But first I have to start at the beginning of this remarkable story.
In 2006 we went to Acapulco, Mexico on vacation for our winter escape to the tropics. Our hotel was the Hyatt Regency where there was a huge botanical garden and I mean HUGE. In that garden there lived some cats, and I learned that management tolerated BUT 3 cats on that vast property. So once we'd fallen in love with a cat that befriended us; we planned to take her home. But two days prior to departure we found out she had 3 kittens. We left with sagging hearts, since we could not take her home that time...
Spicy was such a regal looking, svelte Feline... we LOVED her!
A year later in February 2007 we went back and she FOUND us, which is incredible at such a vast hotel compound with 1,200 rooms... We proceeded by having her vaccinated and brought her home this time. Yes, sweet Spicy flew on the plane with us some 2,500 km or 1,500 miles to her new PURRFECT FOREVER home. Rescued from the risk of being killed (not a very humane way as they described to me...). BUT, surprise... our svelte Spicy as we called her, was growing... That was not because of the good life and love she got from us, but she appeared to be pregnant!
Spicy with her favorite toy... it matched her markings somewhat. Great advertisement for Chick-fil-A!
Proud 'Mamita' Spicy with her 5 babies. Incredible that such a slender feline got 5 healthy babies!
Bandido was her favorite... but she loved them all to death; such a caring Mamita.
Hence the Spanish names for some of her babies...
We had to keep them; how could you give some away?!
Spicy looking spent from nursing these five kittens, she was so slender, so elegant.
Here she is dreaming on top of the retainer wall next to our driveway...
Spicy's watchful eye when her five kittens were playing outside...
Sadly, on Sunday, November 4 when we came home from Church, Spicy was gone. We suspect that she got kidnapped since it was such a rare beauty. We never gave up searching for her but so far in vain. Wish she would be found, somewhere... She got spayed, after she got through nursing the babies and would just start enjoying her own life. I've been very heart–broken by her loss and above all, for not knowing where she is.
This is Sacha, one of Spicy's girls. Napping in her oak bed with rose sheet.
Some of you asked if our cats do sleep in these pet beds. YES they do but not so much in summer as they love to be outside or in the gazebo, somewhere.
Once the UPS guy did deliver goods in winter time and he shook his head as they were ALL in their pet beds; just lined up...
Sacha was a Mackerel Tuxedo Tabby
Sacha is like her Mamita a Tuxedo cat but not black.
This is Tiggy–Tiger the most svelte and elegant of the three girls. She takes after her Mamita with the same six pound body...
She is a Mackerel Tabby Tiger.
Tiggy–Tiger is a mini—cat but very smart!
This is Spunky who is not as svelte and she loves to be a lazy tiger, just lounging around.
Whenever we walk the loop through our wood garden, all others follow us like doggies but Spunky cheats by taking a short cut!
Since January we have this Spicy look-alike and named her Speckie. We still receive info from Animal shelters and such, whenever there is a tuxedo cat found... This time it looked so promising that we took the long trip to the Appalachian mountains for picking her up. The one that would be our Spicy was twice her size though and it was quite obvious that we'd made the trip of six hours one—way in vain... Then I spotted this tiny kitten that was turned in just two days ago and she looked a lot like our missing Spicy. Not the long slender legs but we did take her home with us!
Speckie is
not in this picture but everybody LOVES her; as we do...
