SammyJo and Calli - Matriarchs

SammyJo and Calli - Matriarchs

SammyJo was our first Matriarch, one day in June 1987 I had just come out of hospital after having surgery and was laying on the sofa feeling very groggy, when my husband announced he was going out for a bike ride...!  When he got back an hour or so later, he looked like a sack tied in the middle, the belt of his jacket pulled really tight.  Then he put his hand inside his jacket and pulled out a tiny bundle of fur...SammyJo, she was just six weeks old, a tiny tortoiseshell kitten with huge worried eyes. 

We still had Caruso then, and he just loved her to bits and would cuddle her, she would protest with tiny high pitched squeals and try to run away and hide under the Welsh Dresser.  After we lost Caruso, we had other cats join our family and SammyJo was always 'The Boss.'  She was a beautiful cat with a lovely nature, and we often called her 'velvet paws.'  She  finally died on July 23rd 2010 at the grand old age of 23 years, 2 months and 9 days.

SammyJo with kitten Tabitha

When Calli came to live with us she was also a tiny frightened little kitten, she was born out in the fields to feral parents.  Calli is a beautiful long-haired Calico, now aged 12 years.  She has inherited the title of Matriarch from SammyJo.  SammyJo was quite a bossy cat, but Calli is rather shy and timid, especially around strangers.

Calli's first admirer was Tosh, seen here sitting under her chair when she was just 3 months old, but Calli never returned his affection, she seems to be a little afraid of black cats.  Tosh died last year, and Jet, also a big black cat, who moved in with us about four years ago, also admires her, but she spurns his attempts to make friends, she is not quite so unfriendly with him as she used to be though.

Calli’s Friend!

Last night Calli woke me

with her soft chortles and chirps,

With a friend on the landing

she canoodles and flirts,

Whispering sweet nothings

in some poor mousie’s ear,

She only wants a playmate

but he trembles with fear.

Be brave little mousie

make a dash across the floor,

You can hide in our bedroom

behind the closet door,

Then in the morning

while Calli’s fast asleep,

I’ll set you free again

just be sure not to squeak!

Jackie S Brooks (c) 

21^st August 2004

“I WANT”!

(SammyJo's Lament)

She’s as mad as a Hatter

Her eye’s spittin’ fire

As she stands here

Just screaming at me.

“I want to go OUT!

I want to go PLAY

In the garden

NOT tomorrow, TODAY!

You just sit here all day

On that wretched machine

I’m neglected, forgotten

Do you HEAR what I say.

I want YOU to come too

Give ME some of your TIME!

Pay attention to ME,

FORGET about rhyme.

                                                                                                                                              

I want to go play,

It’s a nice sunny day

And if you don’t come too

I WILL phone the RSPCA!

I’ll tell them you neglect me

How you treat me so mean,

That you love your computer

Much more than you love ME!

If you don’t come out NOW

I might run AWAY,

And you won’t see me

Till the END of today!

Come play in the grass,

I’ll roly-poly for YOU!

Just for YOUR enjoyment

(and mine too!!)

You can make me a necklace

Of a pretty daisy chain,

And I promise to wear it

Until I lose it AGAIN!!”

Jackie S Brooks (c)

4 August 2003