Dr. Collins and Denise are brilliant, seasoned veterinary professionals.
So it’s only right that we should take their biweekly notes to the rest of us peons with the utmost seriousness.
Pikachu deflects paparazzi, ninja-style
It’s a good thing these seasoned professionals never, ever use irony or joke around in the vet notes, because dopey, gullible laypeople like me might become confused. No, Denise and Dr. C can always be counted upon to tell the straight, unvarnished facts.
Like, for instance, this note from a recent examination of Pikachu, Miyagi and Kimiko. I quote (so as to be sure I don’t mess up any medical terminology): “Japanese cats: are ninjas.”
I didn’t go to vet school, so I’m going to have to trust the experts on this one. If they say it, I believe it. Apparently a trip to Suite A these days is a journey only for the most stouthearted. Again, I’m not a veterinary professional, but I would have said that the Okinawa three were “tabbies.” Apparently they are, in fact, “covert agents or mercenaries of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war.”
Okay then.
Dr. C was able to make this diagnosis based on the trio’s quick-like-a-cat evasion of annual vaccines. Other than that, the teenange mutant ninja tabbies are doing well, in their own wide-eyed way. Lucky human beans can touch Pikachu, and his eyes increasingly betray the fact that he likes it. (Don’t tell his friends.) Miyagi, on at least one occasion, walked right up to a visitor, stretching his nose about 8′ from his body to venture a sniff. (He is a ninja.) And Kimiko, the ninja-est of the three, will blaze past you in a glorious flash of torbitude, only to stop when she gets to safety at the top of the ramp, then gaze at you with the greenest eyes in America. Most often, the Okinawans stay clumped like stripey grapes in the eastern corner of the suite - that is, the ramp. It seems these are mushy mercenaries, because Miyagi, Kimiko and Pikachu are always whisker-to-whisker with a friend or five. They say we’re a “cat” sanctuary, but the Suite A ramp shows that we’re also a haven for a fri(ghten)ed fish, a tilty orange, three ninjas, and a saber-toothed tiger a Dobro.
Valencia & Miyagi
Oh - and also royalty.
The Borg collective known as Wikipedia tells me that ninjas are sometimes assassins of corrupt rulers. I guess we should count ourselves lucky that our own gentle-souled ninjas have no qualms about their Queen.
So she makes people bleed. So she acts like her whole life has been just a prologue to meeting you…then attempts to consume all your digits in one bite. So she’s an enigma wrapped in a paradox. Still, it’s just not right that the shelter from which Queen came called her “The Queen of Mean.” She’s just…ah…misunderstood. Quirky. Waiting for someone who will love her so much that a missing finger here or there will be a small price to pay for getting to gaze into her eyes. Not really more than any girl wants, right?
In the meantime, she’s most definitely Queen of all she surveys, not least of all three ninjas. And I confess: I don’t think I’ll ever trust her with my fingers, but she’s Queen of a big chunk of my heart (don’t get any ideas, Queen - I did not say you can consume a literal chunk of my literal heart)…a space she shares with the whole cast of characters in smokin’ Suite A.
The two faces of lethal, lovable Queen
Tags: beta, dobro, kimiko, miyagi, pikachu, queen, valencia
Angela, you have such a way with words. I really enjoy hearing all the stories coming out of Tabby’s Place. I feel like I know all the quirky, sweet, lovable residents of TP (oh, and the cats, too!). Thanks for keeping us all in the know! Blow kisses to all the residents in Suite A for me so that you don’t lose a limb. Special love to Dobro because he’s a major character!
YAY!! Someone else besides me who loves Dobro!!!!!!!!!!!
I love these kitties. This article is fantasitc. I do love petting Pikachu and I am so glad that he is allowing it now. Miyagi is starting to come around, especially if you take him a bowl of the fish flakes! He loves them and then he will kiss your fingers (probably in search of more fish, but I’ll take what I can get!) These are all sweet babies, even Dobro and Queen. I look forward to seeing them this weekend.
As a huge fan of Suite A I can’t help but point out that you forgot the most elusive of all: Scooter. Calmly sitting in her little cube waiting for a stray hand to pop in front of her so that she can hiss and spit at it with full force. Queen is very imperious sitting on her throne high in the corner. I didn’t know her after these guys were moved into the suite and when I first approached her with my head down she started to rub the top of my head with her paw. I’ve since started to wonder if she was just trying to claw her way in and forgot that she was declawed. I totally love these guys though, they all have so much personality.
Love hearing about Suite A
I’ve got a major soft-spot for Dobro & his friends! I was so proud of him last week, no hissing!! Although he did act a little bratty and hide in the tunnel for my whole visit. Scooter is one kitty I won’t mess with. I think he’s more intimidating than Dobro! 
Suite A is obviously The Party Room.
Yes, they’ve got me a little concerned that Mischief Night is on a Saturday this year…
LOL! Just think of all the holiday fun the three ninjas, Queen, Dobro, Valencia, and Beta could have with a few dozen rolls of toilet paper!
The past two weekends I was able to put Kimiko for several minutes at a time (though she was clearly not thrilled). I think any one of the three ninjas will make excellent pets…. one just may “accidentally” end up coming home with me… PS Pikachu loves belly rubs!
oops, *pet
The truth is Okinawans are not true Japanese. They had no Ninja’s. They fought the Japanese. They had no armor. They developed a technique to bust through armor with a single fist blow. Tatsuo Shimubouko used to demonstrate this technique by punching nails into a piece of wood with his first knuckle. This sounds like the A room cats.