Today’s Caturday visitor is Jacques, from reader Tara O., who shared this photo of Jacques as a kitten:
He is about six months old here. Very judgey. It’s about a month after he came to me, and he was very distant. He would just watch me, no cuddles.
Jacques grew from a judgey kitten into a hangry cat, and here he is demanding a gourmet dinner:
I sautéed asparagus in olive oil with a LOT of garlic put it over pasta with some Parmesan. My silly foodie kittie couldn’t get enough.
Well that’s a new one on me, I’ve had cats all my life and I’ve seen them eat strange stuff but I’ve never seen one eat asparagus before. Jacques was definitely a special cat and he will live in your heart forever 🐈⬛
My first cat was my least-picky and most-demanding gourmet. Bagheera was not to be allowed on the kitchen table….but the table offered a view out the window. So we compromised–he was allowed on the newspaper stack right at the window. And he’d sit there and watch me eat from that spot. One day, he was so curious about my meal, and it was so bland–steamed broccoli, carrots, and rice–that I thought letting him sniff a bit of it up close would end his interest. Hah!
He ate a bite o broccoli, carrot, and a bit of rice. After that, he wanted to check out whatever I ate, and he became quite demanding. He was an absolute FIEND for asparagus, and if I wasn’t careful, he would start eating the other side of the corn on the cob even as I was eating the other side.
Mostly, though, we worked out that I would leave a spoonful or a bite of whatever it was I was eating, the top of one asparagus, a dozen kernels of corn, or a spoonful of tomato soup.
My second cat, without being invited to nibble my food, came to me eager to eat asparagus and corn and some other things as well. She was not as fond of broccoli or most vegetables as Bagheera, but fresh tomatoes could not be left on the counter or she would knock them to the floor and take a bite or two. She too was an asparagus FIEND.
My current boys were raised by me from 8 week old feral kittens, and while they do try to steal cheese, and somehow Humboldt decided it was worthwhile to lick a knife used to spread peanut butter on toast, I guard my asparagus and corn from them, and they mostly interrupt my meals for lap time, pets, and to invite play. After 27 years protecting my asparagus from aggressive kitties, I finally learned. If I must step away from the table when eating anything with dairy, meat, or tempting veggies, I cover it or put it out of reach on a shelf until I return. CATS!
My Echo was also a tomato fiend! If we didn’t immediately secure a bag of tomatoes brought home from the grocery store, she would puncture every single one with her fangs!
I had a cat named Bagheera too! He was a great big floofy funny guy, not a foodie at all. Very well behaved – so well behaved that my mother, who was a 100% dog-person, caved into keeping him.
I only discovered the asparagus about a month ago. He was a really good cat until his hearing started to go. He always pushed the limits of what is “on the table” and not. Example, most of the front of him could be on the table, but he wasn’t officially on the table as long as a back paw was still in my lap. When he could no longer hear the mommy ah!ah!ah! all bets were off, and I gave up. The tomatoes are a new one for me! To my knowledge, he never tried a fresh one.
None of my cats have ever tried veggies, to my certain knowledge. But they’ve been known to take a bite out of apples and especially bread. No baked good was safe in my grad school years.
Next time I roast asparagus, I’ll have to offer some.
Warning! Warning! You may create an asparagus FIEND. Beware! DANGER!
Oh my sweet baby. I’m still getting used to the new normal. There was so much work to do in the mornings to take care of him and now I feel like I haven’t done enough before I leave the house.
I’ve been going through pictures which has been helpful. I’d forgotten how much Jacques and I “talked” to each other. That sort of went away when he couldn’t hear me anymore about 2 years ago.
I think I’ve mentioned before that Jacques was named for two “Jacques” chefs, Jacques Pepin and Jacques Torres, because he was always a foodie. His favorite thing in the morning was to steal some brie cheese from my bread. The riper the better.
Thank you all again for you kind thoughts about him. He was my first – all mine – pet. I had no idea it would be this hard.
💗 Thanks for sharing him with us.
It’s so hard to adjust. And then you do, and then you feel guilty about it. At least I always do. Thank you for sharing him with us.
