Cats Herd You

What’s in a Name?

For Fun Facts about Names Day, we’re sharing how we got our names.

Pierre: I was part of a litter of kittens who lived under a tarp in a boat that was stored on a trailer. The owner of the boat had no idea we were even in there. One day, he hooked the trailer up to his car and drove off with the boat, and we were on board! Our mother wasn’t on board with us, though, and no one could find us. Lucky for us, we were taken in by a small rescue and had a wonderful foster who raised us until we were big enough to be adopted. She gave us all nautical names because we were found in a boat, and I was named Pier. When I was adopted, the name Pier sounded confusing, so I was renamed something that still honored my foster Mom’s original name for me: Pierre.

Ashton: It’s probably hard for humans to remember back that far, but in the summer of 2011, you were all having to listen to news about the Casey Anthony trial. I was born that summer to feral parents, probably within a mile of the courthouse. Of course, I wasn’t watching the news or anything, but after the head peep rescued me from the highway median, Aunt Orvis suggested naming me Ashton after one of the attorneys in the trial that had gone on all summer so close to where I was found. Please don’t remind Newton I was named after a boy. He has teased me about it most of my life.

Newton: You two have such long stories about your names! Mine is short: I’m named Newton because I’m a force of nature. Usually a naughty force of nature!

How did you get your name?

Hiding Place, Interrupted

Has anyone seen Pierre?

Pierre: Don’t tell I’m hiding under here.

I see that you aren’t going away. What does a mancat have to do to get a little peace and quiet to get away from it all?

Let’s play a game. You cover your yes and count to a really high number and I’m going to find a new hiding place.

Nope, I’m not telling you where I went to hide. Keep those eyes covered. Ashton and Newton are enjoying watching you look silly with your hands over your eyes.

National Tell a Fairy Tale Day

When we turned the page of the calendar and saw National Tell a Fairy Tale Day, Newton insisted that there was only one story that would do: Puss in Boots.

He does bear a little bit of resemblance to some of the recent cartoon adaptations of that character, doesn’t he?

There are many versions of the story, but the most enduring version of Puss in Boots, was published in a collection of fairy tales by Charles Perrault, which called it, “The Master Cat or Puss in Boots.” In the story, when a miller passes away, the youngest son of a miller watches his older brothers inherit the mill and his father’s donkey, while all he inherits is his father’s cat. He sees that his brothers are going to be able to combine their inheritances to earn a living, but his inheritance of the cat isn’t going to bring him any benefit.

The cat insists that if the young man gets him a pair of boots and a bag, he will be able to help after all, and the young man does as he asks. Soon, the cat begins to catch game and bring it to the King, telling him that it is from the Marquis of Crabas. The cat continues to bring gifts for two or three months, always telling the Kingthey are from the Marquis.

One day, when the King and the Princess are out in the carriage, the cat tells his master to bathe in the river. While his master is bathing, the cat hides his clothes, and then he runs to the road to ask the king for help for the Marquis of Carabas. The King recognizes the cat from his many visits bearing gifts, and when the cat says that the Marquis was set upon thieves while bathing and is now drowning, the King sends his guards to rescue the Marquis from the river. The king gives the Marquis a change of clothes. The princess is quite taken with the young Marquis.

The cat runs ahead and uses threats to convince the people working the land that they should tell the King that their land belongs the Marquis of Carabas. The young man uses this to help convince the King that he already holds vast estates. The cat even kills an ogre so that his master can pretend that the ogre’s castle belongs to the Marquis of Crabas. The king believes the young man is wealthy, the princess falls in love with him, and the Princess and young man wed.

In the end, the puss in boots who made the miller’s son into the Marquis of Carabas and then a prince never has to chase a mouse again unless he wants to.

If would like to read the original version of this story, which the University of Adelaide has it available to read online for free as part of their public domain eBooks project at Puss in Boots.

Save the Chickens

Newton: What’s wrong, Ashton?

Ashton: My telethon failed. The chickens won’t be saved. My chicken emporium will never happen when the chickens go extinct.

Newton: Couldn’t you just dream about something else? Like cheese? I haven’t heard anything about cheese extinction.

Ashton: No, Newton. You can’t just change your dreams like that. Cheese isn’t the same. You don’t understand what it’s like to have your dreams crushed.

Newton: I don’t want to see your dreams crushed. You aren’t even any fun to chase around the house like this. If you can’t have a telethon, I’ll help get the word out.

Ashton: How?

Ashton: Wow, Newton! People everywhere are going to see that!