Kate, you have a houseful! Love seeing their photos. We don't have real kids so our cats are our babies!

This is Penny, with her usual facial expression ("Yes, I am the queen!"). She's 8 years old. She was the queen from the first moment she walked in the door. She's not sure what to do with George (the new cat) because he didn't get the memo that she is in charge! LOL

And this is George. And yes, he's sleeping in the washing machine! What a goober. We just got him at the end of October after we lost our sweet old Max. It's been a long time since we had a young cat in the house (he's about a year and a half) and every day is an adventure! He's the friendliest, cuddliest cat we've ever had.

This is our Max. We just lost him last fall to colon cancer, which is apparently very rare in cats. He was 14 years old and we adopted him when he was about 6 months old. They sure leave a big hole in your heart when they are gone!

Max, Penny and George were all adopted from the Humane Society. We just love them to pieces!

Donna

We usually had a house full of fuzzies, and thankfully, most of them have stuck around to ripe old ages. Two years ago, I lost all six cats in one year, and our beloved schnauzer. It was numbing. All but one expected because of ages. We are at one doggie now, Tubby, and two cats. They're Abner a fluffy marmalade long-hair tabby and Pinky, a tortie long-hair.

I don't put pics on the internet but we certainly do have the "critters". We rescue Welsh corgis (currently have a 13 yr-old red-headed tri named Jay, and a red/white 8 1/2 yr-old named Brady) and our cats are currently 4? yr old KitKat who looks a lot like your Gracie and just appeared at the house several years ago. Notch is a true feral girl who came to our house with her "notched/cut off" ear since she's been neutered and returned to the wild. She came the same time as KitKat but someone threw KK out and Notch is a true feral. Willie Nelson (he's the Orange Blossom Special) comes by weekly or whenever he feels like it and chows down. Of course, our porch at night is filled with flying squirrels (except for the winter months), racoons, possum, and skunks. Hate to tell you how many bird feeders we have out (except when the bears come down in the fall and they have to be brought in at night). Want to know who you "want to come back as"???? One of OUR critters... LOL!

Here at my house, two maine coons rule the roost. Their names are Bump (my 4-year old) and Stella (my 3-year old). Bump is more easygoing than Stella, probably because he feels as if he has nothing to prove. Whenever I'm home, he usually stays within a 6-foot radius of me. Here he is asleep at the computer, one of his favorite resting places...

As you can see in this picture, he's always ready to give me his opinion regarding my quilting. Here he is letting me know his thoughts on my Amish quilt...

Stella is the queen of the house, and more than willing to sit down and explain it to you if that needs to be done. Here's a picture of her deciding what to tell me about how I'm going to spend my evening...

Being royalty does not exclude one from having chores, and here's a picture of Stella helping to make the bed. I figure that, since she sleeps in it too, she should help make it...

And finally, here is a picture of the two of them together, letting me know that my quilt turned out just right for them to use!

-Dan

Thank you all for your stories and your pictures! They all look so beautiful and charming. :~))

Hey, Dan - Stella has the same expression as Penny! Must be the standard cat queen look. LOL

Max used to help us make the bed, too...he would walk all over checking it out (usually standing on the part we were trying to smooth out). We called him Inspector 12 (from the old, old Hanes commercials).