Gizmo the Magnificent

Gizmo says hi!

He's normally a fluffy kitty with a handsomely full mane and beautiful large green eyes.

The Big B did some research online one day that led him to believe Gizmo was a Norwegian Forest Cat. He has many of the physical characteristics and his pesonality also seems to fit the breed. What do I know? He could be. We got him from my friend (she's a vet tech) when her coworker brought him in after he and his brother were found underneath a lawnmower one day.

I do know Gizmo. When we were looking for a kitten to keep Alabama company I asked Sarwa to keep an eye out at work for a lovey, cuddly kitten. She told me about Gizmo and I brought him home "on a trial basis".

He stretched and gave up the belly to us and thus entered our hearts forever, even as his large almond-shaped eyes entreated us to srtoke his armpits and belly.

He likes to lay on his back with his feet all tucked in. He is a huge daddy's boy and shin-sleeper. He goes crazy when you say "mousey" and will very energetically fetch said mouseys if thrown, often at the peril of concussions from impacting the wall in pursuit.

He bothered our older cat, Alabama, mercilessly as a kitten. He still loves to pick fights and sling his heavier body weight around. He has a very girly and high pitched meow that is often soft & quiet but can be quite strident when he wants something.

He was a fearless kitten but grew to be a more cautious and wary adult. He knows a couple of words like mousey and outside. He mostly prefers to sleep somewhere near to us rather than on us, but loves to sleep on daddy's legs when he's stretched out on the couch.

His fur is thick, soft and long, white all over except for most of his tail and a small headpiece. It has a couple of unfortunate side effects...like the large dust bunny/hairball hybrids that tumble forlornly in the corners of the house and under furniture.

The second side effect has very unlucky consequences for Gizmo.

We have been bad humans. We did not brush him properly once his coat fully matured. At first, when he was younger, matting wasn't so much of a problem. But after a couple of years, especially in the dry, staticky air of winter, mats would form and start to pull on his tender pink skin beneath. We were too wussy to cut them out, unable to bear his piercing cries of torment.

So we did this to him instead.

'Tis a cruel, cruel fate for a dignified cat like Gizmo. He hates it. I sympathize, knowing he's probably wondering why in the hell we would shave all his insulating fur off in the middle of winter. But it was the only way to rid him of the painful mats without leaving him looking like a half destroyed chew toy.
Of course the tuft of fur poof-balling on the end of his tail is what makes the whole outfit.

It's sort of sad and funny at the same time, something you want to look away from but strangely can't. His foop-wah (that saggy pouch of fat spayed/neutered cats get that sways back and forth when they run) looks vaguely obscene, shorn of it's majestic belly fuzz.
This year, however, the Big B and I made a pact to Gizmo that we would brush him and keep this from happening again.

He's much happier with his full coat. Even Alabama likes him better this way.