This is our cat Queen
Celeste, more usually
called "Kitty", the
name to which she
responds. When I
found her in Chilliwack,
I thought she was our
first cat "Tang", an in-
door cat who had got
out and not been able
to find her way home.
Tang was what I call
a "piss-artist" because


when she got cross with us she would pee all over the place. I had to throw
out a chair, a quilt and several pillow because I could not get the smell out
of them. And she was not even all that friendly. She would not sit on our
laps, and would only come if you had food for her. But she was Sue's cat
and Sue loved her; and she was very pritty, with her one blue eye and one
green eye, and white all over. We had moved to Burnaby, and I was working
in Chilliwack. On the way to my car I heard this pathetic "meowing", and saw
this emaciated white cat in the middle of the road looking at me. Thinking
it was Tang, and armed with mycar blanket, I lured her closer and
grabbed her. She yeowled and carried on, so driving with one hand I
headed for the local vet to borrow a cat carrier as I had a long drive home
on the highway. While I was there I had her checked out, and all the while
she was rubbing up against me. The vet commented, "Wow, she sure is
bonding with you!" During the hour long drive home she scratched and
meowed and I was thinking to myself: "Why on earth are you taking this
horrid little creature home with you, you were well rid of her.?" But of
course I knew the answer. Things had been very difficult for Susan after
my divorce, and I knew she would be thrilled to see Tang again. When
I got home Susan took one look at her and exclaimed: "Mum! that is not
Tang." I said, "Yes, look at the eyes!" "No", Susan said: "Tang had a
very bushy tail, and her right eye was blue, and the left green - this cat's
eyes are the other way around." I had to go and get a photo of Tang, and
sure enough, Susan was right! So who was this stranger that I had I
inadvertently "kidnapped"? Well, I'll tell you, this little creature was a
Gift from God. Just what Susan needed to get her out of the unhappy
state she was in, having just moved to a new school and having to make
new friends. All night long our new "house guest" rubbed against our
legs, jumped on our laps, and followed us from room to room - she was,
and still is, the exact opposite of Tang. Kitty loves everybody! When
visitors come, she flops down at their feet, rolls over on her back and
waits for them to rub her tummy. As soon as someone sits down, she
hops up on their lap, without having to be coaxed. And when I go to bed
at night she sleeps right by the front door in the hallway (just like a
guard dog) because she is not allowed in my bedroom, as she keeps me
awake at night with all her purring and kneading. She is just the best
cat anyone could ask for!