Sassy Cats – Spotlight on Hazel

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Hazel at her best!

Hazel at her best!

Hazel is shy. We have friends who have never met her. She avoids visitors unless they interfere with her feeding times. Even then she waits patiently to be fed in my bedroom.

She was a planned adoption. When taken out of the carrier for a “meet and greet,” she was terrified. (Of me! What cat in their right mind would be terrified of me? I am their lottery ticket!)

She was homely. About six months old, with muted grey-tan tabby coloring, her head was too small for her body and her ears were out of proportion. It happens. Growth spurts and all of that.

How could I not take her home? No one was going to adopt a homely cat cowering in a carrier.

We never regretted it. She’s a great cat. No midnight rhapsodies. Not a picky eater. Just a nice peaceful cat that gets along with other cats.

Some interesting notes about Hazel:

She spent the first week under a bed. She only came out to eat and pee (yes, poop too) as long as I wasn’t there.

An old photo of besties Mollie (left) and Hazel shortly after adoption.

An old photo of besties Mollie (left) and Hazel shortly after Hazel’s adoption. They both weighed about 7 lbs. Mollie still weighs that but Hazel is 13 lbs. now.

Our cat Mollie became her bestie. Mollie gave her baths and showed her the ropes. Eventually she came out of the room.

She fell out of a second story window into a lilac bush when she was two. She was dazed but unhurt. She came inside and went right back up to sit at the same window. We called her Hazel Wallenda for a long time.

She sings in the shower. (Must have learned that from me!) She hops in the shower stall; yodels for a minute or two; and jumps out.

When Morgan was adopted, she ate everything in sight, becoming huge. Then came the diet. We relocated free-standing food from the floor to the top of a dresser so she couldn’t reach it. She receives two meals a day and slowly lost considerable (for a cat) weight.

She takes terrible pictures. Her eyes reflect flash light making her look spooky. All that weight loss left her with floppy fur. In pictures she still looks “robust” although she is normal weight now.

Seriously, I can handle the keys to the food cabinet!

Seriously, I can handle the keys to the food cabinet! Trust me!

Her dream: Control of the keys to the food cabinet!

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Sleeping with her bestie (the beloved husband)

55 thoughts on “Sassy Cats – Spotlight on Hazel”

  1. You’ve been well-rewarded for adopting the “ugly “cat. Many years ago I chose the scrawny runt of the litter over the fluffy white fur ball and that cat was the most loyal friend I’ve ever had. I miss her to this day. But all of your cats are truly beautiful. It must be the love that’s showered on them.

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  3. Nice to get to know Hazel… Hazel Wallenda!… Ha! She had a sweet baby face and I couldn’t have resisted it. She still has a sweet face! Love the shot of Mollie and Hazel!

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    • She’s a great cat although not at all a lap cat. This shot of her sleeping with my husband is very rare. We replaced that loveseat and none of the cats like to sleep on the top anymore (that’s not a bad thing. They put a divot in it!) She and Mollie are still buddies but they don’t sleep together anymore. Maybe it gets hot or someone farts when they sleep.

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  4. I really enjoy the descriptions you share of your cats! Each has such personality. You make it very clear how much they add in entertainment to your life. Work, too, by the sound of it, but I think they’re pretty special! 🙂

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  6. She’s a beautiful cat now. I like multi-colored cats. To be truthful, any color will do.

    The picture of Hazel and your husband sleeping reminds me of a photo I have of my months-old daughter sleeping on her uncle, both of them sound asleep.

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    • Looking at the picture I can’t believe that neither one was uncomfortable. Hazel is hanging on for dear life and her butt is in my husband’s face. No one woke up!

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    • Yeah, I had to work at that. She’s barrel shaped with a stocky chest and neck. That always makes her look chubby. Oh maybe she’s still a very little bit chubby but not much. Her face has becomes much more beautiful than when she was younger.

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  9. Aw! I love that we have good pictures of Hazel.

    And it’s true — everyone wants the young, outgoing cat. Thank goodness for the Kates who take the difficult, the shivering, and the shy. 🙂

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    • So true. She hasn’t turned into a that outgoing lap cat but she’s great in her own right. Morgan on the other hand, turned into a very outgoing cat. Some cats don’t look their best in a cage.

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  10. Hazel is adorable even if she is shy and hungry. Me too….. shy and hungry that is. Thanks for the bio and the introduction to one of your favorites. I can see why.

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  12. What a sweetie she is! Thank goodness you came along and saved her. I’m so glad she has a bestie in Mollie, too. Love the photo of Hazel with your husband. Our oldest cat, Jessie, is more bonded to my hubby than to me. He was the first to approach her and feed her when she was a stray. Now she loves sitting on his chest, face-to-face with him in his recliner. It’s her happy place.

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  13. How many cats do you have? I have two, one of which is sitting on my lap right now. My other cat owns me, but this one is trying to take over. She liked men best too for a long while. They all have their own little quirks, like your Hazel.

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  15. Love the smile on her face in the last picture. Teddy is like Hazel. I have had him 4 years and few have seen him. Most just know him as the lump under the quilt on my bed.

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  17. First of all, LOVE. The kitties, the adorable pics, the adoption. Second, Kitty diet. My Helen is in desperate need. The other cats can eat on the counter but how do I then keep them out of her food? Guess we can’t do open feeding with dry food like we do now. I project a lot so I always imagine Helen is hungry. Cause I’m always hungry.

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    • If you feed the other up on the counter and Helen just twice a day so she eats it all, it should work. Big sad eyes = hungry in this house. Fortunately neither Mollie nor Morgan care about food much.

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    • She liked him best for a long time. He spends time rubbing her head which she loves. For some reason she wouldn’t let me near her for a long time. Now it’s touch and go. Sometimes she will come sit by me. Other times I’m not allowed to touch her but she does like him. I think her young life was hard. She was part of an outdoor litter. Then her foster mom put her in a cage with 10 other adult cats. Probably doesn’t like females very much. Very strange cat.

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