For many of us cat people, we can’t stop at just one cat. Cats are like the purrfect little Pringles, and one simply isn’t enough! For many cats who are littermates, their time spent together is brief as they are separated and adopted into their forever families. But, sometimes, you hear happy endings where a pair of littermates gets a chance to grow old together and leave special pawprints on the hearts of the family who has chosen to adopt them. Hint, hint… this is one of those stories!
How did Frisky and Whiskey come into your life?
My daughter and I are major cat people. Their dad wouldn’t let us have another cat after the cat I had when I met him passed away. So it was a long ten-year cat drought! When my daughter was 14, we separated. My daughter and I began making plans for two cats as soon as he moved out. It was something happy to focus on during a really rough time. One day, we were heading to the grocery store and my daughter was in a mood. They asked if they could go next door and look at the rescue cats while I shopped. Haha, I said YES PLEASE! I wasn’t in the store for 10 min when my daughter calls me and tells me I NEED to come see these cats. I reminded them that we had to wait until their dad moved out. But I went to see them anyway. They were 7 months old at the time. We spent an hour playing with them before I said we had to go. Over the next 3 days, I couldn’t stop thinking about them. These two brothers were meant to be ours. So I filled out the extensive application and we were accepted. Thankfully the foster held them for one more month to give my ex some time to move out (he was seriously dragging his feet). The day we brought them home filled my daughter and me with so much joy! I had wanted a ginger tabby, and my daughter wanted a creamy-colored cat she could name Snickerdoodle. But they chose us. And we each have an amazing connection with the cat that chose us. Frisky is the big ginger boy and is my daughter’s special cat. Whiskey, his brother with interesting coloring close up…..he’s my baby. I’ve never had a bond with a cat quite like this one. We both love both of the cats with all our hearts, but we each have a special bond with our boy. I always say, we may have rescued them from a shelter, but really, they rescued us. They made a very difficult time much happier.
How did you decide on their names?
Frisky and Whiskey were the names the shelter gave them. They were 8 months old by the time we brought them home. We liked the names and figured at that age they were used to them. Haha, but I do love sipping on whiskey so I found it very amusing that was my cat’s new name.
How do they get along with one another?
I have never had siblings before. Oh my goodness it’s so fun to watch!! They love to play chase and wrestle like two little human boys. They get protective of one another too. When they were younger, we would have to make their vet appts together because if we took one out of the house without the other, the cat left behind would get very upset. Frisky is definitely the “big brother”. Whiskey follows him.
How would you describe each of their personalities?
Both boys are friendly and outgoing, but Whiskey is more so. My best friend is also my neighbor and she comes over once a week for dinner. Whiskey likes to sit near her at a respectable distance (she has allergies) and he walks her to the door like a little gentleman when she leaves. Whiskey is very athletic. Some of the jumps he makes blow my mind haha. The catio isn’t finished yet so we watch him very carefully when we let them have a little supervised outside time. He could hop our 6ft fence. Frisky is kinda lazy. He reminds me soooo much of a tiger (my favorite animal!) when he walks around the house. He does that tiger walk around the house. Frisky loves hanging out on my daughter’s bed watching them play video games. Whiskey’s favorite chill time activity is watching Days of Our Lives and Hallmark with me. He has a special TV-watching spot he goes to and actually watches the TV. When the TV goes off, he moves over to snuggle. Silly boy! They may be littermates but these boys have very different personalities!
What are their favorite hobbies?
Whiskey loves to climb and jump. His favorite color is green. You can line up an identical object (like a ball) in different colors and he goes for green every single time. He loves soft plushy sparkle balls and frequently likes to decorate their water fountain with them. He also loves to play a game I call Whiskey pinball in the middle of the night. I have hard floors in my bedroom. One of my book shelves has legs under it so there is space between the shelf and the floor. He loves to carry his favorite green ball in my room and proceed to bat it around and under and through the small bookcase. I’ve had to hide the ball under my pillow because if I just throw it out of my room he brings it right back. Whiskey also loves green human food. I can’t bring cilantro into the house without him begging for some. He also loves lettuce, baby spinach, and basil haha. He also gets excited when he gets a small piece of bacon or deli ham, or a little piece of my steak. His brother Frisky thinks human food is disgusting. He gets a look of disgust on his face if we offer him something.
Friskyis not so frisky. But he does love to follow toys on the ground like if we simulate a mouse running. That will get him moving and pouncing. My daughter is 19….working and going to college. So he misses them a lot. I try to give him extra love when he’s missing them. Frisky loves things with feathers. He will bathe toys with feathers. And when it’s treat time, my daughter taught him to give them a “high paw” (high five). It’s very cute.
What’s something special you’d like people to know about Frisky and Whiskey?
My boys are different in almost every way, but they clearly love each other. Having brothers has been a great experience. Their bond is beautiful. My dad passed away a couple of years ago and my mom moved in with us. She brought her mini panthers…..Hocus Pocus and his littermate sister Abracadabra. So we have TWO sets of siblings in our house now haha. It’s fun to watch their interactions too. It’s definitely different than my two boys. Anyone looking to adopt a cat, I HIGHLY recommend getting a pair of siblings.
I’d like to give a special “thank you” to the cat mamas who are owned by their ginger boys. The world can certainly use more kindhearted people like Melissa and her daughter, Deanna. Here’s to wishing this happy clowder of cats and their family a happy nine lives together.
