Cat On A Pot: A Big Orange Cat's Journey Through Life

By Gloria Howell

Cats can be trained to do amazing things. Can’t they? Lukaria believed that when the family adopted their kitties. Spanki was the pretty little girl with big blue eyes and long lashes. The problem was, she was a mean, nasty kitty who would hiss and bite. The family then adopted Snorkel to be her companion, but that annoyed Spanki even more. She put up with Snorkel for years as he challenged the family with his problems, and she put up a fight of her own until the end.

Despite their quirks, Lukaria unconditionally loved Spanki and Snorkel and every other cat she owned before them. She struggled to find acceptance long after each one breathed their last breath and found the grieving process increasingly more difficult with the loss of each one.

If you ever loved (or hated) a cat (like Spanki,) you will love this book. If you ever attempted to train a cat, or simply succumbed to a cat training you, you will be able to relate to this book. If you ever lost a cat, you will recognize the grieving process that you experienced and discover just what it takes to reach acceptance.

This book will take you on a roller coaster ride of frustration, laughter, and tears as you delve into the lives of Lukaria and her cats.

Gloria Howell has been a psychology instructor for over thirty years and a cat owner and lover all of her life. She and her husband are avid hikers and enjoy their view of the Blue Ridge Mountains from their back porch. They also enjoy traveling, with and without cats.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gloria Howell
• Release date: Feb 28, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463264621

Gloria Howell

Gloria Howell is the recipient of two Excellence in Education Awards from the Virginia Community College System and the Most Inspiring Faculty Award from Old Dominion University. As a psychology instructor since 1989, she has published several articles and produced several mini lectures for her students on YouTube. She has developed college courses in psychological well-being, counseling skills, and critical thinking and creative thinking, and has traveled throughout the country doing presentations to her colleagues on how to inspire students. When she is not teaching or working on some project, she enjoys working out at her local YMCA. She has participated in over 45 races, including 5 half-marathons and the Disney marathon. She and her husband lived in Virginia Beach for thirty years then built their own house and moved to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. They are avid hikers and becoming world travelers.

Book preview

Cat on a Pot

Copyright© 2019 Gloria Howell

Published by Gloria Howell at Smashwords

This book is available in print at most online retailers.

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1- The Beginning

Chapter 2- Spanki

Chapter 3- Spanki and Snorkel

Chapter 4- Travel Time

Chapter 5- Cat on a Pot

Chapter 6 - The Breakout

Chapter 7 - Night Time Fun and Games

Chapter 8 - I Can Tell You Who Is Eating It All

Chapter 9 - I Can’t Pee

Chapter 10 - Drugs for Travel

Chapter 11 - Another Blockage –Another Bill

Chapter 12 - The Embroidery Needle

Chapter 13 - Celebration of Life and Death

Chapter 14 - Five Cats and Five Stages of Grieving

Chapter 15 - Big Orange Cat

The Beginning

Did somebody say something about a kitty kitty? A skinny, little, flea-infested, orange ball of long fur sluggishly strolled out of the barn far behind the other scurrying gray tabby and black kitties.

Here kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty, called Pam, who had two litters of kittens born to her mama barn cats on her horse farm. She needed a handful or so to keep the mice population down, but many were up for adoption, and Lukaria and JJ were in the market.

We’ll take that one! JJ, JJ, look at the orange one!

The orange one is a male, said Pam.

Lukaria quickly lowered the bitty gray tabby from her chest and scooped up the mess of orange fur. Immediately, the dopey face with big eyes stared up into her eyes, then he collapsed into her arms and began to purr. JJ quickly moved toward his mother, his eyes twinkling and his smile reaching from ear to ear. Yeah, this is it. Hi, Snorkel!

We decided on the orange one, Lukaria quickly informed Pam. Abandoning the remaining kitties, and thanking her for their gift, they headed to the car to take this little kitty to his new home.

Once in the car, the fur ball settled into JJ's lap and was eating up all the affection. That is until Lukaria started the car and began the hour drive home. A car ride was not what this kitty had in mind. Meow! he howled. Meow!

It’s okay, JJ stroked him, trying his best to soothe the frantic kitten. Meow! Meow! MeOW! MEOW! was his constant banter with the steady precision of the second hand of a clock.

Scratch his ears and pet him, JJ.

I am, I am. He won’t get settled.

The unrelenting droning persisted for what seemed like forever until they finally arrived safely to Snorkel's new home. He was never so happy to get out of that car and on dry land again, and the little peep squeak was ready and raring to go.

JJ ran into the house to tell Harry the good news. Daddy, Daddy, we got an orange one! Come see.

As expected, Harry came out to greet Lukaria and Snorkel at the car and broke out in a big Awwww when he laid eyes on the kitten. He scooped him up into his arms only to hold him out and away from himself. He is covered with fleas!

That’s not a problem. We will give him a flea bath, Lukaria said as she ran into the house to get the flea shampoo. Take him around back. I’ll be right out.

Twenty claws extended to their fullest as Harry dipped, massaged, rinsed, and wiped the baby clean. Neither of them was impressed, and both sighed with relief when the process was complete. Snorkel looked like a tiny, drowned rat but quickly calmed down and puffed out his long fur. Now after a much-deserved nap, he would be ready to meet his big sister.

Spanki

The beautiful, solid black, blue-tipped cat, Beamer, had a hard life. As her life was coming to an end, JJ announced one day, When Beamer dies, I am getting another cat, and I am going to name it Spanki.

On that Friday morning, Beamer passed away and went on to kitty heaven. In desperation, Lukaria sent out an email to everyone in her email address book with the subject line: Need a cat. Within a short time, she had a reply from Jill, who was a fellow PTA member at JJ's school. She explained that she had a litter of kitties and would be happy to help us. The next morning, Lukaria and JJ, along with Harry, headed out to pick a replacement for Beamer.

There were kitties everywhere, but one, in particular, gravitated to Lukaria, gave a little nip into Lukaria’s hand with her razor-sharp baby teeth, then snuggled into the crook of her arm, shaking and shivering with terror. The kitty was a light gray, long-haired tortoiseshell with fur that felt like silk. She did not seem very friendly and cuddly, but Lukaria felt sorry for the frightened kitten, and they finalized the adoption. JJ, Harry, and Lukaria were all still grieving the loss of poor Beamer, but now JJ had his cat named Spanki.

Once at home, Spanki acclimated quickly to her new food and water bowls and her kitty pan that she inherited from Beamer. She missed her siblings, though, and was