{{{{{hugs}}}}}
The new normal really stinks. I’m so sorry.
I’m sorry, Tara, yes, agreed it is certainly a different very hard grief when it comes to cats and dogs.
Can’t imagine our cats eating asparagus…Stars would have been all over the Parmesan, though. My dad just had to take it out of the fridge and she’d come running from wherever in the house she was.
So I found out the other day that I am iron-deficient. I went to the dermatologist a couple weeks ago and mentioned that I seem to be losing more hair than normal, so she ordered some blood tests, including iron and ferritin levels (ferritin is basically backup storage, so it can be low without the actual blood levels of iron being low). I didn’t get a chance to go get the blood drawn until almost a week later, then with the holiday it took another week to get the results. My ferritin is 12. The range according to the lab should be 15-150 (which seems like an awfully big range…), but when I googled most articles I found said that under 30 is low. So they told me to get a supplement called Slow FE (a slow-release form that’s supposed to minimize side effects) and we’ll check it again in three months. They say taking iron with vitamin C helps increase absorption, so I picked up some chewables (which reminds me of taking my vitamins when I was little), and tea and dairy can interfere with absorption, and also you should take it on an empty stomach, so I should wait an hour or two before eating or having my tea (or take it two hours after eating…). I’ll have to figure out the best timing. Hopefully it helps; besides the hair it apparently could explain at least a few other things.
The dogs were so good they go to
elevenfifteen!!I’d smooch that puppy all day long.
All such good dogs this week! I love the Scottish terrior supervisors. Major props to the guy for just going along with things when the sr. supervisor was literally on his back and watching over his shoulder. 😂😂🤣 I’m still not convinced that Oreo the bernidoodle is not some very advanced animatronic stuffie. He’s too cute to be real!!
The most special thing about our Creature Companions is how intensely THEMSELVES they are… no self-consciousness, no denial – just their own weird and dear selves.
It has been 8 years since Dmitri Pusshkavich went over the Bridge but he’s still somehow embedded in the rhythms of day, and it makes me smile to see Nikolai and Ekaterina playing with Dmitri’s things. Sincerest condolences on Jacques – I hope he will be enjoying the choicest gourmet meals in the Great Beyond.
Cats enjoy the oddest things. Daisy loved cornflakes and peas, but not in the same dish! I can’t believe that she’s been gone for nearly ten years.
I was wondering when the Bayeux Tapestry would arrive in England. Well, it left France under cover of darkness (like William the Conqueror) last Thursday night and was safely delivered to the British Museum shortly before 4am on Friday morning. The whole thing was something of an undercover operation, or at least it would have been had the Tapestry not arrived in a bright yellow truck with a police escort! I’m really looking forward to seeing it on 7th October.
Stars & Stripes liked to play with peas, but I’m not sure they ever actually ate them. We’d put one on the edge of the table and they would knock it to the floor (though Stars always seemed to be trying to do so without actually touching anything…or maybe she needed glasses). Then they would play “pea soccer” until they lost the pea. My parents have a wicker box in the kitchen and one day my mom moved it to sweep the floor and found several mummified peas under there. 😄
History repeats itself, or at least rhymes!
Ah Jacques, such a loverly boy. And such a gourmand! Thank you Tara for sharing him with us.
Busy weekend and week ahead. My brother and sister in law are in town!!! So while bro is at his work convention, me and my twinsie (we share the same birthday but 5 yrs apart, I’m the baby) get to hang out. And it’s the good kind of hangout, the one that you’re not being interrupted by children or grandkids wanting something from her, or one of us has to cook or be somewhere at a certain time. All 4 of us were going to go to Catalina Island on Monday but we left getting reservations for the ferry too late and it was either fully booked or we couldn’t make the times work. Whomp, whomp. Well there’s always next year. So I’ve been doing the flight of the bumble bee getting the house clean and tidied. It’s not bad but …. At least it was great incentive for cleaning some areas I usually put off doing. Enjoy the weekend everyone!!
Lurking
Hugs 🤗
Jacques was a wonderful and umm special kitty. I constantly have that same conversation with George about dinner.
