OUR GRANDCAT MISCELLANEOUS --- HE'S THE ONE ON THE RIGHT

When our daughter moved from her dorm to our condo when she was an ASU student, she made a list of things needed. Since she was losing her roommate Nikki, she thought she needed a cat.

In Illinois we had a very famous cat named Cujo who looked a little like her Build-A-Bear cat in the photo. We also had a huge dog, but even for condo living in the West, he wouldn't have been a good fit. So she opted for a cat.

On her list of sundry items was Misc.--cat. When she went to the animal shelter to pick one out, the gray guy stood out. When it came to picking out a name, our daughter went to the list --Miscellaneous. Or Missle for short.

His picture is displayed in at least one dentist's office in Mt. Vernon, maybe more. You see, he brushes his teeth with a toothbrush. And we have it on a photograph illustrating his careful brushing technique. One dentist even gave us a dozen toothbrushes with his name on them to try to capture the action for the purpose of advertising. So far, he hasn't come through.

That's basically his only talent. Unless you count sleeping. One day last week when Courtney returned from work eight hours later, she swore he hadn't moved from his spot. He's fun to play catch with little cat ball toys, but he doesn't throw it back too well. Once in a great while he'll kinda push it back to you, though.

Two other grandcats reside in Illinois: Moonlight Graham and Cuddles. They have even fewer abilities than their California uncle. They do survive in the wild woods where other cats, some feral, dogs, deer, racoons, groundhogs, skunks and even a red fox or two hang out. And that's much better than Misc. who has trouble when he's on the patio and one neighbor cat comes to play.

It's fun to have grandcats. Even if I am allergic to them.