Little Black Cat - Ebony
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Tribute to a Tiny Black Cat with the Heart and Soul of a Panther
This is the story of Ebony, a little black cat that adopted me and shared her life with us for more than 10 years. This lens is a memorial tribute to a fiesty black cat - Ebony passed over the Rainbow Bridge several years ago, but she's still with us in spirit. If you've ever mourned the loss of a pet, you will understand why I wrote this story about Ebony.
Ebony was a feisty black cat who lived with my husband when we first met. She was possessive and not one of those snuggly, rub your leg for attention kitties. Ebony behaved more like a prowling, growling panther or a jealous lover. It's been said that dogs have families, while cats have staff - Ebony definitely had people to order about and she did it regally.
Ebony was a a tiny all black domestic shorthaired cat, the runt of the litter. She had to fight to survive from the time she was born. Ebony lived in a rural area where she hunted all sorts of wildlife: squirrels, invader cats, raccoons, snakes, frogs, chipmunks, mice and birds. Some of these critters she caught in her home - others were stalked in the garden.
Ebony was almost as tough as a feral cat, although she never lived alone in the wild. She lived with my husband and his daughter for several years before we met; or should I say she allowed them to live with her. Ebony was possessive of her staff. She was instantly jealous of me and as protective of her home and family as any big dog. It took a lot of cat whisperer knowledge for me to become part of Ebony's circle of trust.
Ebony was a risk-taker cat. She probably used up more than 9 cat lives during her brief lifetime, but she made every minute count. Tthis story is how I befriended a cranky black cat late in her life, then earned her respect and love. I cared for her until she crossed over the Rainbow Bridge.
Ebony aka "Da Rippah"
For a small cat she had BIG claws and knew how to use 'em
Ebony was petite from head to tail tip. She even had dainty feet and toes, but my goodness her claws were amazing. She kept them in tip top shape by shredding all sorts of stuff - including on occasion a sofa arm or leg. When I became a family member I decided to try to teach her a few manners about her claws. I've had cats my entire life, and I've never had a problem with cats tearing up the furniture, so I set about to teach Ebony where she could and could not sharpen and shine her claws indoors.I started by putting clean packing tape on the upholstered areas of the furniture where she wanted to sink in her claws. I also policed her a bit and clapped my hands while raising my voice when she attempted to hit the sofa or chair legs for a good scratch. She wasn't too keen on the training, but she learned quickly because she really didn't like the tape from the sofa getting under her nails and hated having me clap and say NO.
So, she turned to my Oriental carpet and runner to get even - cats do love to get even, you know. What Ebony didn't realize in all her feline wisdom was that's what I wanted her to do. Those carpets were made from almost indestructible Olefin fibers on heavy jute backing. No cat can tear them apart and oh, it's so satisfying to a cat to hear that RRRR-IIIIII-PPPP and POP when the claw comes clean and breaks free from the rug. I nicknamed Ebony Ripper (or RIPPAH, if I lapse back into my Boston-speak) and it stuck.
We ended up with a win-win situation - Ebony felt like she was getting away with something and in charge of her claws in the house. She RIPPED at the rugs all she wanted and the sofa my mother-in-law bought in 1934 still has its original upholstery sans cat ribbons.
Cat Smarts - Felines are Brilliant!
Humans and cats have identical brain regions responsible for emotion. A cat's brain is more similar to a human brain than a dog's.
How to Calculate Your Cat's Real Age
It's not as simple as you might think
A cat's age in human years is not figured out by simply multiplying birth years times a number. Cats mature more rapidly in their early years, so to figure their age in human terms, you need to compute the cat's age for the first couple years then add that number to a multiple of the remaining years since your feline friend was born.Cats are adolescents by the time they're a year old - the human equivalent of a 15-year-old. But by their second birthday, cats have become young adults, comparable to a human who's 24 years old. After their first two years, cats age about 4 years in feline years for every subsequent year on earth. Outdoor cats age more rapidly than indoor cats; some studies indicate outdoor cats age twice as fast as felines who stay in the house.
Cat age calculator, visit Catster.com.
