Blaze Star, Our Tabby Cat

Blaze found us one day in late September, 2003. Al walked up to busy Hwy. 190 to get the paper (as he does early every morning) but on this special morning, as he took the paper out of the box, he heard a tiny meow coming from the deep ditch. Soon a scrawny little head popped up and the puny little kitten struggled toward him. She needed help and she must have sensed an animal lover, because Al was able to scoop her up and bring her back to the house. Apparently someone dumped her at an abandoned house, near the highway.

After a few trips to the vet and some nutritious food, she began to gain weight and her coat began to shine. We found out that she was several months older than we originally thought and was so small from being undernourished while she was on her own. She is still a tiny cat and only weighs 7 or 8 pounds.

At the time, we had an old (about 13 years old) female cat named Amphi and two dogs, Rio and Chance. All were foundlings. Blaze was a bold little thing and showed no fear of any of our other animals. After a few days, she trotted into the front, with her tail held high, and made herself at home with the dogs. At first Rio, the larger dog would feign snaps at her because old Amphi was mean to him when he was young, but saucy little Blaze would just dart away, then come right back and curl up next to one of us. Soon, she and Rio were playing hide and seek and sleeping next to one another. She even made friends with cranky old Amphi and they used to play chase a little.

Blaze is our little clown and she brought such joy when she joined our household. She carries on conversations with us and is always telling on Dax, the youngest of our menagerie, when he bullies her.

I think she was a high-wire walker in another life because no ledge is too narrow for her to balance upon. She regularly climbs up onto a wooden screen, room divider to play and run back and forth while the larger and heavier, Dax, waits below.

Cats Love to Help by naturegirl7

Besides being a gymnast, Blaze also likes to model. She loves to pose for the camera and is forever creating the perfect photo op. She must have also been a successful model in another life, either that or an Egyptian Queen. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so we'll let her work speak for itself.

Buy Blaze Cat Eyes by naturegirl7

Blaze has her own line of products on Zazzle. How do you like her designs?

Our Blaze is now the "older" lady of the house, but you'd never know it by the way she dashes around, throwing toy mice into the air. When she was a sickly kitten we tried an organic, natural diet which included vegetables and plain yogurt, so now she loves to eat her greens.

Buy Blaze Eats Greens Poster by naturegirl7