Puthy Boy

One of the additions to our pet collection was a pair of kittens. I have already blogged about how I was hoodwinked into getting them in the first place. So I won't repeat myself - that would be redundant.


However, I do want to tell you a little story about what has happened since. Actually, the story is split into two bits. The first one is very short. One of the kittens was run over as it made a mad dash across the road to get to the other side. This is proof that before you start a dash, you should be sure you are not going to change your mind.


As I might have mentioned, cats are the expendable crewmen of the farm. They come, they go, and their memory fades. Sad but true. Don't report me to the SPCA.


The second bit of the story is a little longer. It is about the other kitten of the pair. As you may or may not know, we have come to have the reputation of naming our animals after foods.


We have Burger (cat), Kola (dog), we had Sundae (cat), we've had Broccoli (cat) and so on and so forth. So we named these kittens food names just to keep up appearances. My daughter christened them Terry and Yaki (put them together and you have a Japenese marinade).


Kittens get a lot of attention when they first arrive at the farm. It is a period of adjustment. The kids have to show me how terribly cute they are and say things like: "Isn't is a good idea that we got two instead of one so that they can be pals". The dog has to adjust (she likes to practice her kitten-tossing skills) , the other cats have to suck it up (it's really not all about them) and scoot over on the dog's bed to make room, the chickens have to squawk, and the rabbits don't really care, but I have to mention them anyway. This honeymoon period can vary. Sometimes, it can last as long as three days.


After that, they are part of the family and what they do with it is up to them. These kittens were no exception. Unfortunately, the one who purred and sought our affection was killed in the mad dash across the road. That leaves one kitten. Suddenly calling him Yaki, or Terry (we never did figure out which one was which) didn't make sense. So I changed it.


In the movie "American Sweethearts" there is a Spaniard with a lisp. He challenges the hero to a fight in the restaurant. He goads him by calling him "pussy boy". Only, he lisps, so it comes out "Puthy boy". Somehow, that seemed an appropriate name for the remaining kitten. I figured, this is a cat who doesn't come when he's called. He's a cat who meows for food and meows to let you know he's arrived down at the rabbit barn. He is a cat who lies on the back of the dog for warmth. He's not exactly a family favorite. He's just "puthy boy". So whenever I see him, I greet him "hello puthy boy". It is one of the pleasures of my day.


Last week, I discovered a problem with this name. It isn't that he can learn to recognize his name when I call him.

The problem is this : Puthy boy is pregnant.