The Duel by Eugene Field

When I was a little fellow, my mom read to me and my siblings from A Treasury of the Familiar, edited by Ralph L. Woods. This is one of poems/stories, etc., that I particularly remember.

The Duel by Eugene Field

The gingham dog and the calico cat
Side by side on the table sat;
'Twas half past twelve, and (what do you think!)
Nor one nor t'other had slept a wink!
The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate
Appeared to know as sure as fate
There was going to be a terrible spat.
(I wasn't there; I simply state
What was told to me by the Chinese plate!)

The gingham dog went "Bow-wow-wow!"
and the calico cat replied "Mee-ow!"
The air was littered, an hour or so,
With bits of gingham and calico,
While the old Dutch clock in the chimney place
Up with its hands before its face,
For it always dreaded a family row!
(Now mind: I'm only telling you
What the old Dutch clock declares is true!)

The Chinese plate looked very blue,
And wailed, "Oh, dear! what shall we do!"
But the gingham dog an the calico cat
Wallowed thi way and tumbled that,
Employing every tooth and claw
In the awfullest way you ever saw --
And, oh! how the gingham and calico flew!
(Don't fancy I exaggerate --
I got my news from the Chinese plate!)

Next morning where the two had sat
They found no trace of dog or cat:
And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole that pair away!
But the truth about the cat and pup
Is this: they ate each other up!
Now what do you really think of that!
(The old Dutch clock it told me so,
And that is how I came to know.)

Bengals That Own Celebrities

While doing some research into famous people (celebrities) who own Bengals. I received the generous help of many breeders (and others) in compiling a list of some fifteen or more very distinguished Bengal owners. Among them are Barbara Mandrell, Bruce Springsteen, Calvin Klein and the Wrigley family. The information was somewhat sketchy on most and I have attributed that to the desire of celebrities for privacy.

One day recently, while Cathy and I were out in the cattery doing some routine chores, including clipping nails, checking ears, etc., we received a telephone call. Cathy took the call, but was not able to hear very well because all the cats were talking at once, wanting their share of attention. Cathy explained what was going on and asked the caller to please call back in about 10 minutes. Annoyed, I chided her, telling her that she should have stepped outside and taken the call. We did not get a call back in 10 minutes, but the caller did call back about 30 minutes later.
Cathy had a difficult time understanding the very nice lady who spoke with a French accent, but she was able to answer several questions. The lady promised to call back soon. Yea, right! How many times have we heard that one!

But, she did call back. Cathy asked me to take the call and see if I could understand her better than she could. I talked with lady and soon learned that she had done her homework. She identified two kittens on our website that she was interested it. I explained the merits of each one and she made her choice. I then explained that I would need her name, address, etc., for the contract. I had some trouble understanding her as she told me her name was Lady Micheline Roquebrune Connery. When I asked for clarification I was a little stunned when she said, "I am Sean Connery’s wife! Wow, what a moment. I was both excited and humbled as we continued our discussion. My mind was racing with the thought that we were going to place one of our Bagheera Bengal kittens with Lady Connery, an accomplished artist in her own right, and Sir Sean Connery, who found fame and fortune as James Bond, the suave, sophisticated British agent 007.

The Connery's proclaim that they adore "Bon Jovi" (named after the band, a favorite of Sean’s) but it clearly has become Sean's cat, not Micheline's. Sean can never stop telling others about his Bonjo as they call him. Cat stories are about all the two of them talk about!

How Are Bengal Cats Different from Other Breeds of Cats?

I am always amazed when folks ask me if Bengals are mean. Part of my amazement is the fact that I live with these exciting, amazing creatures every day. And they are such sweet, loveable, cats. Although they do have a wild cat (the Leopard Cat of southeast Asia) in their background, the Bengal is a delightful house pet.

Cathy and I, as with all responsible breeders, are more than ordinarily careful in selecting and breeding to have Bengal cats with loving and gentle temperaments. The initial wild heritage of the Bengal cat makes the all the more important than with other breeds.

