Hazel is the red-headed stepchild of cats. She doesn’t have the personality you adore or the coloring people fawn over. She won’t climb in your lap and purr. She is just a great cat.
She was feral-born so she’s skittish even after living in this cat heaven for 11 years with an incredible wait staff.
Her biggest notoriety came when she fell out of a second floor window and landed in the lilac bush. She didn’t hurt herself and it didn’t keep her off of windowsills.
Like many people, she has a weight thing. When she’s upset or nervous she eats to medicate. When you have a multi-cat family it’s hard to track who is eating what. That forced me to feed the other cats on shelves that she can’t access. She doesn’t like that.
Until her major weight gain which happened when Morgan joined the household, she could jump as high as any other cat. Not so much now. She’s more of a hopper than a jumper but she can still get on windowsills and comfy chairs.
She lost almost five pounds over the course of a year. That was 27% of her weight. Weight Watchers would approve. She’ll never be thin but she’s healthy.
She is the easiest cat ever (unless you count how difficult it is to catch her for a vet trip). She loves all the cats even pesky Morgan.
She chases Morgan which is pretty funny as her legs splay out as she rounds corners at a high speed causing a belly flop landing.
No flash, not showy and occasionally silly, Hazel is an all around great cat. The kind that you would walk by at the shelter and not take a second look at.
She’s home though and pretty happy. That’s all that counts.
I’m such a sucker for the underdogs in life…I guess I could say something clever about an “under cat,” but it sounds goofy! 🙂 I am probably one of those who would have taken her, to be honest. I can’t stand the thought of any living thing being considered unlovable, but since you love her and have indeed provided her with cat heaven, I’ll definitely love her from a distance. 🙂 She’s a sweetie!
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She’s a very good cat. No trouble except for her overeating. She’s figured a way to get into the other cat’s food (I never said she wasn’t crafty) but that’s another post.
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Hazel sounds like Olde Tiger who was born of a feral mom that landed on a neighbor’s porch just in time. Tiger was sweet – on his terms and we lived at that time in a place with a large pasture behind us and was safe, so he claimed the back yard and garage for his. Fiercely protected it. I saw him dash outside in the middle of a hurricane to chase/escort a rather large snake off the deck and across the border. Then return as if nothing was wrong (We did go out to dry him off – he had a cat door and could come in anytime, but he had his preferences…and would actually try to eat through the wall if we locked him in during storms or bad freezes. Eventually we moved and I announced to him at his age his outdoor days were past. Which he graciously agreed. While he was never cuddlie, he did enjoy a good ear scratch when he wanted one.
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Awwww. What a sweetie! Chasing a snake! Wow!
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To be loved for who you really are is the ultimate gift. Happy Hazel!
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I just saw the little stinker jumping up to eat Mollie’s food. Hmmm…time for a new plan.
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What a lucky cat. 🙂
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So are we. My frisky cat Morgan loves her. Even with a big age difference, they play together.
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There are so many Hazels of the world. I’m glad that she at least ended up in a great home.
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She did. She had a sister who looked like her. I always regretted that I didn’t adopt her too but we were at 3 cats at that point. Someone did adopt her within a month though.
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It’s funny how some cats can regulate their own eating and others – like Hazel – can’t seem to turn off their hunger button. She is such a good looking cat even with a few extra pounds, but I bet she feels better as a lighter version of her former chubby self (not that she’d admit it).
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She was having mobility and grooming issues. It’s so much better. My vet said that since she was feral there may have been days that she went hungry. She eats everything just in case one of those days will return. (That never happens here!)
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Sweet kitty, Kate.
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Thanks…
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May we all be as resilient as Hazel. And as dedicated to losing extra pounds. She inspires.
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Well she’s not as dedicated to it as I am. If it were up to her, she’d be chubbier. She’s still not slim but much healthier than before when she was starting to have trouble walking.
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My Ex-stepmother’s cat fell out the second story window into the azaleas when I was a kid. Took us a while to figure out why the indoor cat was on the outside front step, meowing.
The windowsills in my current house are too narrow for cats. We got scratching posts that sit under several of them, though.
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They can only sit on the sills when the windows are open. Usually we have them open often but this year was too hot. We only have 2 windows in the house with a sill bit enough when closed. They sit there but not as often as you’d think. They like the sliding glass doors for looking out best after being in the screened porch.
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Bless her little heart. Mouse Girl was like that here at the Hotel Thompson. We miss her. XOXO – Bacon
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There is something to be said for the understated sweet cat that doesn’t attract attention. I make it a point to make sure she gets the same attention that our prize model Morgan does.
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The photo of Hazel by the door has always been one of my favorites, Kate. She looks like a sweetheart.
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I think it’s funny but she was so enormous back then. I think her feelings would be hurt if she knew I posted it. She had a triple chin.
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I went to the shelter in 2001 and picked out a cat that looks just like Hazel! Best cat ever! Z would have never shared our house with another cat though. I am so happy Hazel has a forever home with you!
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Any cat that comes in the front door never leaves. Hazel is the easiest cat especially when it comes to getting along with other cats. She is definitely not an alpha cat. She often lets me pet her too but she is the most sensitive to my tension (like the kind I get when they have to go to the vet). She can tell and cannot be found.
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It is amazing how pets warm their way into our hearts. Hazel sounds like a great cat to love and admire!
Donna
http://www.retirementreflections.com
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She is but most guests never see her. I’ve never regretted adopting her even though she’s not the lovey type.
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My spirit animal Hazel taking center stage in this essay … Life Is Good!
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That’s what she says.
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