Tickles and Babycakes are sisters and semi-feral cats, who came when Little Mama brought them to me or at least my house. She didn’t want me to get near them, and although she was only about four pounds soaking wet, she was about the meanest, snarliest, spittingist* four pound fur-ball you’ve ever seen. Little Mama was more protective of her babies than many human mothers I’ve seen or heard about.

Little Mama and her babies. Sorry for the quality of this photo. I had to shoot it from a distance with a snappy camera.

Both cats are gray, but Tickles is gray and black striped. Babycakes has only a cotton ball, rabbit tail.

Kittens before they had names.

Flash forward almost six years later, and now they live inside with me.  When these cats came around, I had two indoor cats, Cody and Oop, brother and sister. Cody is a tabby cat whose fur is more blond than orange, and he has matching golden eyes. Oop is a calico with brilliant emerald eyes.

Cody is the ambassador of all cats. I’ve never seen a cat more ready to meet and make friends with other cats. When repairmen come to the house, he tries to help them “work.” His sister, Oop, on the other hand, is more reticent. She doesn’t necessarily hide when others come to the house, but she doesn’t engage like Cody does. He’s also a great snuggler* and loves to purr.

Babycakes was the first to discover his great snuggling ability. She has never held much warmth for me, and in fact, hisses at me. I love it because she looks like a miniature vampire when she does it, and of course, I aggravate her by hissing back. She doesn’t like that. I think she realized a friend in Cody and took refuge with him.

Tickles saw what was going on and decided that she wanted in on the action. So now frequently, I come upon the three of them snuggled up. I started calling the female cats Cody’s Sister Wives. Babycakes is Sister Wife I, and Tickles is Sister Wife II.

Although Babycakes doesn’t appear to be jealous of Tickles, I think she is jealous of me because Cody loves me to pieces and always wants to be in my lap if I’m watching TV. Babycakes sometimes will get up on my stretched out legs – if I’m asleep – just so she can be near Cody. However, the minute I wake up, she usually jumps down or hisses or both. Her behavior is so funny to me.

The other day, I walked around a corner and discovered Babycakes had flung herself over Cody, and they both were sleeping. It was a funny site, and I wanted a picture so, of course, they both woke up.

Babycakes loves her man.

Later in the day, I came into the kitchen and discovered that Tickles was now having her turn. She had flung herself over Cody, like her sister had earlier, and they were both asleep. It was another photo op. I have never seen cats lay on top of one another like that before. Sure, they snuggle and throw legs over each other, but this was full body.

Tickles takes her turn. To the right almost out of the picture, you can see Babycakes is close at hand.

They keep me cracked up and often give me reason to laugh.

*Cats sometimes require “special words” that aren’t really words so I indulge it.