The Ginger Kittery

In the fall of 2024, my stepson's cat moved in with us while he finished his last semester of undergraduate studies (my stepson was in college, not the marmalady). He graduated in May 2025, YAY, double-majoring in psychology and philosophy, and he summa cum lauded the podium. And as of August 2025, Ginger Kitty is pretty much running our household as my stepson figures out his life plan.

 

Ginger Cat was primarily an indoor kitty...until she met me. It was my bright idea to introduce her to farm life outside the house. She loves to prowl about and just like any other teenager, she enjoys her independence.

She appreciates our 2 horses, from afar. Meanwhile, our horses would LOVE for Ginger Cat to come a bit closer. They are curious and gentle.

In fact, they made Ginger Cat an honorary horsie. They figure she has pointy ears, 4 legs, and a tail that swishes...she's in.

One more thing - her name is Fatty...but I can't bring myself to call her that. In our home, she's Ginger Cat. Or Meow-Meow or a litany of other silly nicknames.

 

In my debut novel, which I hope to have a first draft completed in the fall of 2025, I have a feline protagonist named Cashew. She was inspired by Ginger Cat.

2025.0818 This is one defiant little kitty. She wanted to stay outside longer, so she scurried under a car in our driveway.
2025.06 She thought it would be fun to tiptoe across the rafters in the barn and nap on top of the retractable door.
2025.07 She wanted a glamour shot.
2025.06 This is before she got stuck in the rafters; I thought it was cute how she was curious about our hayloft.
Ginger kitty was on a "walkabout", slinking about the barn like an MI6 operative. April 2025.
While she may appear innocent and cuddly, 7 minutes prior to this photo she was on a first-floor-of-the-house rampage, about 5:25am, ensuring all residents were up and at 'em. This is her coming for me. April 2025.
Yep, this is her afternoon position.
If I seem to want to stand at my desk and work, she beats me to it...so I get to work in the leather chair. Not complaining.
I swear we don't drug this cat.
She "exercises" (not literally) some cattiude.
And yes, we do tiptoe around when she's sleeping. Sometimes it's best to let sleeping cats do what they do best.
On a sunny March 2025 afternoon, she found a solar rectangle.
When she becomes a Hollywood starlet or the star of some quirky catfood commercial, this will be her professional headshot.
Ginger Cat is vexed that I'm feeding the enemy...the squirrels and birds. Oh, and that heating pad she's sitting on? She prefers it to be at least on the 2nd level of warmth.
We call this The Pinwheel.
She has keen listening skills. She's detected movement of her food bowl (she's on the 2nd floor, it's on the 1st floor), she hears the utensil drawer open, and that certain clang of a fork, her bowl, and a tin can harmonizing.
It's January in Baltimore. I'm outside feeding sweet woodland creatures, she's inside giving me the finger. This is the reflection off the patio door.
Ginger Cat and Happy-the-Horse make eye contact. She's thinking: that's one seriously oversized kitty.
Happy-the-Tennessee-Walker sees Ginger Cat and thinks: that's one vertically-challenged horsie.
2025.0507, she's out for a stroll. She looks like she wearing her vented bee keeping garb. Hope the neighbors ask to see our strawberry blonde grandchild.
2025.0811 Mr. Ginger Kitty (s/he's gender fluid) is yodeling to come outside. It's not a pleasant yodel.
2025.0812 She's giving a couple squirrels the hairy eyeball.
2025.0812 Is it just me, or does it appear that she's giving me the finger? I had just heated my coffee and grabbed my manuscript, I was looking forward to cozying up in the chair. I'm not as fast as this feline..
2025.0812 Yep, She's learned that if she crouches under the car, I can't pick her up. Don't worry, she's being chaperoned, she's safe...well, until she comes crawling out for her "fude".
2025.0813 My novel includes a sprinkling of magic realism...I was delighted to see that Ginger Kitty, AKA Cashew put together a logo for the ladies in our WFWA pitch program.