Ozzy and Cedric

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These are my boys. Cedric is the striped one and Ozzy is the black one. My husband brought Ozzy home 2 days after we were married. He was the best housewarming present I could have asked for! This cat has so much personality! When he was a tiny kitten he would climb up into bed with me and sleep on my head. He has mild hip dysplasia, so he was never very good at jumping, but boy can he climb. When he was little I used to call him my little spider monkey. He can also open cupboards, and we had to put a baby guard on the front door knob because he figured out how to unlock and open the door! This cat is a genius! Both my boys are house cats, so I really didn't want him letting himself out (or anyone else in!). Ozzy is also very talkative. He doesn't just meow, he holds actual conversations with people. You talk to him, he talks back. He also likes to announce himself when he comes into a room. Ozzy just turned 13, but still acts like a kitten on a regular basis. I love the picture above. Ozzy and Cedric only recently started cuddling together like this. As they get older they get more laid back, and even more affectionate. Ozzy is my lap cat and supervisor of just about everything. He sits at my feet while I cook, wash dishes, fold clothes, whatever. He loves to sit on my lap or the arm of the chair when I'm sewing or knitting.
ozzy mugshot" class="pc_img" height="240" width="208">This is Ozzy being very patient with his mommy. This is one of MANY pictures taken one night when they were being very cute.
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And then there's Ozzy on catnip! I'm surprised this red tennis ball is still in one piece! No matter how vicious he gets with his toys, I can still play with him with my hand and he never uses his claws. He and Cedric only get the best catnip- grown fresh in my garden and dried in the garage. They don't even want storebought catnip anymore.
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Then there's my handsome Cedric. He was another "free kitten" addition. He's 10 years old and frisky as ever. When we first brought him home he was so shy he hid under a small table for 2 days straight. I even put food and water under there for him. I was afraid he'd be like that forever, so when he finally crawled out from under the table and into my lap (I sat on the floor talking softly to him for hours) I actually cried tears of joy. Now he's very friendly and affectionate with my husband and I, although he's still very shy around other people. Cedric has the funniest quirk- he likes to give head butts (just like a goat!). Sometimes he'd rather butt heads with me than get petted. And he is one of the purriest cats I've ever had. All you have to do is say his name and he'll start purring. He and Ozzy act just like brothers. If Ozzy does something, Cedric has to do it too. If Ozzy finds a weird spot to sleep (in the box buried behind the furnace or something to that effect), next thing you know Cedric's sleeping there. He's definitely the little brother. And there are times when he teases and annoys his big brother, then comes crying to me when Ozzy chases him. Who needs kids? I've got cats! Cedric's really come out of his shell as he's gotten older though. He actually jumps up on Gramma's bed with her occasionally, which would have been unimaginable just a few years ago.
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And this is Cedric on catnip. He gets really wild when he's had a snootfull! He goes into "kill mode" and absolutely destroys his little toy mice (he actually pulls the fur "skin" right off!). I can't use my hands to play with him. He just doesn't know the difference between my hand and one of his toys. Even Ozzy gets out of his way when Cedric gets revved up on catnip! And he chases his tail! It's so funny- first he checks to make sure nobody's looking, then he whips around wildly, and even bites his own tail sometimes! If anyone laughs he stops suddenly and acts like he was just taking a bath. He's the cleanest cat I've ever known- he has the whitest whites! He even manicures his claws. They're so clean and smooth I rarely have to clip them. Cedric actually taught Ozzy how to take a bath. Ozzy's mother was hit by a car before he was fully weaned, so he never learned some of the things cats need to know. One of those things was proper grooming. He was never dirty, just slightly unkempt. Even though Cedric was a kitten and Ozzy was full grown, Cedric sat there and bathed Ozzy until Ozzy got the hang of it himself.

These are my kitties and they bring me more joy than I could ever say. When I'm sad they act like clowns to make me laugh. When I finish a project they enjoy checking it out and giving their approval. When I'm happy they let me hug them and dance with them. They give me that special look that says "I love you Mommy". They trust me absolutely. I can't imagine my life without my Ozzy-man and Cedric-kitty. They're part of the CreativeCritters in my business name and are even in my avatar.
I hope they make you smile too!