Ebony the Commando Cat
She was incredibly brave and disciplined, like a Marine or Navy Seal
Ebony applied military-like discipline in everything she did. She was methodical and determined to complete every mission she started. She also had aggressive traits I'd never seen before in a female cat. Although she was half the size of her offspring, she was always the "alpha" cat - Momma ruled the house, no question about it - until the day she died.Ebony taught her kittens to patrol their property, to defend themselves, to hunt, to watch over the foolish humans, and to be somewhat aloof around strangers. She taught them a couple less desirable skills as well.
Never let a human pick you up. Ebony, Sparkey and Misty never liked to be held or stroked the way most cats enjoy. In fact, none of the cats in our house would willingly allow humans to pick them up. Anyone who made the mistake of trying to get too friendly quickly experienced the instant transformation of a quiet cat into a snarling, whirling dervish.
Demand food just before dawn. No matter what the season, Ebony wanted to eat breakfast in the wee hours of early morning. She would arise in the dark and wait until daylight was just starting to light the sky, then she would sit in the doorway to the bedroom and howl loudly for her breakfast. It didn't matter that she had a huge bowl of dry crunchy food - she wanted her moist cat food breakfast, and she wanted it NOW.
Let the enemy know you're here. Ebony sprayed like a male cat. Never in the house, but outdoors Ebony "marked" as her own all the vehicles and shrubs around the border of our property. If it rained, she would refresh the scent. I'd never seen a female cat spray before I met Ebony. She taught Misty and Sparkey to do the same, and no matter what we did to discourage the spraying it never ceased.
After Ebony died, Sparkey took over the spray detail, and he taught his sister Misty and later a newly-adopted female kitten to spray the car wheels and shrub borders during morning and evening garden perimeter patrols. He still lives with us, and still makes sure he leaves his mark around the yard on tall grasses and shrubs in the garden border.
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Ebony the Guard Cat
Keeping Watch from the Chimney Top
Ebony patrolled our 1-acre yard like a guard dog. She checked the perimeter at least every other hour, then settled down atop the chimney of our outdoor fireplace to stand watch over the house and garden. Her chimney-top vantage point also gave her a bird's eye view of the field next to our property, and the dirt lane leading to our driveway.When a vehicle drove into the lane, Ebony knew if it was my car, Doug's truck, or a stranger. If it was me or Doug arriving home, Ebony would come running to the driveway and walk us to the back door. When I walked out to the mailbox each afternoon, she would follow me up the lane and back to the house, all the while vocalizing. It was if she was scolding me for leaving the yard.
Although she was a mixed breed from a neighbor's litter, I'm convinced Ebony had some Siamese in her background. She had a distinctive voice and Siamese-like facial features. She also had the disposition and intelligence of a high-strung purebred.
Cats Are Highly Intelligent, Possessive, Territorial Animals
Ebony's Children - Her Only Son, Sparky
Momma Taught Him How to Climb
Smug Cat Sparkey Surveys the Kitchen
Ebony loved to climb high to be able to see her territory and keep watch over her family. She climbed trees in our yard, ladders to the roof or inside the house up to the ceiling, and she often climbed up the side of our stone fireplace outdoors to get to the chimney top where she perched and watched birds, squirrels, mice and chipmunks.
Ebony's son Sparkey is also a climber. He loves to climb - he ascends ladders to sit on the roof . He climbs trees like a monkey (because he has no front claws). He scales our kitchen appliances to sit atop the cabinets now and then. His favorite aerial spot is on the roof of our cabana. He has his own ladder to climb up to the roof, and often strolls around as if it's a tree house built just for him.
Sparkey is totally silver grey, and as a fully grown adult feline, he's about twice the size his mother was. He absolutely loves catnip - I've seen him totally demolish a 2 foot tall living plant in our garden within an hour. When I harvest the catnip and spread it out on newspapers to dry it in the fall, Sparkey dives into the pile and enjoys catnip bliss for a few hours, just the way Momma Ebony taught him..
Organic Catnip Bliss - Ebony Checks Freshness
RIP Ebony
This Little Black Cat Lives On in Our Hearts
Ebony died at 3:30pm March 19, 2005. She was buried March 21 under the big magnolia tree in our yard - a tree whose trunk she loved to race up and down. She lies next to Smokey, the female queen cat who lived here before she was born. We miss her to this day and we will never forget her.Ebony is waiting for us and playing in the sunshine at the other side of the Rainbow Bridge with our family of gone-but-never-forgotten animal companions - Smokey, Snuffy, Pita, Beauregard and Pretty. All our pet companions who've passed on are very busy in pet heaven, keeping our beloved and departed human family members company until we can join them all again.
