By: Maria Libera Vallone
Cat and Mouse
by Mitzi Morrato
“Pussycat pussycat, where have you been?”
“I’ve been up to London to visit the Queen.”
“Pussycat pussycat, what did you there?”
“I frightened a little mouse under her chair.”
“MEOWW!”
I did some research to find out the origins of this rhyme and found that it dates back to the history of the 16th century Tudor England. One of Queen Elizabeth 1st’s waiting ladies had an old cat which roamed throughout Windsor Castle. One day the cat ran beneath the throne where its tail brushed against the Queen’s foot, startling her. Fortunately ‘Good Queen Bess’ had a sense of humor and announced that the cat could wander about the throne room only if it kept it free of mice!
What a perfect Thasc greeting card to match this rhyme!!!! I have always had a special love for cats as far back as I can remember. My first and most special cat was named “Tesoro” or “treasure” in Italian. It is also used as a term of endearment to mean “My Darling” (Tesoro mio).
TesoroTesoro was such a special cat and did silly things most cats won’t do, like jump in the bathtub when I bathed or sit on top of the fridge and use her paw to whack soft balls back to me as I threw them to her. She could also jump higher than any cat I’d seen. She lived to be almost 20 and by that time she was my “daughter”. I could never imagine a life without her. I was so affected by her passing that I swore I wouldn’t get another cat again. And I didn’t….until 27 years later. Her name is Sofia. I forgot to mention that both Sofia and Tesoro understood only Italian commands. My friends always laugh but now some of them give Sofia the same commands especially at eating time: Vuoi mangier? Do you want to eat? (pronounced: Vwoy mahn-jar-ray)
I’m sure many of you are cat lovers like me. Why not send a comment to the blog and tell me about yours. And if you are a dog lover, fear not. I have another wonderful Thasc greeting card on “Dogs”, my blog for Thursday.
See you then.
-Maria
(and Sofia!)
THASC is a unique American business producing cards and other promotional products.
www.thasc.com
Precious Art By Precious People 
Our cat Pepper used to like to play baseball with Jen when she’d come home after work.
She would sit on the clothes washer in the kitchen and catch or swat the same kind of balls
back as Jennifer pitched them to her! Until her little brother Buster (“Bustardo”, as Jennifer calls him) came home in her arms and “ruined everything”. He wouldn’t let her play anymore without interfering. Pepper has been with us for twelve years and Buster now for five, and we love them both very much.
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I love them too!!!!! I never knew that about Pepper…Thanks, Joe!
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Maria,
I do adore cats,even though l never had one.cats are soft and cuddly. And they do the funniest things. Sophie yes is an italian cat, she knows the language, that’s for show.’She’s a pleasure to watch for you. When l watch her, when it’s dinner time that’s all you have to say is mangina sophie,and she comes running. That’s amor de!!!
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Dana, I know how much you mean to Sofia. She looks forward to your care each time you feed her. And especially that you speak HER language is an extra plus. If I knew how to say “Thanks” in Meow laguage , I would!!! You’re right “That’s amore!!!!”
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Just stopping by to say hello Maria! I love that I am learning some Italian words and phrases when I read your blog! Thanks for putting correct pronunciation next to some words! I have had several cats, but it would be too emotional for me to reminisce about them here and now, as I do miss them all (Mittens, Lucky, Tiger, Portia and Briana). One thing I would like to say is that I wish pet owners would put ‘safe’ collars around their pets’ necks with identifying info. such as the pet’s name and owner’s phone #; an ID chip is ok too. A stray cat/ dog that wanders away from home might not end up destitute or dead if pet owners would do this. Amen.
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Dear Maureen,
I know your love for cats and I love that you “stop by” the blogs. Thank you. You are a wealth of information regarding your love and care for cats. I appreciate all of your suggestions which are excellent ones. I will try to put more Italian phrases in so you can learn them phonetically. To eat is mangiare ;I think it’s spelled wrong in the blog., but the phonetic pronunciation is correct Please write often. I love your comments!!!!
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My cats name is Pumpkin. She is 21 years old (young). I got her at Thanksgiving and because she was the color of Pumpkin Pie thus, her name. When I brought her home Kiki (my husband) said “you know I only like German Shepard’s”. Guess who fell in love with Pumpkin, and who sleeps with him, who feeds her.AND who cleans her litter box..Kiki.. I’m sure there is a moral to this story. “never say No to a cat”
Anna
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Love my Brandy a tiger orange He looks like a lion when he has his tiger cut from the groomer I trained him to lift his right paw when I have a treat in my hand
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