Sunday, March 02, 2008

Cotton Has Tortitude

KC invited me to join the Tough A#s Tortie Association and I accepted. Her Auntie Deb was real nice and she signed me up and posted my application as soon as I submitted it. So now I am an official member. My TATA badge is already posted in the sidebar.

This was my application:

I was surprised to receive my first email. One addressed to Cotton and not to Jan or to the Funny Farm. KC invited me to join the tough a** tortie club. What an honor. What better way to prove I am a tough tortie and to show my tortie ‘tude than by sending this photo of me wearing my official Ao4 trooper helmet.

I also have a feminine side, as captured in this photo of me in my Gizzy bed on top of the fridge, where I reign with undisputed territorial rights.


I don’t remember much about the first 4 to 6 weeks of my life. I just suddenly found myself sitting in the road early one morning with traffic slowing and moving around me. Then I spied Jan as she walked out her front door to pick up the paper from the lawn. She looked to see what the traffic problem was, saw me and just folded onto a porch step. I staggered as fast as I could to her, asking for help. But she said no. I rubbed against her and on rubbery legs tried to climb on her lap, but she wouldn’t touch me. She just kept saying, “No, not another one. I can’t take you inside. You’ll make all my cats sick.”

I told her, no, I wouldn’t do that to her, but she wouldn’t believe me. I persisted. She finally melted and carried me inside where Jenny and Grayce her two older kitties and young Crystal welcomed me with open arms. Okay, to be honest, with a lot of sniffing, suspicion, and on Jenny’s part, hissing. I didn’t know it at the time but Jan didn’t think I would live through the day and she had no money to take me to the vet.

I found this in her file about the day she found me: “Boney, buggy, tapeworms, mucous pouring from eyes & nose, breathing through mouth, terrified of me, cats, toys and everything. (Abused?) Lethargic for 2 days.” I don’t remember what she did to help me but I not only lived through the day, I will be 9 years old in June.

My favorite pastime is purring and rubbing against Jan’s arm, especially when she’s busy on the computer. I helped train the new members of the Funny Farm as they arrived. When they’re annoying, I raise one paw and yell, “Stop!” and they stop being annoying – or else.

(s) Cotton, Jan’s Funny Farm

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On a different subject, we are amazed to see how quickly word has spread about Pepper. We posted about her last Thursday and the news has snowballed. A number of you have donated to her medical bills. Pepper's Jan (not our Jan) is a couple of hours away from her sick kitty and she works. Although she doesn't have a blog, Pepper does have a webpage. In case you missed it, our post on Pepper is here and you can find a link to Pepper's page there.

(s) Jan's Funny Farm

22 comments:

  1. A dedutable is lots of green papers. If a bean is in a accident and it is there fault the deductable is how much green papers they have to pay toward fixing the car. I founded out my mom and dads cars have 1000 so I am not sure I can save that much

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  2. I'm so glad you persuaded Jan to take you in and prayers for Pepper:) xxx

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  3. i'm very glad you found a wonderful forever home with Jan. you are very smart to have run over to her like that!
    I love your tough and feminine sides. A perfect Tough A Tortie!

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  4. Wow, Cotton, you put the "tough" in Tough-A**! What a great story.
    Your buddy, Jimmy Joe

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  5. Congratulations on your induction into the TATA! You will be a great member. It was very interesting to read how you came to find your Forever home!

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  6. WOW Cotton you have the power of purrrrsuesion for sure girl! You are blessed in your life. Thank you for telling me about Pepper. I will read her story and try to do a post about her this week too.
    We are happy to be home and sleeping in the sunshine where ALL creatures belong.
    Much love to you for your nice visits to my cozy cottage..Miss Peachy

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  7. Thanks for the update on Pepper!
    And I can't get over how much Cotton and Cyndi look like our cats. They could be relatives!

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  8. Good for you Cotton! Tortitude is a great thing.

    I am always amazed at how quickly word can spread through the blogosphere about everything!

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  9. Cotton, you do look TOUGH in that battle gear.

    I am so happy that Pepper is getting some help and word is getting around the CB for her. If you hear more about her from Jan, please post it on the CB announcement or at least on your blog so that we all know. SS is feeling bad about not being able to help anycat right now.

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  10. You are absolutely a tough a** tortie - and we're glad you found Jan (and made her take you inside)!

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  11. Cotton that was an awesome story about you and how you found your way to jans place. You sure picked yourself a super mommy.

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  12. So glad to hear Pepper is getting help.

    Cotton we are so happy you found a forever home with Jan.

    Scylla, Charybdis & Socks

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  13. Cotton, you are one tough tortie! To have gone through so much and you're 9-my furs are off to you!

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  14. Good to see that pb and j are raising funds for Pepper.

    Please come over and join me in celebrating SS's birthday. Despite being her birthday she has a busy day ahead. I think birthday should be declared a personal holiday to be spent with loved ones (i.e. furries)!

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  15. Oh, that is so cool. Your mummy Jan is a wonderful wonderful hooman. You was very very sick. I am so glad that you are doing okay. You are a good good kittie.
    Deetz

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  16. Hi Jan! Ickle kittens means they are small, tiny babies. I did not know this either and had to ask Isis what does it mean. Old cat as I am I guess I didn't know everything yet!
    Much love and furry hugs from your friend Miss Peachy

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  17. Welcome, Cotton, you're in good hands, now! Looking forward to more of your postings to find out how you get on with your new crowd. (golly, you're one lucky kitty!)

    licks & slobbers
    -Charlie

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  18. Oh Cotton, I had no idea that you had such a hard start with things. I am so happy that somehow you found Jan and Jan found you. Jan is such a terrific person to help out so many that are in need of help. I am glad you are happy now.

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  19. Cotton,

    Congrats on becoming a TATA!
    Thanks for sharing your story and we think it is wonderful that you found Jan on that day!

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  20. Hi Cotton
    Thank you for joining Stormy's mission to help find my brother, Beau. This means a great deal to us. We will give you a special job coz kitty kats are very resourceful. You look very cute in your A04 Trooper helmet too.
    We're real sad to hear the news about Pepper.
    Love from Hammer

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  21. Hi Cotton
    I thought you'd already joined Stormy's mission but mum didn't want to miss out thanking you just in case. She is going to make a movie when she has time of all the DWBs who have joined Stormy's mission, and there are lots.
    Mum was very tired yesterday and she got mixed up on quite a few posts, which happens a lot to our mum.
    Also, re the video about the US shelter, they were killing dogs who had got lost and their owners hadn't found them in 3 days. It was terrible .. lines and lines of dead bodies of dogs. This happens a lot over here in Australia too. It is just terrible.
    Love from Hammer

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