The Hellions

My two littermate cats, James and Solstice, are collectively known as The Hellions. They were born in the fall of 2008, and at almost nine years old I would have thought they'd be less destructive by now. They are pretty low on the kitty IQ scale, I can't say I've met less intelligent cats. From falling off the same pieces of furniture over and over again, to getting lost in corners because they can't figure out how to make a 180-degree turn, they consistently remind me that they each have a case of the stupids.

Just doesn't get any cuter.

What they lack in brains, The Hellions make up for in personality. Solstice is unusually fond of new people, I have to peel her off every plumber and electrician to enter the house. They both love to follow people around the house, and must climb into every open cabinet, box, or anywhere else they fit. Or don't fit. Doesn't stop them from trying.

James the tabby is the more active of the two, he enjoys climbing unstable objects and pushing stuff off other stuff. Water glasses on the counter? Not anymore! Storing things on shelves? Only cats now! He also enjoys chewing plastic bags, and will eat drawstring garbage bag handles on sight.

Eight years later...

The Hellions present a number of different challenges to me as a cat owner. I keep them indoors exclusively, partly out of consideration for native songbird species, and partly because they're way too dumb to be wandering the world unsupervised. This means I need to put actual effort into keeping them entertained, exercised, and happy.

Solstice is a bit overweight, despite attempts to slim her down. James is prone to cat acne, so I need to choose his dishes carefully and keep them clean. He is also prone to respiratory issues from dusty litter.

Despite their hellbent attempts at destroying all my nice things, James and SolsticeThe Hellions are pretty good cats. They are religious litterbox users, covered or uncovered, any kind of litter, no matter how filthy. They eat any kind of food I give them, and are willing to play with any toys. They are excellent product testers, good snuggle buddies, and great companions for me and the dogs.

Both of the Hellions went on to whatever kitty afterlife awaits them in 2021. They were irreplaceable and so far the universe has not sent me another cat. Yet.