Like their wild ancestors, Bengals are active cats that love to climb, jump, run and romp. Of course they have to substitute whatever they can find in the house for the jungle trees and plants used by their forefathers.

Cat Nip

Catnip (Nepatia cataria) is a plant native to North America. Fresh leaves of the catnip plant have a mint-like scent, while dried leaves smell like alfalfa. In all members of the cat family, contact with this plant causes a peculiar reaction called the catnip response. The primary active compound in catnip, nepetalactone, is chemically similar to hallucinogens. Catnip is not toxic to pets.

The catnip response includes initial investigation, oral contact, grasping and kicking, and abandonment. It lasts an average of about 6 minutes but is most intense for 2-3 minutes. Male and female cats of reproductive age are more sensitive to catnip than very young or old cats.
Cat owners derive great pleasure from the apparent enjoyment of their pets. Some cats are eager when catnip is offered and seem to revel in its effects, while other cats appear to avoid it, despite prior displays of catnip sensitivity.

The behavior pattern associated with catnip may be more closely related to predatory behavior. A cat’s reaction to the detection and capture of prey parallels many of the phases of the catnip response. Pawing and marking, clasping and rolling onto the side, and rhythmic kicking with the back feet are common to hunting behavior and the catnip response.

Cat Shows

Though I would give you a little information on my recent cat show experiences. Since the first of the year I have been to a show in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, then to one in Birmingham, AL, and finally Atlanta, Georgia. I have gotten myself pretty involved in these shows. I serve as Treasurer for the Destiny Cat Fanciers that puts on the Fort Walton show; as Vice President of the Bama Paws & Claws club that puts on the Birmingham show, and Treasurer and Co-Show Manager of the Hotlanta Cool Cats club that puts on the Atlanta show. It has been a lot of fun, but a lot of work. I really love seeing all the really "cutting edge" cats, talking with the breeders and owners, and the judges. What a great learning experience.

I will be going to St. Petersburg, FL at the end of April. I just may go to "Big Cat Rescue" again. I loved that place.

A Vist to the Jungle

I had the great pleasure to make a quick 3 day trip to Sarasota, Florida. The purpose was to see Ben (my son) and get him settled. The real highlight of the trip was when he and I went to the Big Cat Rescue on Saturday. What a wonerful place. It is not a zoo, but a wild cat refruge. They have wild cats rescued from the entertainment industry, private persons, and surplus zoo animals.The admission was very reasonable, so I was delighted to be able to make a gift, too. This is good work they do. Different from a zoo, where you are free to walk around on your own and look at the exhibits, here we were members of a small group taken on an escorted and narrated tour. Great, factual information was provided on each individual cat, as well as the species.We saw lions, tigers, and bears - - no not bears - that was in The Wizard of Oz . We did see lions, tigers, cheetahs, leopards, pumas, (black panthers), Jaguars, Sand Cats, Caracals, a Snow Leopard, a Clouded Leopard, Lynxes, Bobcats, and Ocelots.The great thing about seeing all these cats was that we were "up close and personal" with them and they were all very active. Nothing like in a zoo. If you can take this tour and not be awed by the splendor of these wonderful creatures then I would have to question your humanity.When we left the Big Cat Rescue we went to the Tampa Zoo. We really should have done it the other way around and gone tothe zoo first. After the rescue tour, the zoo was a disappointment. Not that it is not a wonderful zoo, for it is! But it was just not anything near the experience we had at the rescue.If you are ever in the Tampa area I urge you to experience the Big Cat Rescue.

Making A Difference

I was asked the other day why I support cat rescue organizations. I was told, "There are so many strays and feral cats out there, you will never be able to do any real good." Well that reminded me of this little story:

Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer.

He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young woman and the young woman wasn't dancing, but instead she was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.

As he got closer he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?"
The young woman paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish in the ocean."

"I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?"
"The sun is up and the tide is going out. And if I don't throw them in they'll die."

"But, young woman, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it? You can't possibly make a difference!"

The young woman listened politely. Then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said- "It made a difference for that one."