Squid Angel Blessings for Ebony, the Little Black Cat
We Miss this kitty, but she's got Angels watching over us
Squid Angel ajgodinho gave a Christmas eve 2010 angel blessing to this lens about our gone but not forgotten little black cat named Ebony. Cat Humor - Funny Feline Stories
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Do You Have a Favorite Feline Story to Share?
Please leave a comment or just say hello - if you have a cat you love, please let us know about him or her.
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favored1
Nov 24, 2011 @ 11:22 pm | delete
- Animals are always a blessing and leave a big void when they go home to God. Thanks for sharing Ebony with us.
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ArtByLinda Oct 26, 2011 @ 6:04 pm | delete
- Ebony sounds like a wonderful cat, I wrote a page about our Buster Brown, and one about a siamese kitten. Thankful for these wonderful animals that have touched our lives with their presence. Blessed!
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JaguarJulie
Dec 31, 2010 @ 8:05 am | delete
- What a touching tale of Ebony ... you brought Ebony to life.
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ajgodinho Dec 24, 2010 @ 5:25 pm | delete
- Thanks for introducing ebony to us via this lens ~ she was indeed a unique cat!
Wishing you and yours a blessed Christmas season and a prosperous New Year!
**Blessed by a Squid-Angel**
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kt_glasses Dec 21, 2010 @ 9:37 pm | delete
- This is a very touching lens! May Ebony be happy in Pet Heaven.
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rainbowseeker
Nov 26, 2010 @ 10:48 am | delete
- Nice memorial lens. Pets are such a comfort and I hope writing this lens gave you some comfort. Ebony was lucky to have you in her life.
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Nov 22, 2010 @ 8:17 pm | delete
- I really enjoyed reading about Ebony. I have a tiny black rescue bunny who sounds a lot like your beautiful Ebony. For a rabbit he's amazingly vocal and has a grunt, growl or squeak in a range of pitches for every situation and if none of them get your attention then a charge and headbutt certainly does. He sleeps between my husband and I at the foot of our bed preferably between my ankles if he can headbutt them in the correct position for his personal comfort.
I understand why you loved Ebony so much, it's the same with my Elliot I love him because of his fiestiness not despite it.
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PizmoBeach
Nov 19, 2010 @ 3:04 pm | delete
- I enjoyed reading your lens.
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Ramkitten
Sep 24, 2010 @ 11:56 pm | delete
- Ebony reminds me of my black cat, Cinder. I enjoyed this!
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annmackiemiller
Jul 27, 2010 @ 1:18 pm | delete
- great lens
I'll put it on my I Love Cat Lenses - lens - bit of a mouthful that but you know what I mean
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Index to Ebony, Little Black Cat
Navigate this tribute lens to my black cat Ebony (RIP) by using the linked topical index in this section. Just click a link and you're there!- Ebony aka "Da Rippah"
- Cat Smarts - Felines are Brilliant!
- How to Calculate Your Cat's Real Age
- Ebony the Commando Cat
- Help Animals in Need
- Ebony the Guard Cat
- Cats Are Highly Intelligent, Possessive, Territorial Animals
- Ebony's Children - Her Only Son, Sparky
- Organic Catnip Bliss - Ebony Checks Freshness
- Good-Bye to Ebony
- Bookmark This Cat Story Lens
- RIP Ebony
- Cat Fancy Gifts from Zazzle
- Squid Angel Blessings for Ebony, the Little Black Cat
- Cat Humor - Funny Feline Stories
- Make Your Own Cat Toys and Treats
- Do You Have a Favorite Feline Story to Share?
- More Cat Love Lenses
- What's Your Favorite Cat Name?
What's Your Favorite Cat Name?
Vote for your favorite or add yours to the list.
Here are the top 10 male and female cat names, or so we've been told. We want to know what names you like.
Top 10 Female cat Names: Maggie, Molly, Lady, Sadie, Lucy, Daisy, Ginger, Abby, Sasha, Sandy..
Top 10 male cat names: Max, Jake, Buddy, Bailey, Sam, Rocky, Buster, Casey, Cody, Duke.
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