Another cat of many names and the first cat that was ‘mine’ growing up is my beautiful nearly 13 year old white and brown tabby cat Sapphire, also called Sapphy or Minoog.
Rescuing Sapphy
My mum and I were at a pet store for supplies in early 2010 (unfortunately this was a pet store that sold kittens, puppies, rabbits and guinea pigs – I think the term ‘pet owner’ is questionable and that the practices of commodifying animals is ultimately and inherently wrong, but more on that in another post – adopt don’t shop, people) and as soon as we walked in, saw kittens in straw behind a clear wall.
And I saw Sapphy.
Sapphy Minoog as a kitten enjoying her new home life – the best photo of a photograph I could find!
Sitting in the litterbox giving me “save me” eyes and looking a bit more mature than the other kittens in terms of age and build, I decided then and there that she was coming home with us one way or another. I started thinking about how best to convince my mum.
Thankfully Mum didn’t need much convincing as we’d been thinking about adopting kittens for some time at this point. So with everything sussed, we left the store and came back at the designated time and day to collect her to take her home.
As an aside, I’m all about voting with my dollars and all that, and pet shops selling animal beings is not a practice I want to condone. While I wasn’t aware of how bad the practice of pet store animal commodification was when we bought/adopted her, I still think today we did the right thing in her unique case. Here’s my opinion as to why: as an older kitten, I figure that she probably didn’t have long left to live, as the mentality of people ‘wanting kittens’ is to get kittens as young and cute as possible (writing this was uncomfortable but I want to say it anyway for people to reflect on), and Sapphy being the older looking cat that she was, may have been overlooked sitting silently and solemnly in the litterbox when there were tiny little kittens actively pouncing on each other with their kitteny antics. And that would mean either shifted off to an already overcrowded shelter, ending up homeless, or euthanised. A perfectly healthy kitten.
That aside, we collected Sapphy (who was now giving me “get me the heck out of here” eyes) and, with music blaring from the speakers somewhere in the store, puppies barking and kittens pouncing, we rescued her (and yes my parents paid money and we effectively supported that institution with our dollars, but in this instance I would’ve done it again – I see it more as a rescue mission than financing the commodification of animals).
At home she settled in nicely with the two other kittens that my mum and sister adopted from Animal Welfare League SA (Sylvie and Topaz), but at night she slept in the litter tray. When we brought her home she smelled like strong cat wee and mouldy straw, but with some grooming the smell faded as did the brown smudges on her nose. At night I’d repeatedly pick her up out of the litter box and settle her on to my makeshift bed on the ground, and after a few nights of doing this, she realised that there were better and comfier places to sleep than in used litter.
So for the past decade and a bit Sapphy has found her home in the countryside. While I’m not living there anymore, she is being well looked after and I visit when I can (I do miss her).
She’s a fantastic emotional support and caring soul who’s beautiful on the inside as well as the outside (I often think she looks like an inverted Christmas pudding, especially with her green eyes and red festive bell on to save the neighbourhood birds).
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Fast Feline Facts about Sapphy
- Her birthday is on the 24th October
- She’s adventurous and likes exploring the great outdoors (and doesn’t like coming in at night)
- Sapphy is the only cat I know that has a concept of personal space; when we share a sleeping space, she accommodates my necessary movements during the night rather than sitting there like an immovable lump – Sophie – or getting really offended and not wanting to sleep anywhere near me for a while.
- Her first name (because I couldn’t decide on a fitting name) was Cheezel.
- As well as Minoog, Sapphy’s other names include Minoogins, Pudding, Eggnoog (when she wears her red festive outdoor collar for bird protection), Fatty, and Sapphy Belle.
Sapphy’s Likes:
- Food and eating her house-cat-mates’ food
- Exploring outside
- Sleeping on a bundle of shirts or work pants on chairs, or lying on papers on the table
- Pats and company
- Playing the piano (by walking along the keys)
- Sunshine outdoors
- Sitting on cat mint and other ground covers in the garden
- Licking broccoli and corn
- Playing with her little plastic turtle toy swiping it along the floorboards
- Hiding in the shed (she’s very good at hiding quietly and has sometimes been shut in the shed accidentally – no harm done though, we always find her)
- Sitting in the shade of roses or other bushes outside in the hotter months
- Sleeping on pillows
Sapphy’s Dislikes:
- Rain and storms
- The shoelaces on my dad’s shoes
- Having her freedoms impeded (especially when there’s so much to see outside at night!)
- Topaz (unfortunately they have many arguments)
- Vet visits (but she’s very good natured and well behaved when we go for her annual check-up with the other two hills cats, Sylvie and Topaz)
Final Thoughts
I’d love to hear all about the special felines in your life! Leave me a comment below or email me at [email protected] to share your cats and cat stories with me.
Lots of love from,
Melissa & Sapphy Minoog xx
