiently, she reached into the bathtub and swatted at you with a paw.
We moved to a quieter neighborhood in 2002, and Betaille loved it here. She liked the cedar bench in the backyard where she luxuriated in the sun and enjoyed a view of what was going on out front. We built her a raised shelter under the back porch, with a south-facing window to protect her from the wind, and also a heated, fleece-lined winter "house." Yes, Betaille was a spoiled cat. She was not too crazy about the new kittens, Zoe and Kaylee. In 2005 Betaille had her thyroid irradiated, and began taking medicine to protect her impaired kidneys. In the early summer of 2007 Betaille was diagnosed with cancer. She enjoyed a wonderful summer in the backyard, spending even her last days in the doorway, watching the garden and feeling the fresh air. Betaille left us Sept. 5, 2007 and is very deeply missed. As our friend Geoff observed, "she was a gem and had a great life."
Forums Motto:
"I want it NOW"
I've Been On Catster Since:
| August 30th 2004 |
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More than 7 years! |
Rosette, Star and Special Gift History
Catster Id:
68123
See all my Feline Friends
See all my Feline Friends
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January 13th 2006 10:09 pm
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2005 was a rough year for me. I got very confused, and the vet said it was because I had hyperthyroid. I underwent radiation treatment, and it was very successful. I am much happier now, and looking forward to another sunny summer in the back yard on my favorite bench.
September 14th 2004 11:52 am
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Cold mornings here in Seattle. It's apparent those kittens are going to be here for good and I'll have to get along with them unless I want to spend the fall freezing out here in the garden.
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See all diary entries for Betaille (1990-2007)
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Ask a Cat Lady: Why Does My Cat Love Knocking Things Down?
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