Teddy - Life at Beckwith Part 1

It was with much happiness I got to bring Teddy home with me. I had a special relationship with Teddy and he stuck to me like glue. No matter what I was doing he was there. He would help my sudy by sitting on my books or write my essays by sitting on the keyboard, at night he would sleep on my chest massaging my neck with his arms while he had his paws on either side of the pillow. On one occasion he decided on jumping into the car when I was being driven to school. He was curious where I went everyday. He rode calmly all the way to where my sister got dropped off at Camosun College, sitting like a little human. When I got dropped off at my school downtown he looked awfully worried but he rode back quietly with my mom, got off at home and never tried it again. I think his curiosity was satisfied.

During the time at Beckwith, Teddy was free to once again trounce around the neighborhood without his leash. I never knew what he did out there but one spring/summer day my sister and I went rollerblading to the park. Teddy often followed me down to the park but this time I was a little worried as I was on rollerblades and unable to usher him if a car came by. He was ok though and a curious thing happened. As it was a nice summer day the neighbors were all out doing gardening. As I passed each house a few neighbors stopped me asking me if Teddy was my cat. It was too my surprise he was well known in the neighborhood, and thankfully unlike his old neighborhood well liked. Every house had a story to tell. I was much distressed to learn he had trapped himself in one neighbors garage for two days during the winter... atleast I knew where he was those two frightful nights I was so worried sick about him.  

When we finally got down to the park to my nervousness I notice a huge group of children who spot Teddy immediately and run to him laughing. I bite my lip.. 

I haven't mentioned to this point Teddy's famous temper. He could be as pleased as punch one moment, loving and the most nicest, friendliest cat you would ever meet but if you were to ever cross him his dark side would be revealed. He believed that people should be punished for all percieved and real crimes against him. The revenge would be swift and brutal. He would be all claws and teeth until he felt you had learned your lesson. 

You never really know what would make Teddy angry. A short list I compiled of his most hated things. 
1.Singing – Teddy hated singing especially if his name is mentioned in the song.
2.Being overheated – Teddy would often sleep on top of the computer monitor and would often get overheated. We would discourage him to sleep there but of course it is our fault for his eventual discomfort. He would let us know he was displeased.
3.Being asked questions – For whatever reason Teddy hated questions. I think he expected you to be a mind reader. His most hated question was “do you want to go outside?” he would stand at the door and growl and hiss. When he was in a particular fowl mood he would hate all questions. “What's the matter Teddy?” GROWL..... Hiss... Swish of tail... “Are you upset about something?” Hiss again only louder. “Why are you so grumpy?” At this he would leap up run across the room and start ripping up the carpet in a mad tantrum before running up stairs.. Most of the time at this point his nail had gotten caught in the carpet and he would fall over on his side resulting in a bit of laughter from the humans.
4.Laughter – Any sort of joke he was at the center of was punishable. There was one time I was holding teddy and he slipped from my grasp. I tried my best to keep him from tumbling to the ground, instead he summersaulted awkwardly in my arms landing on his side softly. He was unhurt but the scene was so funny we all couldnt help doubling over laughing. A darkened look crossed Teddy's face. He started coming after me slowly but delibertly as if he made up my mind I must die. He followed me slowly like some crazed murderer trying to bite my ankles. He chased me this way around the basement and upstairs before I escaped.
5.Boris – Teddy's arch nemesis the black and white cat next door. Any mention of his name was forbidden in our household. (more on Boris later)
6.Losing – Teddy loved to play games but he hated losing. A friendly game of string would often lead to several scratches and bite marks if he percieved injustice.

Anyways back to the children. At first Teddy was quite pleased with all the attention. But being so many grabby as kids ofter are I could see Teddy's face darken. Suddenly the future was clear to me and it didn't look good. I politely excused myself picked up Teddy and started to nervously rollerblade down the street with him. Have you ever rollerbladed holding a cat? Normally this probably isn't a good idea. But being Teddy he absolutely loved it! He thought it was the coolest thing he calmy stretched his arms out and enjoyed the ride home.

Teddy - Bootcamp!

Teddy had some severely notty habits in the house. First you couldn't keep him off the counters. If my grandmother was to put a salad bowl down for a second you could bet Teddy would be sitting in it the next. My grandmother would patiently wash it and put Teddy on the floor again. He would soon be up again snooping into everything. Several times I came over to notice Teddy's whisker were all but gone, twisted and blackened, he had gone up on the stove again and gotten a little bit to close. Every type of food had to be kept out of reach. One day Teddy had eaten off the tops of a dozen sugary muffins. Nothing detered Teddy though once one thing stopped him he was off causing trouble somewhere else.

It was with a bit of caution I set him up at Matt's house. Worrying Teddy would be too much of a handful I made sure Matt was well informed about his behaviour. Matt, however, was very firm with Teddy making sure he stayed off the counters and kept in line. Teddy learned to be a bit sneakier about it. I came through the door one day with Matt only to find a plate of perogis half eaten sprawled out across the floor. It was the food of Matt's roomate who seemed to be the target of Teddy Trouble. After he had forbidden Teddy to sleep on top of his fishtank which had a nice heated lamp, Teddy took a little revenge by peeing all over his bed.

