Monkey and Cuteness

I haven't posted a new post in a week now, so I figured since I don't have any new finished pieces done, I'll share photographs and stories about my two best friends, Monkey and Cuteness. First about the names. I have a habit of giving names that describe a cat in some way, it actually isn't even done on purpose as names often end up changing as the new personality traits emerge.

Monkey, when we first found him, was often referred to as little one or little lion, because he was so tiny, not to mention starved and he kind of looked like a tiny lion. Once he got healthier, we got to see his wild side. He is a very funny guy who does crazy things, like hiding his head ostrich style. He makes funny faces, especially when he is in his crazy mode. I slowly started saying that he monkeys around, called him monkey boy, little monkey and slowly he became the Monkey cat. By the way on the photo above he is yet again trying to stick his head into the floor. His behind is sticking up, but that's ok, because if he can't see you, there is no way you can see him... He tried this trick on Cuteness, it didn't work.

Oh yes, and Monkey loves sitting in boxes. For some time he kept on getting into this box I used to dry my paper mache in, so I took a picture of it and he looks like a hobo who had way too much to drink. Box being all dirty from the wet paper made it that much more believable.

Cuteness used to go by a different name as well. His original name was Rocky, because he used to box when he was little. He would get up on his hind legs and swipe 3 times with his left paw and one strong swipe with his right. This name never stuck though, probably because Cuteness didn't like it that much. He is a very sweet cat, who, if he was human, would probably be a poet. He kisses me all the time, and I don't mean licking, he actually kisses. What he does is he parts his lips a little bit and touches my chick or forehead with his lips. That often is very scary as well as sweet because his teeth go past his lower jaw and I can feel them every time he kisses me. We first started calling his Cuteness about two years ago. He would always answer anything along the lines of cute, cute face, cuteness, cutosaur and everything else cute. He usually responds to Sweetness as well. I remember one time he was all bundled up and half asleep, I said "cute face" and he immediately popped his head up and said mew that sounded like a happy and adorable "yes, that's me"

Cuteness is a survivor though, he is a fighter when he needs to be. He was attacked by a coyote once and that fiend didn't realize how dangerous a cat can be. Granted Cuteness is not your average cat, he is 40lb by now and he climes trees so fast he might as well be running on a flat surface. After this coyote attack cuteness came home with some bruising that seemed to be from the teeth. Patches of coyote fur were stuck between Cutie's claws.

There was another battle as well, with an owl. The owl was gigantic, 6 foot wing span and all. Cuteness decided to climb up yet another tree and when he got to the top he realized he wasn't the only one up there. The owl liked the idea of sitting on a tree as well. Owl figured it might as well have a snack, but it couldn't get Cutie on a tree, not owl's hunting style. Owls usually grab it's pray when they swoop down, tree branches wouldn't allow it. Cuteness on the other hand needed the own to be on the ground so that he could pounce it, the owl wasn't stupid enough to get down. Cuteness ended up circling very close to the tree trunks so that the own wouldn't be able to swoop down at him and after a some time the owl figured Cute is too smart for him and flew away.

Now the craziest battle Cute almost gotten into while trying to protect me was with a bear. I live very close to the woods and small bears often wonder around after dark. One of them came to sniff around the windows. All I heard was a soul ranching growl of my sweet cat friend and Cutie's claws trying to get through the window screen. I honestly never heard a cat growl like that, I got goose bumps from hearing it. Who needs a guard dog when you have a cat like that?

My husband wasn't around to hear the super growl, but he got to hear it more then half a year later, when we got Monkey. Monkey was terrified of Cute in the beginning and kept of hissing and growling at him. All cuteness wanted is to be friends, but his size was too intimidating for a tiny kitten. Monkey would try to swipe at Cute to keep him away and it would only result in Cute hitting back, which wasn't helping. One of these days when Monkey yet again growled at Cuteness, Cute decided to teach him a lesson and gave the killer growl. Monkey shrank back, trembling. My husband was shocked at how intimidating such a sweet cat can sound. If you would hear the growl and not see who it is growling, you's think it's a mountain lion or some other kind of large wind cat.

Cuteness and Monkey are friends now, playing together all the time and keeping each other safe. Well, Cuteness is keeping Monkey safe I should say, Monkey is too crazy and reckless to let him protect anyone.

I feel very lucky I have such good friends, and that's exactly what they are, friends. Not pets, because they have more freedom in this house then I do, not kids, because they discipline me (with claws in the hand if I don't hug them long enough), but friends. Well, monkey used to be a kid when we just got him, but that's because he needed a protective maternal figure, and figured I'm the best he can get. Well, as Cute is sleeping by my feet and Monkey in the box with photographs, I guess I should follow their example. It is 2:30 am after all.