Ratboy is half Bengal and half neighborhood tabby (purebred mom went AWOL for a night on the town.) He has waaaay too much personality and his nickname is "Monkey". He hates dogs.

No, he does not get to go to the studio. He is an incredible pest and would screw everything up down there. One of his favorite annoying things is to get up on high surfaces and start pushing things off. He likes to watch them fall and hit the ground.

Bad Ratboy...

A couple of months ago, on a cold evening, I responded to a howling outside the studio buildings main doors. When I opened the door, a skinny blue tabby kitten scooted thru and into the hallway.

I picked her up to take a look at her, and figure she weighed about two pounds. She was very affectionate and quite sedate once inside. I asked around if anyone belonged to this waif, only to conclude she was a stray. I kept her in the studio for a few nights while assessing her and looking for her people.

For three days she did nothing but eat and sleep, gaining maybe a pound in that time. I also combed off some eighty fleas, and nursed her thru some serious diarrhea. It was clear she had been on her own for a good part of her little life. A vet visit gave her a clean bill of health, and the promise that her bowels would straighten out once she got used to real food (which they have done now...) She is at the house now, and is fully recovered, turning into a little fireball. Below is a picture, and I will make her a page in a while.

So, it looks like Nikki (the Noodle) is living with us.

Update... Nikki is fine, and turns out, the best cat ever. Soft, gentle, affectionate, smells good. She occasionally loses her collar, but finds it and brings it in to be replaced. She sits quietly purring while you put it back on her. Then she goes back out.

She is quite the hunter, and unlike the Rat, she eats the fun toys she catches. However, Nikki thinks they are more fun to play with INSIDE once you catch them...