Where the bloggers take over! This week: Big Tiny! Many thanks to Karen M for this.

Ode to Big Tiny by Big Tiny

I guess I have to start my story by giving you a little history on my Mom. She and Dad (who I never had the chance to meet) were always cat people. Early in their marriage, they did adopt a couple of dogs (a basset hound named Sam and a miniature schnauzer named Toby). Although both of these dogs were greatly loved and lived long easy lives, when they crossed the rainbow bridge, no other dogs joined the family, only cats. Many cats. Mom eventually volunteered at a cat rescue and learned that she is, by nature, a foster failure. It seems that once a cat entered the household and was given a name, he or she was destined to stay on as a permanent family member. Dad complained about the growing number but he was known to bring home one or more himself. The furbabies would sit in his lap and he would sit perfectly still until they decided to get down.

After 40 years of marriage, Dad passed from cancer. Mom adopted a senior basset (I’m not sure why) and he crossed the Rainbow Bridge two years later. Mom decided she had learned enough about herself and that she could now foster without fail. It is here where I and my two littermates entered the picture at the age of less than one week old. It seems someone out in the cruel world had found a mother cat with her three newborn kittens and was threatening to kill the whole bunch unless someone took them. We ended up at the vet who Mom used for her pet care and his wife approached Mom. Sure, Mom said, but only for the weeks before we could be adopted out. And we moved into the house of many cats, were given names and have never left.

A quick side note on Mom and the blog. She went to a book signing of Lee Child for one of his Jack Reacher books. There was a new book being showcased in the store called Dog On It. She bought it and found out about the blog. Although not the longest member of the Chet the Dog blog, she is not far from the beginning. She has been back to that bookstore several times to see OFA at his readings.

Now, back to me! My name is from a David Rosenfelt novel where Andy Carpenter has to meet up with a bad guy named Big Tiny. I was given this name as a wee kitten with no idea I would become a very large (23 pounder at the last vet visit) cat. Not fat but just large, although the vet claims Mom is an example of owner denial and has put me on a diet of weight control food. YUK! Miss Wose has showcased me several years now in her Plunderers calendar as I am quite a handsome, photogenic fellow. Most importantly, I am Mom’s favorite and was given the honor of posting on the blog after BooBear crossed. I (and Mom) do treasure the friendships that have been made through the Chet the Dog family, both old and new,

Thank you, Peter/Spence, for allowing us to continue with it.