Curry cat: a kitten with attitude.

Just about every farm has barn cats. Milk and Honey Farm is no exception. From a humble beginning and unknown parentage, my best cat has evolved into a classic example of "cat-hood." However, in the beginning, it did not go well.

One very cold evening, as I was stretched out on the sofa wrapped in a wool comforter and watching the evening news on television, my husband, Bob, brought me a "gift."

He had just come inside from doing the evening chores. In his gloved hands, he was carrying this ugly, squalling, angry, orange kitten. The kitten was spitting, hissing and biting, all at the same time. Bob grinned and said, "I captured him in the barn and brought him in for you." I was not thrilled. My calm and peaceful evening had been disrupted by a monster kitten that I was supposed to tame.

The next few days, I really did try to make friends with it. That kitten behaved like a cat from Hades! I had to wrap him in a towel to keep from being clawed. If I relaxed my grip, even for a second, he would scratch and bite. He escaped from every kind of box we fixed for him and would hide out in the darkest corners of the basement. When he was finally recaptured, he was covered with cobwebs and dust. I did not like this cat!

Capturing my bad kitten was annoying, aggravating, and time consuming. He could run faster than I could and was extremely good at hiding in small spaces. One of his favorite hideouts was behind the wood stove in the basement. To catch him, my first step was to go out to the barn to fetch in the fishing net.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

I had to very carefully move toward the kitten and then try to pounce on him with the net. It took multiple swings before the capture was successful. The longer it took, the more my patience became unhinged.

Part two of the great capture was to try and untangle him from inside the net. He would extend all the claws on his four feet and hang on for dear life. He would spit and snarl. If I tried this without wearing my heavy work gloves, there was a blood sacrifice. My blood!

When I reached the end of my patience, I took him out to live with the rabbits. We have a rabbit hutch and big New Zealand white rabbits that were ten times the size of my brat kitten.

I would take him food, tuna, no less, and milk several times a day. In the evening, I would bring him into the house for taming lessons. A week later, I pronounced him incorrigible. He was wild and ungrateful and I had multiple scabs and scars to prove it.

My husband is a patient man, so he took over the taming routine. Every night, Bob would get the kitten out of the rabbit cage, bring it into the house and play with it. He would roll it over on its back and scratch its tummy. Then, when it tried to bite him, he would bop it on the top of its head. Sometimes, he would lift it high over his head and let it be held helpless. It was better than any of my television programs and fun to watch. The kitten seemed to enjoy its "war games" with Bob. I think they deserved each other.

During the day, the kitten remained in the rabbit hutch. He loved the rabbits and would curl up on top of the Big Daddy Rabbit to sleep. Big Daddy did not seem to mind. The female rabbit, Sweet Pea, would wash the kitten. I believe that she considered him some form of mutated bunny. The kitten even started to eat the rabbit food and drink out of their water dish.

Eventually, we tamed the kitten and named him "Curry Cat." It took over a month but we won. At the present time, he is my most affectionate, most personable, and most intelligent cat. He has become the only cat that I grant visiting privileges in the house. I love this cat!

Every morning, Curry comes in the kitchen for his breakfast of raw eggs and milk. He patrols the basement for mice, makes his rounds of the house, reports to me for scratching, and usually naps in his favorite chain He sleeps for awhile and then lets me know he wants to go back outside. He politely stands by the back door until I let him out.

He has excellent manners. He has never messed in the house. He does not climb the lace curtains, nor rip up my houseplants. I love this cat!

The best thing about him is that he seems to know when I am down and need a friend. He will sit in my lap and pat my face with his soft velvet paws. He purrs and purrs and purrs. I think he is singing kitty comfort songs to make me feel better. I love this cat!

He does his share of hunting and helps keep the rodent population in check. I know he hunts because he leaves me "presents." Included in his "gifts' are heads of mice and occasionally a partially eaten mole.

He carefully consumes the bodies and leaves the heads for me. I have recently discovered that Curry is a thief. He will beat up the smaller female cats and take away their mouse or mole before they can eat it.

Curry Cat is a classic country cat with attitude. From his humble beginning in the barn, he has grown to be at home with the rabbits and to be at home in the house. He doesn't live in either place, but stops by daily for a visit. I love this cat!

SARAH LEA

WWW.MILKANDHONEYFARM.COM