George is still hanging on; we’re entering the 5th week since I thought I’d have to say goodbye. He still eats 5 or 6 times a day, and he’s still losing weight, though last week’s loss was much smaller than previous weeks. And he still wants affection, thank goodness.
Hugs to you all.
I’m glad George is still hanging on. Hug him from me.
I got a little distracted yesterday and forgot to add that Bibi and I send our best to George and you. Of course we hope he will rally.
Oh, sweet Jacques! Such lovely videos, thank you very much for sharing them. ❤️
My late Mazzilli looked a little like Jacques, although he didn’t sound like him. No Siamese-ish sounds.
Mazzilli liked any kind of bread that wasn’t sandwich bread, and if it was oily (like focaccia), so much the better. Anything with oil on it was also a plus so far as he was concerned. He wasn’t allowed on the table or counters, but I’m afraid that never stopped him. Once he took some food off my fork while I was conveying to my mouth, and I think that may have been when I resorted to a spray bottle of water on the table during my meals. IIRC, he also liked broccoli. It’s a long time ago now since he and then his brother Mookie departed this earthly plane, so a few details are fuzzy.
Thanks R&B’s mom. How are you hanging in with your troubles from the week?
I also meant to tell I saw a nice article in the Inquirer about the art project in Philly you mentioned you worked on. I browsed through the brochure pdf – pre coffee – looking for Ricky & Bibi’s Mom for a credit. 😆
You may be sorry you asked, but … the person in question (PIQ) went home last night after nearly two weeks in the hospital (or in hospital, for Alice Shortcake!), and maintains their perfect record as an uncooperative, ungrateful, and abusive patient. Having run myself ragged since PIQ’s accident, I am now confining myself to duties that one might describe as “admin,” and only those I can do remotely. Nevertheless such duties have taken up an astonishing amount of my time and personal bandwidth today, and I am thoroughly fed up.
You wouldn’t have found my personal credit in the Inquirer article, but the show I worked on did get a very nice mention. It was exhausting work but worth every second, and I came home with some nice swag: a lovely bead bracelet made by one of our youngest cast members, and a fabulous bright orange baseball cap boasting the ArtPhilly What Now: 2026 logo. I love it as much as I love my Tell Your Dog I Said Hi cap!
You’re a good soul. PIQ sounds like a PITA.
You have a gift for understatement. But let’s focus on the positive: Orange cap!
Aw geez, sounds like a nightmare. Good for you for taking care of you! I hope the drama will end soon.
And I’m glad to hear the project was fulfilling. The swag sounds great. I hope you enjoyed your time in Philly.
I didn’t have a lot of time to enjoy Philly, or even see much of it; the work was hard and intense. But there were moments of great joy and celebration. No regrets! I do want to visit Philadelphia as a tourist, though. There’s a lot there that I’m sure I’d like.
My great-great grandparents emigrated to Philadelphia with a couple of their grown-up children to work in the textile industry. They’re buried in Laurel Hill cemetary.
Oh, gosh, Alice. If “textile industry” means they worked in a mill, I’m afraid they wouldn’t have had any easier a time than millworkers in Lancashire. I hope they found some happiness here, and at least some of the better life they may have sought.
I’m still researching their lives, but it seems that they did very well for themselves – well enough to leave parcels of land in the Schuylkill Falls area to their children. My great-great grandfather was a specialist dyer at a cotton mill in Bradford and may have been offered the job through contacts in the industry. During WW1 they sent gifts of clothing to my grandma and her siblings!
I worked on a production of Hindle Wakes a few years back. Set in Lancashire, not Yorkshire, but I had to research the cotton textile industry there (as of the extended Edwardian era), and I imagine that overall conditions were similar, although there may have been some local differences too. I learned still more when I worked on Garside’s Career, set in Edwardian Manchester (then still part of Lancashire).
A specialist dyer would have been a cut above a regular mill hand, I’m sure.
I meant WOOL, not cotton! I can’t remember the name of the mill offhand, but it’s been converted into apartments and is visible from my ancestors’ graves.
Thank you everyone for sharing your wonderful stories of your beloved pets. It helps me remember that I am so grateful to have had him in my life for so long. Love to you all of you and your fur babies. ❤️