Pretty Ugly



Sun Bathing



When two calico's showed up at the same time, I figured that they had to be related. Especially whenever you saw one the other was close by. The two of them were always together, when I would let one in the other one would follow. One was more hesitant and shy, but if her sister came in she would soon follow. I referred to them as the twins. As you can see the one has a richer more vibrant coloring of her coat. While the other cats coat looks duller almost sun faded. They played together, sunned together and walked over each other just like kittens would, inseparable.

Over time one of them would stay in longer, eventually hanging around more. I started to develop a fondness for her, being the duller looking of the two. When you look at her face she has a mark that reminded me of a mole. Some would call this a beauty mark, similar to the ones that women used to wear. Now a days moles are not considered very attractive, (usually found only on witches and such) so I named her Ugly. Being fond of her though I refer to her as “My Uglys”, we had developed a bond.



Ugly





I have been taking care of all the strays in my neighborhood, providing water and food for the last several years. I also have been getting them all spayed and neutered. Being short of funds when 3 of them showed up pregnant at the same time, I did not have much choice but to take them into the Humane Society and drop them off. My neighbor “M” helped me to pay the fees, and take them in. So I had to quickly come up with names for the other two. They shy one with the richer colored coat became “Pretty”. The third one being solid black got named “Blackie” after “Boston Blackie”. A series of 40's movies starring Chester Morris, as a jewel thief turned private eye, that I enjoy watching.



Blackie



 

We took them in on a Saturday, on the following Thursday all three showed up at my back door again, looking to get fed. That is when I found out that they belonged to a neighbor out back. Although I did not about all her cats nor exactly who she was until a couple months later when TJ got sick. Her 5 cats still come around regularly, with TJ and Ugly spending a lot of their time here.

 

For the last couple of months Ugly will sleep with me. If she has been out she will show up at night in time to go to bed. Usually she is already in (She spends 80% or more of her time in my house) she will soon join me in bed. I will look around the house before going to bed and not be able to find her. But before I can even pull the covers up she is right next to me in bed ready for sleep.

 

Pretty still comes around most every day but she just comes in to eat then right back out again. I feel somewhat sad that they seem to have broken their bond. I wonder if somehow I am to blame for it. I do try encourage her to hang around more, but it might be because so many other cats are in the house that she won't stick around longer. She still is shy around me as well as the other cats.

 

That is the story behind Pretty and Ugly.