Matt and company did enjoy Teddy for the most part who was super friendly in your face sort of kitty who demanded much attention and love. Drool was a major concern tho when teddy got a little too happy drenching the shirt of the petter. Unfortunately it wasn't long after Matt first took on Teddy as a house guest he had to move and Teddy was again without a home.

After pleading my parents for Teddy I was able to take him home with me finally! We were very pleased his couple of months with Matt and straightened him out somewhat. He was a little less eager to go on the counters and even though he didn't stop being Teddy his behaviour was much improved.

Teddy - Life on a Leash

Since Teddy loved the outdoors so much, grandma decided to allow teddy to go out but Teddy was now restricted to a very lengthly leash which could be stretched (in a straight line) all the way across my grandmothers large garden. I thought it seemed a bit cruel and unusual to keep a cat on the leash but Teddy didn't seem to mind at all. In fact I don't think he really noticed or thought about it at all. He did however became the world's most prolific knot tier as he worked across the yard twisting and knotting himself around trees, picnic tables and anything else he could find, into the most complex knots known to man. When he would get to the end of his rope he simple stopped and waited to be untied. It became clear although less neighbors were complaining the rope posed all sorts of new problems. My grandma would begin patiently untie Teddy several times a day from his knotty works of art. 

During this time Teddy enjoyed visits from my dad and I to the garden where we would work for several hours every weekend in the Spring and Summer clearing the land and planting. Teddy would jump into the wheel barrel for a free ride which he absolutely loved, he would also help dig holes when planting potatoes (and helped fill some of them too) and in the Fall Teddy would help us pick apples by chasing after the fallen ones putting his paws on them till we picked it up. During this time I might add we were constantly untieing him. He would wind himself around my legs in one direction until he came to a stop nearly tripping me while also tieing an amazing knot up and down my dad's apple tree ladder.

Things started to get a bit more dangerous when he managed to make sprialing knots going up a tree. On one occasion he got so stuck that the neighborhood squirrels seeing Teddy tied in a helpless state decided to take advantage of the situation, pestering and biting him. This started Teddy's life long campaign for revenge against the squirrels. On one extremely scary incident my dad and I were called to my grandma's house. Teddy was found spinning back and forth from the top of the apple tree by his neck! Somehow he managed to get free of his bottom harness but was now dangling helplessly meowing as he turned.

My grandmother kept Teddy for 4 years. Although he was quite a handful he was very loved and very affectionate to grandma and to all that met him. He may have been an awful trouble to my grandma at times but he kept her on her toes and gave her a lot of company. With sadness my grandmother had a stroke and later died in the hospital. Teddy was very devestated. At this time I wanted to take him home but my mother was worried about his bad habits and rambunctiousness. I instead asked around and a good friend of mine, Matt, offered to take on this challenge.

Teddy - The Early Years

We had just arrived back home in Victoria after a long trip to Kitimat. Arthur, our beautiful Turkish Angora cat, had been staying with my Grandma for the last couple of weeks along with our bunny Bailey and hamster Rebecca. She had so enjoyed the company of Arthur that she decided she wanted a cat. We began looking for a perfect companion for her and it didn't take long before we spotted a tiny tabby cat in the window of Specs. Being the postcard perfect kitten we didn't hesitate before we purchased him and took him home.

Once at our house it didn't take us long to realise this kitten was quite a handful. Bouncing off walls and getting dangerously close to our otherwise Buddha-patient Arthur, who was none too pleased with the new house guest. We kept Teddy (named for his rumbunctiousness and friendliness) for a few weeks hoping he would settle down a bit before giving him over to my Grandma but he continued to be a furry bundle of trouble. Eventually tho it was time for him to live at his new home with my Grandma.

The cute little kittie soon became known fondly as Teddy the Terrible. His particular type of behaviour was called Teddy Trouble. Although much loved there was no end to the things Teddy would explore and get into. Furniture was shredded, toilet paper rolls, if found, were strewn throughout the house, the refridgerator became a fun launching pad to pounce on my poor unexpecting grandma when she came acround the corner. Through all this my grandmother dealt with him patiently, his antics were an amusing stories at our Sunday night dinners. 

Things did, however, get a lot more tiresome when he managed to escape and discover the great outdoors. Teddy's main goal in life was to meet as many people as he could, he would invite himself into houses help himself to their food, everyone was his friend. Neighbors called to complain, and he was sent to the SPCA twice by some unthoughtful person. My grandma had to get a taxi to rescue him. After getting caught up several times in trees, however and with the final visit from a police officer warning my grandma to either keep him in the house or on a leash as he was annoying the neighbors Teddy's days of freedom were over. 

Teddy - First Post

Teddy was a very unique cat who was loved by many people (and animals). There is so much to say about Teddy that I decided to create this blog where people can contribute their memories and stories for this remarkable kitty.