Sure, we all snicker at pages that people put up for their pets. "Geez," some of you think, "they are just pets." Not so. These three are definitely part of my family. There's something so wonderfully special about these cats that I have to gush about them, and in the end that means a web page. I suppose it's the same kind of fervor that seizes people when they talk incessantly about their children. I'll forgive you if you forgive me.

Rowan is the long haired tortoise shell (tricolour), and she's 8 (as of July '02). She's cute, and darn well knows it. She has this "look at me, aren't I CUUUUUTE" roll-round on her back that she'll do in the middle of the floor when company's over to try to win friends and influence people. It usually works. Forget trying to pet or brush that long, soft tummy fur though. We think she's ticklish. Rowan is a friendly girl, doesn't get into too much trouble, but doesn't know how to take No for an answer. She has some very definite Maine Coon characteristics — the long fur on her tail, the facial tufts — but her size gives it away that she's not purebred Maine Coon. She's also perpetually starving (or so she'd have you think). Crack open the packet of deli meat, or open the cupboard, and suddenly she's your best friend, wailing as if she'd never been fed in her life. We figure she was probably a feral for at least a little while when she was a kitten. She will eat just about anything, from corn on the cob to Doritos. We really have to be careful what we leave lying about. As she's gotten older, she's gotten a lot mellower, though; however, she is our resident mouse-corner-er.

Flopped on the couch. (9/02)	More fuzziness. (9/02)	Feel the fuzzy snorons at work... you are getting sleepy... (9/02)
Sleeeeeeepy..... (9/02)	Watching Cat TV. (9/02)	Watching Cat TV, 2. (9/02)
From outside. (9/02)	Queen of the living room floor. (9/02)

Looking very intently at something.	There's a cat on that desk somewhere...	Rowan doing one of her famous "I'm cute and I know it" flops.	Rowan, sleeping. Look at the mousie perched on her head. She must be VERY soundly asleep!
...and sleeping all nestled in my (chiropractic) pillow. Really, she doesn't always sleep.	The one that got away...	Rowan sleeping under the Yule tree.	Rowan on the desk, hiding behind a stuffed yak.
Rowan blackmail image -- belly fuzz in full force.

Arwen is the aloof aristocrat. She turned 7 in May of '02. Black all over except for 3 small tufts of white on her underside, she is, I imagine, the kind of cat that the ancient Egyptians would have worshiped. She spends most of her time during the day snoozing, plays occasionally with toys, likes to wall surf, and watches Cat TV (look out the windows). She's got the sweetest disposition, but is a little skittish (we think she may have been abused before we adopted her :( ). She has monster claws that she only really uses to grab things (like the edges of doors and drinking straws; we joke that if she had opposable thumbs we'd all be in trouble). If she did use them Rowan and/or Bjorn would be shredded to ribbons every time she wanted to play chase. Incredibly athletic, I have seen Arwen run down the hallway (as she likes to do for her wall surfing adventures) and rebound off the wall (from the floor, mind you) on a spot as high as my head (and I am 5 feet 5 inches tall). I've also seen her grab on to the woodwork that high too and hang there to get out of Rowan's reach. I've caught her playing all by herself, running up and down the hallway, doing the eight-legged Warner Brothers scramble when she turns around in the kitchen (on the linoleum or hardwood floors -- no purchase). Arwen is a night cat, as evidenced when she demands snuggles (and insists on cleaning your face) at 4 am.

Closeup... looking unlike a black blob for once... (9/02)

... These are probably the best closeup shots ever of her. (9/02)

Arwen as a kitten. Awwwwww....	Hide and seek while moving.	Doing her best impression of Hobbes...	Arwen, sleeping.
The Queen will see you now...	"Oh no, they found me!"	Arwen't best impression of a three-year-old! (Check out the tummy spots :) )	Photographic evidence that they don't chase each other or tussle all the time.

Bjorn is not living with us any longer. While being a loving, sweet boy a lot of the time, he just didn't get on well with the idea of not being the top cat (thanks to the well-established hierarchy before his arrival). So, we have given him to a wonderful friend who loves cats and will undoubtedly take great care of him.

Last updated: 1 Nov 2002

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Rowan is a .