Meet Sniffles, the fierce pirate kitty! (Yea, I know, she needs a more frightening pirate name, which is the point of this post!) Sniffles is 18 years old. We call her the Cat that will not die. She's outlived all her offspring and even though she's nearly deaf and not too stable on her feet, she's as fiesty as ever. Just last week, she chased a dog out of our backyard! Arg, now that be a good pirate if e'er I saw one! Last month we discovered she had a tumor on her right eye. So, after much family debate regarding the cost, we decided to go ahead and have the eye removed. Now, we have a true pirate cat. Rather fitting for an author who writes about pirates, wouldn't you say? (I tried putting a patch on her, but she keeps rubbing it off.)In fact, look for Sniffles in book 3 of my upcoming Charles Towne Belles series. I'm planning on making her the pet of my hero, the fierce Captain Rafe Dubois. But she needs a better name. So, I decided to let you (Ye faithful visitors to me blog) give Sniffles a more piraty name. Please leave me a comment with your suggestions and I'll pick a winner by the end of October. The winner will receive a bag of catnip and a free copy of The Red Siren, book 1 of Charles Towne Belles.
An' may the best pirate win!
Patchless the one eyed cat!
ReplyDeleteHow about Parrott the Pirate? She can sit on the captain's shoulder in place of the customary parrot. Har, har, har.
ReplyDeleteShe looks like a Rumbullion to me. I'm not exactly "up" on my pirates, but didn't they drink rum...?
ReplyDeleteMy 16-year-old kitty Isabella died ten days ago. She is being immortalized in my current book. It gives me pleasure to let her "live" on in my novel.
That, Miss Tyndall, be the Cap’n’s puss. Shadow be's his name.
ReplyDelete“He isn’t black or even dark, why the name Shadow?”
“Tis a lengthy tale, Lady Tyndall. The Cap’n saves ‘em as a young puss. Them two be hardly ev’r apart. He lurks and creeps about the ship and guards it as if’n it be’s his own. The puss can be a right nuisance but he guards and protects the cap’n somethin’ fierce. Him sits at the cap’n table feastin’ likes a king. The rest of the crew calls ‘em Judas behind the cap’n back.”
“Judas? I assume that means the Judas in the Bible. Why such a name for such a devoted cat?”
“Well, madam Tyndall, ‘em cans be somethin’ of a traitor, a thief too. He’s a sly one, that he is. He sees an’ knows near everythin’ happenin’ on this ship an’ if I’s believed in superstition I’d thinks that he tells the cap’n ev’rthing we’s do behind his back.
“I see, interesting indeed. But why the name Shadow, I ask again?
“Wells, he follers the Cap’n everywhere’s. Lik’in a shadow he creeps unseen, follering him…discoverin’ our secrets and hearin’ our tales. If truth’in be told the crew fears ‘em an’ stays aways from ‘em…he knows they be scared silly of ‘em and he’s gloats it in, takin’ advantage of it.
“Do my eyes mistake me, or does he have only one eye.”
“Aye, ye sees rightly. Got between the cap’n and an’ enemy. Ye shoulds have seen the other pirate. He’ll’s bear the scars of Shadow to his grave…he’s was a mess, a right bloody mess, Miss. But so’s was Shadow, Doc had to puts out his eye…almost died, he’s did. Cap’n was in a dark spell for’s a week. Theys are like glues an’ paper, Miss.
“Would be come to me if I called him?”
“Nay, Miss Tyndall, I’ds not try befriendin’ ’em. Somes of the others has’n tried an’ to their’s woe…he bites an’ claws somethin’ fierce. We’s all avoid ‘em. ‘Tis best.
“Nevertheless, I’d enjoy the challenge of trying to win his hand. I think I could. There is such a thing as bribery. Don’t you think Shadow wouldn’t enjoy a new friend? Your Cap’t can be somewhat ornery.
“Ye knows best, Madam Tyndall. But say not I’s didn’t forewarn ye. The Cap’t won’t take kindly to ye tryin’ to win over Shadow. He’s his territory an’ he’s won’t let the likes of a girly interfere.”
“Which brings all the more pleasure to the game.” With that Mary Lu bent and beckoned the cat towards her. Using her sweetest voice, she purred in a low, convincing voice for Shadow come. Lazily the gray shadowy head lifted and starred unblinking at her. Its eyes looking at her unforgiving for daring to intrude his solace. But Mary Lu wasn’t discouraged. She went on all fours and continued to chant his name. Suddenly, the cat sat up and stretched. Mary Lu could see a scowl formatting the outlines of the captain’s face. He was watching the cat in amazement and Mary Lu would bet a dual that she saw a flicker of admiration in his azure blue eyes.
…I can continue if you want me too!!
ldneuhof(at)hotmail(dot)com
I'm thinking either Spyglass or Esmerelda. Spyglass because she only has one eye and Esmerelda because I like the name. :)
ReplyDeleteFiggenbothom be the cat's name, matey. Fig for short. The feline was found in the bottom of a fig barrel when off loading a ship.
ReplyDeleteMaryLu, I'm not creative, so I won't suggest a name. I just wanted to say that Sniffles is precious, and we would have done exactly the same thing regarding the tumor. Dogs are fine, but our family LOVES cats. Long live Sniffles!
ReplyDeletecjarvis [at] bellsouth [dot] net
Marylu,
ReplyDeleteMissed this post earlier, but I have to say that if I were to give that feline a pirate's name I'd call him 'One-eyed Jack'.
How about Kit'n Caboodle?! :o) Just joking around. I'll have to think of something better than that. The Shadow story cracked me up! Too funny.
ReplyDeleteWow, what great ideas, everyone! I especially liked Shadow's story. Such creativity! I'm so glad I posted this contest. It is bringing smiles to my face to read everyone's entries.
ReplyDeleteI'm entering another name from a friend of mine who can't do it herself. Laurie says
My idea was cutlass claws, claws or Cutlass for short.
Think of all that wood on a ship on which a kitty could scratch her claws and sharpen them.
Lol. This is a fun contest! I will have to think of a better one, but what comes to mind right now is Larry :p
ReplyDelete"I once sailed with a geezer who lost both of his arms and part of his eye."
"What'd you call him?"
"Larry."
- Captain Jack and Mr. Gibbs
Pirates of the Caribbean 3
Haha, just thought that was funny
So i wanted to say one eyed jack but i was too late on that one :)
ReplyDeleteSo i'll say one eyed Jaci, i'm not that creative with names :)
http://www.shoutlife.com/rebornbutterfly
It might be interesting to name the cat after a real or legendary female pirate, like Mary (for Mary Read) or Alvilda. That way some of the history or legend could be included in the book when explaining the origin of the cat's name!
ReplyDeletePuss-in-Boots was a swashbuckler, but how about keeping it simple: "Arrgie". I have a stray cat I just rescued and he needed an injured eye removed, so that's going to be his name. Either that or "Lucky".
ReplyDeleteSee my blog at www.t4studios.com
Thanks,
Willy like One-Eye-Willy in the Goonies!
ReplyDelete