Monday, June 27, 2016

The Revelation of a Mighty Huntress

Cammie’s personality continues to evolve, more so than do the others’. Perhaps it is more accurate to write that her personality continues to reveal itself. Josie, Renn and Tucker have long since opened up their characters - well, Tucker was always pretty much an open book - and, though they change, as we all do, Cammie had farther to go in that direction, and so her changes are more apparent.


In the old house, the princess would bring to the bedroom, usually at night, a small, furry toy mouse. She does that as well in the apartment but has refined the activity. She seems to have chosen the yellow and white mouse as her favourite prey and, once captured, she carries it to the bedroom. More than that, she often climbs with it to the top of the taller cat-tree, though I have found it on the floor just as frequently.


But, after I had discovered she was doing this, Cammie added a new feature: she calls out in victory at her conquest of the mouse. Normally a quiet animal - except when she is disturbed by her roommates or an intruder-cat outside a window - she will now give a wailing screech when she has made her latest kill. Perhaps she was inspired by Renn and Tucker. They both periodically sing their songs; the big boy’s is a haunting tenor sound, while the roly poly one's is a loopy vocal trot that sounds like it should accompany the running of a cartoon horse with legs of different lengths. But the boys give their cries while simply wandering about. They don’t seem to have a specific purpose to them.


Cammie’s cry is a hoarse combination of arthritic walrus and crazed recluse who lives in the crumbling house at the end of the lane. Despite the metaphor, it is her signal of triumph, an announcement that she has once again defeated her fuzzy foe and brought him back to her lair. I always know now when she has completed her hunt. She has, fortunately, refrained from adding the sound when she stalks the night.


Every day seems to bring a variation to the cats’ characters. Their personalities appear fixed but they do shift a little with time, just as ours do; whether the traits displayed are new or simply newly shown, they reveal more about the animal. After a long while, we can see that they have altered, become different, yet have remained the same in many ways. This is the paradox of the advanced and intelligent animal: Cammie has demonstrated that she is a mighty huntress - yet she remains my princess.

18 comments:

  1. I loved your insight into Cammie's personality. I've had many cats over the years, and each one is different, and in its own way, special. Cammie sounds a lot like my Danni. Danni thinks all of the cat toys are hers, and she'll hide them so no one else can play with them. She'll also bring one to me as a gift. I frequently find a toy in my bed in the morning.

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  2. what a fine hunter she is! Praise to the huntress!

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  3. Ah, we so hope you'll hear Cammie's victory song in the wee hours of the mornings. We think it could inspire you to rise early and give them all breakfast #1.

    Nicki (who uses this tactic) and Derry (who reaps the rewards of said tactic)

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  4. Good to see Cammie feeling good and playing. That is cute that she announces that she caught her pray- you should try to record that :)

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  5. What a clever girl, chasing down her mouse and letting you know that she has caught it.

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  6. You described Annie to a tee. If they were both in your home the arthritic walrus/crazed recluse would be in stereo.

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  7. She's gorgeous. Looks just like my Daphne except her points are flame instead of seal.

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  8. My Sami does the call when she carries a toy as well, but unlike Cammie, she's done so since she was a kitten and has no qualms about doing it at night as well. Her announcement is not always appreciated!

    I'd say it is more evidence of the confidence Cammie has gained and the certainty she feels living in your home. I've said it before, but I'm so happy she ended up with you. A princess indeed!

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  9. Cammie is a Mighty Huntress, catching her toys and bringing them to the bedroom with an announcement for you. Eric used to carry his Scruffy Rat around. It was the only toy he played with and he had it since he was a kitten. Of course we buried it with him. Flynn likes most toys but doesn't carry them. If he catches a mouse in the garden however, he will bring it indoors and yowl loudly to let us know.

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  10. A great beauty and an accomplished huntress. What a girl! I love that gravely Siamese voice. It never fails to make me smile. I think Cammie is finally letting down her guard now that she feels safe, secure and loved. There are wonderful discoveries ahead that will delight and charm you as your beautiful girl reveals herself.

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    1. You should see how she lets intruder-cats (outside the windows) know that this is her place. It's bad enough she has to share it with three siblings but she's not about to let any strangers in

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  11. good job Cammie!! Mo did this for a while and the first time was a little strange until he came into the bedroom and dropped the fuzzy mouse on the bed looking for praise. MOL Daiquiri on the other hand has this adorable little chirp she uses when she wants to play fetch.

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  12. Cammie; my stars; I think this is wonderful. You are a truly accomplished huntress, and it's nice you feel enough confidence now, to let your dad know the prey has not alluded you. I daresay any mouse in your house should beware and purrhaps also, the ever annoying cotton/fuzz balls { I must manage them on a daily basis; talk about inconsiderate and unruly } hugs from dai$y =^..*= ♥♥♥

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  13. We are glad you stopped by to visit us. We appreciate your condolences when we lost Cookie and then Moe this month. In time hopefully our broken hearts will heal and we'll remember the good times we had with them.

    Nina, Mindy, Mike

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  14. OH your cats would love to visit here as they have similar characteristics. Katie always brings her mousie and her donkey without fail to the bedroom and an announcement is always forthcoming. Makes me smile even when she wakes me up with it

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    1. I loved your depiction of Katie bringing her toys in to the bedroom during the thunderstorm.

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