Meet Pyewacket

In November, we lost one of our long-time feline friends here at our tiny cottage and gained a new one.  Meet Pyewacket.  She is a pure-bred Persian kitten whom I acquired from Craigslist (for free!).  Her prior owner had received her as a gift, and the owner's other cat refused to accept this little creature.  She needed a new home, and I needed a distraction to help me with my grief.  In reality, we rescued each other.  

We named her Pyewacket, after a Siamese cat in the 1958 movie starring James Stewart and Kim Novak, Bell, Book and Candle.  

via Columbia Pictures

via Ghosts of Britain

In the movie, Kim Novak plays a witch, and her Pyewacket is her familiar.  Jimmy Stewart plays the ordinary man who falls for Kim despite her witchy ways.  It is an adorable movie and quite stylish for the time period.   

via fanpop

James Stewart's character balks, bumbles and stumbles in typical James Stewart fashion. 

Our kitty is obviously not a siamese.  At nine months old, Pye weighs just 4 1/2 pounds.  She is all fur!  Pye is the happiest cat I have ever known.  She leaps up onto the bed with delight when she realizes I am awake each morning.

Her face is incredibly flat, which unfortunately, causes some breathing problems.  The standard for this breed has become more and more flat-faced.  I would never pay money to support an industry that knowingly breeds problems into animals just to achieve an arbitrary standard of beauty.   

She has brought such joy to my heart.  Despite the intense upkeep of that heavy undercoat, I wouldn't trade her for the world.  When I took her to the vet a couple of weeks ago to be spayed, I had been overwhelmed by the care required to keep her coat smooth and tangle-free.  In my efforts to cut out some mats under her arms, I had unknowingly cut her.   The vet found the injury and stitched it up.  I was mortified that I had hurt her and didn't even know about it.  That really shows how easy going she is-- she didn't even complain.  The vet technician had shaved off the mats on her belly and showed me the proper grooming tools to use.  Now I have a handle on her fur.  Despite the intense upkeep of that heavy undercoat, I wouldn't trade her for the world.

If any of you also own Persian cats, please share any tips you have for grooming and maintenance of their downy fur.

Until next time...
Anne