I was almost to the yard when a large dog suddenly appeared. She began barking as she ran toward me. I can run as fast as a cheetah when it's necessary - and it was. I climbed to the top of a large live oak tree and hid myself in the leaves. The dog continued to bark, until a woman came out of the house and told her to stop. Then she put a leash on the dog and took her away.

Soon, the woman brought a bowl of food and put it under the tree. She began urging me to come down and eat. I was so hungry that I couldn't resist. This was the beginning of my life with Pat, George, the Crowley Cats and our dog, Sandy. I do my share of work on the ranch, although I am only obligated to supervise. My schedule is flexible and I prefer to vary it according to the seasons. In the summer I supervise the gathering of fruits and vegetables from the orchard and garden.

Currently, I share my home with four cats and two humans. Only Frenchie and Clancy give me the proper respect that should be accorded to a cat descended from royalty. On one of my birthdays, for example, Dobbin and Midnight presented me with a crown; however, Dobbin still refuses to bow to me. She and I both celebrated our 17th birthdays in 2003.

In 1998, Cleo organized a spectacular party. It also began with a parade. I was thrilled when Cleo asked me to lead it. The Goodyear blimp transported our guests to the field where our drill team performed. Even I cannot describe how exciting it was!

• Bentley Marlowe Noel has the reputation of being "bad to the bone."

• Chata Gai and her son Genghis Khan - two wise and wonderful Meezers who are now at Rainbow Bridge.

• Genghis Khan - a Master of Ninja techniques.

• Frosty - a really cool cat, described by his humans as "quite a mariner."

• Nikki and Nichie - a pair of brilliant, young Lynx Points.

• Pergamond - a literary cat whose wit and wisdom will be remembered. Pergamond ruled Cat Street until she went to the Rainbow Bridge in the summer of 1999.

• Ping and Pong - These Siamese boys are as sweet as their sister, Sugar!

• Mr. Sass A. Frass [5/13/91 - 6/29/98] - my teacher and friend.

• Sassy - a self-described "Spoiled Kitty."

• The Siamese Cat Club Chorale - Organized by the legendary Ceilidh Flurrydance of Bitterroot Manor. Ceilidh departed for the Rainbow Bridge on 1/9/99. May her memory and her songs live forever in the hearts of her family and friends.

• Whiskers - A Siamese cat with an interesting tale.

• Zeke [4/84 - 11/97] - the first Imperial Siamese Leader of the Siamese Internet Cat Club

Note: Some of Shibui's favorite Siamese web sites are apparently no longer online. We remove invalid links, but have left the kitty's names in hopes that someday their pages will be available again.

I was once very lucky to have a winning number in a CLAW raffle. My prize was a personalized comic strip by Jinx the Cat, a very talented cartoonist. "Glare Scare" is based on my personal experiences Bogey. I think Jinx did a remarkable job of capturing the essence of the situation!

Tucker B. Smith and I met in the Older Cats Society at CLAW. We discovered that we had many interests in common and our friendship gradually blossomed into love. Even so, Tucker swept me off my paws when he sent me this romantic proposal! How could I have said anything but, "Yes!"? To celebrate Tucker's birthday on January 1, 2000, I prepared a surprise for him. Little did I know that Bogey had a camera hidden in the room! Our wedwink took place on February 14, 2001. You may share our special day and attend the reception by going to our Wedwink Entrance. Each year, we celebrated our anniversary at our retreat in Catuary. Our 2nd Anniversary was a very special and happy occassion. We renewed our vows and reminisced about all the happiness we've shared. We did not suspect that this would be the last Valentine's Day that we would be together. Sadly, Tucker left for Rainbow Bridge on April 4, 2003. He was my one true love and he shall live in my heart forever.

Tucker was a very talented cat and his family all have artistic abilities. This is a poster that The Tucker Bunch made for The CLAW Thespians' production of Cinderella:

The Tucker Bunch all have parts in Cinderella. This was my first performance, but they have appeared in many other productions at CLAW Theater. I think this autographed poster may be a collector's item, don't you?

  

On June 29, 1998, Mr. Frass's students were informed that our dear Sensei crossed the Rainbow Bridge. His human, Mark A. Dye, gave us permission to publish his poem, Your Essence, written in memory of Sass. Until recently, Mr. Frass's school continued to carry on the traditions established by our mentor. Sadly, it is now closed.