Halfway Over The Hill: Remembering Asta 11/2/01

Way back in 2001 I took Michelle to see a litter of Burmese kittens, for her to choose one to come with her when the kitten was old enough. She chose a tiny Blue-Tortie Burmese girl and a few weeks later we went and got her. Michelle mused over a few names and finally came up with Asta, the perfect name for the perfect little kitten.

We were all instantly besotted.

And she loved us all back, and shared her love around.

She especially liked snuggling under clothes or blankies

And loved being held like a baby

She went out of her way to wiggle into the hearts of people who didn't think they liked cats. But they hadn't met Asta!

But of all of us, she loved her mum the best of all.

She had many fun times. She learned how to look like a Christmas tree decoration.

She surveyed the festivities from the bar.

The dogs did not know what the hell hit them once madame arrived. At first they thought she might be some fluffy edible toy, but after a week of segregation, it was apparent from very early on that Asta reigned supreme. They were terrified of her! Can you see the look on Maxie's face? She would quake in terror whenever Asta lowered herself to be congenial and snuggle up. Maxie and Pepper would wait, quivering, until Asta went to sleep, and then quietly extricate themselves from the area.

They didn't have a hope. Here is a photo of the dogs and their new bed, nice and big to fit them both in. Except they aren't in it are they!

This is Asta in a nutshell where the dogs were concerned. Overlord. She would stalk them or simply sidle up to them, giving them 'the look', and they didn't quite know what to do. She was a demon cat at times!

Asta had the 'dirty look' down to a fine art. Total disdain.

And boy would she mouth off. If you looked at her when she was in a mood, out would come this loud, raucous, 'up yours' meow. I swear if she'd had hands, she'd have given you the finger at the same time.

She did lower herself occasionally to being the butt of jokes.

Creepy Spider Hands From Above was a favourite game. She used to get quite irate about it, eventually leaping up to capture said hand and give it a darn good thrashing.

But sleeping was the best thing.

Particularly where there was heat involved. She was like a heat-seeking missile.

And nothing better than being tucked up in bed, at first with a human, and then being left in the warmth of the unmade bed whilst said human had to get up and go to work.

I made myself a woollen scarf, of which Asta claimed and fell in the love with it, kneading it with her claws and getting a bit drooly. The scarf was renamed The Cat's Mother and I never got to use it :-)

Asta like to try out a variety of sleeping positions, she was quite the contortionist.

Looking at people upside down was quite a hobby of hers

Madame wasn't one for drinking out of a bowl, no, Madame required the turning on of the tap whenever humans were in the bathroom, so she could daintily lap.