A Cat Page For Denali

by Dawn
(Fairchild AFB, WA)

My little Chicken Nugget..Nally Monster..Nally pants.. just a few of the nicknames she's endured from me. I'm sure she gets at least one new nickname yearly : )Denali is a Tortie; she's my adorable little sweatheart and for all intents and purposes my kid too! : )

I was volunteering at an animal shelter near Travis AFB, CA when I first laid eyes on her adorable fuzzy little face. It was all over, I picked her up and that was that. I learned she and her litter mates were left in a box outside the fire dept. She has been with me since she was 2 lbs & she'll be 9 years old this July. I named her Denali after the Alaskan interpretation 'The Great One' she was so tiny it only seemed fitting.

I have been comforted knowing that I have my little munchkin to take care of, she's been there through 6 deployments and is always very loving once I return home (with exception of the first day where I get a fuzzy cold shoulder from her for leaving in the first place) : )

She is the smartest cat I've met and follows several instructions to include come, stay, outside and get inside (I'll occasionally add an hondalay for emphasis and she moves quicker) she's still very playful and will do airborne soemersaults for her favorite feather toy.

My little sweetpea talks a lot, tells me everything that has happened throughout her day when I come home and has recently decided my hip or tummy is her personal petbed if I'm lounging on the couch. Very cool little girl; full grown she is barely over 7lbs so she's just an itty bitty thing. Hard to tell with all the fur until she gets her bath. Too cute! She is only mildly uncomfortable in the tub, she's been getting baths since she fit in the sink. She'll stay on the counter for me while I towel her off then brush and blow dry her fur.

Denali's favorite toys include any cloth toy with catnip sewn or velcrow hidden inside of it, feather toys, furry mice toys, Mom's combat boot laces (usually while I am trying to tie them or take them off) and a small piece of nylon rope that used to belong to a laundry bag. : ) Oh and any bag she can find paper or plastic lol I hope you have enjoyed hearing about my little furrball; I love her to pieces. : )