Ginger Cat Appreciation Day/Month

One day isn't enough to celebrate the magic of orange cats! Here at Kats'N Us, we think they deserve a whole month of appreciation—and that’s exactly what we’re doing. It’s only fitting, since we’ve been blessed with eight different orange or ginger cats over the years. Here are some fun facts about each of our beloved ginger staffers!

Odie  - Favorite Toy - Cat Charmer Cat Toy Teaser Wand

odie catodie on porchOur logo is actually inspired by Odie. Our first Ginger Kitty. We found him hanging onto our screeen door one day. It was like he chose us! After making sure he didn't belong to anyone, we welcomed him in and he blessed us with 17 wonderful years. One of my favorite memories is the day Odie decided to climb the telephone pole next to our house. My husband, Phil, was home at the time and frantically trying to get him down. He tried tempting him with food, offering treats, and pleading with him nicely, but Odie wouldn't budge from the very top. Phil even called the fire department, but they calmly told him that in their experience, cats always figure out how to get down. Sure enough, after a few hours, I finally got off work, and drove up. The moment I called his name, Odie immediately climbed down the pole! I guess we know who his favorite human really was!

Bob - Favorite Toy - didn't have one, outside too much

I love Manx cats! This little guy was one of the smartest cats we’ve ever had. He may have been small, but he was always the one in charge. After being left behind in the neighborhood, he followed Odie home one day and just decided to stay. We discovered that we were his official home base but he patrolled a 2 block radius. We used to joke that he went to a 9-to-5 job every day because he’d head out around 8 AM and walk back through the door right at 4 PM—you could practically picture him wearing a little hard hat!

During his 15 years with us, there wasn't a single tomcat, squirrel, mouse, or rat brave enough to enter his two-block territory, and even our neighbors noticed. At the time, we had six cats because we had taken in a feral mother and her kittens, and he managed and trained every single one of them. Everyone had a job: Odie was the respected senior who got to just chill; Mama cat and her two daughters guarded the cat door; and her two boys were trained as back-up security. He was a legendary little boss and is still truly missed.

Buddy - Favorite Toy - Rabbit Fur Pom Pom Kitten Toy

A friend first introduced Buddy to us when he was just a year old. He had been living as an apartment cat, but his family needed to find him a new home because a new baby was on the way. He was bursting with energy, which was a bit too much with a newborn in the house. Of course, we gladly welcomed him into our cat world—especially since we were down a few feline staffers at the time!
One of our favorite memories is introducing Buddy to the great outdoors. When we showed him the cat door for the very first time, he thought it was the best toy ever and spent hours just running in and out of it. Once he discovered our park-like yard, there was no keeping him inside! We would always find him napping on the patio furniture, curling up under a fern, or proudly watching over his territory from the fence. The only time he ever stayed inside for long was when it was raining or a bit too chilly to be out.

Tucker - Favorite Toy - Yellow Bird Kat Fly Teaser Cat Toy

Tucker and his brother, Pete, came to us thanks to our amazing vet. Right after we had lost one of our cats, these two sweet boys showed up at her clinic in need of a home. I had been hoping to find another Manx, which are usually so hard to find, and miraculously, one of the brothers was a Manx! I was her very first call.
They were big Siberian mixes, which meant lots of gorgeous fur and fluff. Tucker, in particular, would have been the ultimate model for cat toy videos or action shots. He had the absolute perfect form for catching anything mid-air—the height, the motion, the precision, and the style, all wrapped up in one fluffy package. It was beautiful to watch him play, even if it was nearly impossible to catch on camera before he moved. The boy truly had style!

Pete - Favorite Toy - Fur Mouse Cat Toy - Gray

Try to imagine a big, fluffy Siberian cat's coat and personality packed into a little, tailless Manx body. That was Pete—a huge, lovable ball of fluff! Because of his size, you might think he would be slow, but he was incredibly fast and fiercely protective. If anyone or anything approached the front porch while he was on guard duty, he would let out this remarkably deep, almost wild growl to alert us that something was up.
The other thing Pete was famous for was 'splooting.' That’s when a cat lies completely flat on their stomach with their back legs stretched straight out behind them. Both he and his brother, Tucker, were masters of the double-sploot! It was the first time I had ever seen a cat stretch out like that, and thankfully, I managed to capture a picture of them both doing it together. Pete was a true gentle giant and is deeply missed.

Frankie - Favorite Toy - Spring Mouse Cat Toy

Sadly, Pete lost his brother Tucker far too soon and found himself needing a companion. That’s when a neighbor told us about Frankie. Even though Frankie was quite a bit younger than Pete, I had a feeling they might hit it off. It turned out they became completely inseparable! They slept together, played together, and were always finding ways to have fun.
Their absolute favorite pastime was wrestling. Thanks to all the thick layers of fur Pete had, Frankie could really roughhouse with him without any worry of causing an injury. The best part was watching Big Pete tackle Frankie, sending them both rolling around the floor together. They truly became the best of buds!

Chester - Favorite Toy - Hot Cats Catnip Cat Toy Deluxe

Tragically, we lost Pete too soon as well, and Frankie took the loss incredibly hard. I had never seen a cat experience such deep grief before, and I knew he needed a friend sooner rather than later. In the past, whenever we were looking for a cat, friends or our vet would instantly alert us to an available orange tabby. This time? Nothing.
So, for the very first time, I turned to Petfinder. That is when I saw Chester and his brother, Cooper, who had just been listed. I had only been looking to adopt one cat, but seeing the photo of these two brothers together, I knew they couldn't be separated. They made the long journey all the way from Texas to us here in Oregon! Both boys had some initial health struggles, but Chester has grown into an incredibly loving, highly food-driven cat. He’s also our resident instigator! He loves to sneak up behind Frankie, give him a quick swat, and then look completely innocent as Frankie whips around and hisses at him. It’s a classic love-hate relationship!

Cooper (Coop) - Favorite toy - Tuff Kitty Puff White Sparkle Ball Cat Toy

The healthier brother of the two, Cooper is an absolute lovebug. He and Frankie are constantly playing whenever they think I’m not looking—though the second Frankie spots me, he immediately pretends he doesn't even like Cooper! Boys will be boys, right? Cooper is a total mama's boy, and I am definitely his person—a fact he happily lets the entire neighborhood know.
If I happen to wander from the front yard to the backyard and he loses sight of me, he will belt out this incredibly loud meow that sounds exactly like he's yelling, 'Mom!' It’s literally like he's crying out, 'Mom, where did you go?' I always have to call back to him, and he comes charging toward me, meowing the entire way in pure relief that he found me. It is just the cutest thing!
This is just a small sampling of stories about all the fun-loving ginger cats we’ve been blessed with over the years. Every single one of them has brought their own unique traits to our home, while still being beautifully, wonderfully typical ginger cats. You just have to love them and appreciate everything they bring to our lives! We hope you are taking some extra time to appreciate your own special ginger cats this month too!
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