Vito, Tony & Turtle

“I have three cats, two ginger boys and one tortoiseshell lady.

Turtle: She’s the tortoiseshell, about 16 years old now. She’s a feisty gal, having pretty recently lost a claw fighting with a neighbour’s cat (much to the vet’s awe). When she was younger, she used to roam the streets, looking for tomcats to fight. She’s also the sweetest girl who insists on cuddles at the most inconvenient times.

She’s my baby who has no tolerance for babies of any species- she once smacked a puppy, scaring him away from cats forever. Despite this, she’s grown to tolerate the two new boys, sometimes even bordering on liking them. She has been caught cuddling with Tony, but this tolerance is usually lost by the next morning when he tries to play with her again.

Tony: His actual name is Antonio, but he’s picked up the nickname “Rotten” because he is truly a rotten, spoilt boy. We adopted him as a tiny, pointy kitten with huge ears, and he’s snuggled his way into everyone’s hearts. He is, however, a naughty boy who has been known to pounce on Turtle and Vito at random times, get stuck in places and eat anything he can find.

He’s also oddly obsessed with cheese, which means that if he smells it, he will not leave us alone until he gets the cheese. He’s the first cat that my boyfriend and I got together, so he is treated like royalty by my boyfriend. He’s just a funny boy who insists on being a part of everything, even if it makes life more difficult.

Vito: Vito (full name Don Vito) is our newest addition, a sweet boy that doesn’t have a bad bone in him. He was dropped off at our place, and it was clear very quickly that he wouldn’t be leaving. He’s incredibly polite, almost human-like about it. He’s also so snuggly, he loves being held and cradled like the baby he is. He’s also vocal and gets a bit confused, so if he ever thinks he’s alone in the house, he starts crying until someone reassures him.

After that, he throws himself down to get love as payment for being “abandoned”. He gets along very well with Turtle and Tony, mostly because I don’t think he’s capable of not befriending an animal or person. He likes to be reassured often, so usually if he comes inside after being out for a bit, he runs up to someone so they can give him love.”

– Erin Bush