Mark Twain's Cats

John Hartwell

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The pictures are well post-war, but, I'm sure Sam Clemens loved his cats, during the 1860s, too.

“I simply can’t resist a cat, particularly a purring one. They are the cleanest,
cunningest, and most intelligent things I know, outside of the girl you love, of course.”

Mark-Twains-Cats-Awake.jpeg

Mark Twains Cats, 1887

“If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve man,
but it would deteriorate the cat.”


Mark-Twain-with-Cat-on-His-Shoulder.jpg


“When a man loves cats, I am his friend and comrade, without further introduction.”


Mark-Twain-with-his-cats-02.jpeg

Sam and his pool-buddy.​


He made the whole world laugh. Yet Mark Twain was often an unhappy, overly nervous man. He needed relaxation to keep on an even keel ... to sharpen his mind and wit. His cats were his safety-valve.
Whenever he played pool, he'd tuck a small kitten into a corner pocket. The antics of the little animal as it pawed at passing balls amused and relaxed Sam Clemens, sent him back in high spirits to write the stories that endeared him to all.​
 
President Lincoln also loved cats, kittens mostly. You can understand why the ancient Egyptians worshiped cats, what’s not to like about a cat, Mark Twain and I would have got along together just fine.

I find that if the cat doesn't trust a person, that person soon proves the cat right. I don't know how they do it but they're real accurate! Donna's list was cool. Of course, Robert Southey binged my Nelson button - love the cat's title: The Most Noble the Archduke Rumpelstiltzchen, Marquis M'Bum, Earl Tomlemagne, Baron Raticide, Waowhler, and Skaratch. (Nelson had a fondness for cats, too, by the way! )
 
I find that if the cat doesn't trust a person, that person soon proves the cat right. I don't know how they do it but they're real accurate! Donna's list was cool. Of course, Robert Southey binged my Nelson button - love the cat's title: The Most Noble the Archduke Rumpelstiltzchen, Marquis M'Bum, Earl Tomlemagne, Baron Raticide, Waowhler, and Skaratch. (Nelson had a fondness for cats, too, by the way! )
Who doesn’t love dogs, it’s their nature to love people and will do so unconditionally. Cats are pickier and if they chose to like you it’s because they’ve made a decision to do so. That’s important to me.
 
I had cats all of my adult life until about two years ago when the last of my 18-year-olds died. We just couldn't get another beastie right away and time went by. Last year my wife, who had dogs until we got married (her last one having died at 12 not long after we met), decided she wanted a dog and after futile resistance I consented. I like dogs but they're a lot of work and aren't independent like cats; can't leave the dog two days in the house while you go away for the week-end.

So now I've got a dog and am learning to be a dog person. It's a different sort of arrangement but Maddy's a good girl (well, most of the time). I'll admit to being tickled when I come home from some errands and she's so excited to see me and acts like I'd been gone for years.
 
You feel glad Twain had cats to be buddies with him. Seems clear he was fairly emotional, despite the whole curmudgeonly thing and could use some back and forth. They probably understood each other. Wife did not seem the cuddly type.

No one will like this but most animals can be awfully cute. We get those little garter snakes curled up on our bushes out here for a nap. Never disturb one, since it seems a shame. Dislike coming across a copperhead but that's because they tend to misunderstand your intent and don't give you a chance to explain yourself.

We're down to one cat, now obese with no one to play with except the dogs. We saved a German Shepherd from a high kill shelter whose single fault is her conviction cats are vermin to be eradicated from the planet. So we have one, morbidly obese, upstairs cat and 2 downstairs dogs, a toddler gate and an uneasy peace.
 
My uncle had an Abyssinian - quite by accident, too. It showed up at his cabin up in the mountains like it had been dropped from a UFO! No idea at all where it came from - or what it was. (It never got pregnant or went looking for love, and he didn't want to be snoopy.) None of the people would touch it - they'd admire it but never touch it because it looked too much like this kittie:

2395046_p.jpg
 
] View attachment 184102 I like weird cats and none are stranger than Abbys. Here's our old lady camped out all over my work bench:

Uncle's loved to go fishing with him. It would hop into the boat and take off down the river with Uncle like it was Popeye the Sailor! Never fell overboard. When it died, the people all came to its funeral and gave it a real Indian send-off. He never named it but the people called it Little Cougar.
 
The pictures are well post-war, but, I'm sure Sam Clemens loved his cats, during the 1860s, too.

“I simply can’t resist a cat, particularly a purring one. They are the cleanest,
cunningest, and most intelligent things I know, outside of the girl you love, of course.”

View attachment 183729

Mark Twains Cats, 1887

“If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve man,
but it would deteriorate the cat.”


View attachment 183730

“When a man loves cats, I am his friend and comrade, without further introduction.”


View attachment 183731

Sam and his pool-buddy.​


He made the whole world laugh. Yet Mark Twain was often an unhappy, overly nervous man. He needed relaxation to keep on an even keel ... to sharpen his mind and wit. His cats were his safety-valve.
Whenever he played pool, he'd tuck a small kitten into a corner pocket. The antics of the little animal as it pawed at passing balls amused and relaxed Sam Clemens, sent him back in high spirits to write the stories that endeared him to all.​
Good thread. Felicity and I agree.

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