The Cat With Seventeen Lives

A Guardian column about The Bear.

Tough Cats Comp Winner Luvly And Friends With His Winnings

Some pics of Luvly, the winner of Under The Paw's Toughest Cat contest, with his Applaws winnings, which he's been sharing with - or guarding quite fiercely from, by the looks of things - the rest of the residents of Shropshire Cat Rescue.

The 2011 Search For The Internet's Toughest Moggies: The Winners

Massive thanks to everyone who entered this year's Toughest Cat Comp, and those who tried to sway (and probably did, slightly) the judges. To be honest, there was virtually nothing to choose between the top three - each of whom displays a very different kind of feline toughness to their peers - but my final decision was largely dictated by the fact that I'm a sucker for a good feline rescue story. So, without further ado...

THIRD PLACE
Punk


SECOND PLACE
Beeswax


THE CHAMPION:
Luvly
Before:

After:


Punk and Beeswax both win signed copies of my latest book, Talk To The Tail, which they will hopefully let their owners read after they've finished. Luvly, meanwhile, will received a signed copy, including a special illustration by Jackie Morris, and a £100 HAMPER of the addictive Applaws cat food, which he will be sharing with his fellow moggies at Shropshire Cat Rescue. I was lucky enough to grab a few quick words with him in the aftermath of his victory...

Hello Luvly. How do you feel about winning the title of The Internet's Toughest Cat?
Feelings? Feelings are for the weak and emotional. Er, what's the Internet??

Can you tell us a little bit about your life?
I don't remember much about the beginning. They've told me I was in a bad way and that now I'm a little miracle. Of *course* I'm a miracle, I'm Luvly, and don't you forget it. Daily routine goes something like this........in the mornings one of my servants brings me tasty morsels before I start my daily patrol. There's the elderlies to check in on - that can take a while because they can't half go on. By mid morning my claws need sharpening and as luck would have it there are always four wonderful scratching posts one on each corner of the tin boxes that the hoomans move about in. Then I might go for a siesta in one of the many hideyholes there are dotted around. After a snooze I will go bother the girls in the office, honestly, their grammar leaves alot to be desired but at least I get to torment the mouse. Climbing up trees or on the shed rooves is something I particularly enjoy - from up there I can survey my domain. Early evening more servants arrive with more food, before I cosy up for the night.

And what do you think are your particular "hard cat" qualities?
All this talk of me being hard, pah, I'm a pussycat! I had nothing to do with next door's dog going into therapy. Honest. And what do they expect if I lie on my back for a tummyrub? Of *course*I'm going to grab, that's what claws are for. Can't have people thinking I'm a softie now can I

Finally, what do you plan to do with your winnings, and how are you thinking of celebrating?
As I'm a generous soul I'm going to share the Applaws with some of my comrades, and the elderlies, who are queuing up for it already. Thought I might also have a cattogram. But bet they won't think of that.............

Jake: The Ultimate Cat Man

I mentioned this video about Jake, the Texan hermit who has adopted over five hundred cats from his local shelter, in my post a week or two back about old cats (Jake owned Creme Puff, the oldest ever cat, and Grandpa, who wasn't far behind him in years), but I thought I should post the vid itself, which is weird, macabre and inspiring at the same time, and almost certainly hasn't yet found its true audience...

Stray Dave Chows Down On His Spoils

Thanks to Lenise for taking these pics of the Under The Paw Hardest-Looking Cat Comp Winner enjoying his prize at the Lewisham branch of CHAT.