If you have ever had an orange tiger cat you will know how wonderful they can be.  First, I will share about Trigger’s arrival to our homestead and then I will share about two more orange tigers that had a special place in my life.

An Orange Tiger  Needs a Home

We already had two cats, Pebbles, and Heshe.  You can read their stories at the following link. Pebbles and Heshe Why would we want another mouth to feed while homesteading? As it turns out, a coworker told me one day that she had five cats and also had an orange tiger that had been neutered, and she wanted to find a home for him. His name was Spaz because he was so energetic. He needed a place where he could run and use up all that energy. Usually, I would say no, but I knew that my husband (at the time), Gary, loved orange tigers. We had lost our precious Tigger after having him for only one year.

When I returned home, I asked Gary if he would like this kitty and he wanted him. He said there was always room for one more. Excitedly, I told my coworker we would take him into our family and arranged to pick him up. We all went to get him.

Check out my Redbubble shop with products made from Trigger’s picture. This cat mat normally goes for $20.00 and is on sale for $8.00. Click on the picture. To see all the products available for this picture, click on the following link. https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/85719549

Bringing Spaz Home

We got Spaz at night, so when I took a picture, the flash would cause Gary and Spaz to shut their eyes. Spaz seemed to be right at home sitting beside Gary. 

We got Spaz on Sunday, November 11, 2012. My sister asked me on Facebook why we were getting another cat. My answer was, “The reason I wanted him was that he is an active teenager and could play with Heshe. Heshe drives Pebbles crazy following her around and attacking her. This morning, Heshe was following Trigger around instead. I think they are going to have great fun together once they get to know each other better.”

In my Redbubble shop, you can find products made with Trigger’s picture as an adult. He posed for an autumn picture. You can click on the picture to see the mouse pad, but there are other products available at the following link. https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/85786458

Spaz Becomes Trigger

Gary decided right away that this cat would NOT be called Spaz. He changed his name to Trigger. It became a fitting name, for he would run up a tree as if someone pulled the trigger of a gun. He is riding in our truck sitting on the middle console and facing backward in the above picture. He was pretty calm.

Trigger Settles Into Our Home

Trigger loved to go for walks with us and all along the way, He would be running up and down the trees.  Inside the house, he got into mischief when he stuck his head into a plastic bag and then came out the hole of the handle. He looks like he is wearing a diaper.

Orange Tiger is Man’s Best Friend

Why do they always say that a dog is man’s best friend? Well, an orange tiger can certainly be man’s best friend. Dogs get the title because they will follow the man everywhere, but some cats will do the same thing. Trigger was very faithful and even followed Gary across the creek on a fallen log. He loved to go on walks. So, I just couldn’t resist photographing him one day.

Trigger was ready to go for a walk.

Gary says, “Trigger, heel.”

Trigger says, “I am not going to heel like a dog. I’m going to heel the correct way.

Orange Tiger College Cat

Special orange tiger cats can show up anywhere and sometimes they are strays. There was an orange tiger stray where I was boarding in Angwin Hall at La Sierra University. He reminded me of the famous orange tiger cat in the commercials for cat food, named Morris. So, he was named Morris. 

No Animals are Allowed in the Dorm

All dorms have rules, but aren’t unjust rules Okay to break? I was basically a good girl, but I had a naughty streak. Not far from my room and the study hall was a dreadfully-loud alarm that would ring for Chaple in the morning and evening. One day, I had had enough! I got a chair and climbed up on it to reach the alarm, and I disconnected it so that it wouldn’t ring. There were a few peaceful days until someone fixed it.

I worked in the poultry part of the farm and took care of the baby chicks. As they got older, some would get a bacterial infection and I smuggled about three into my room so I could make sure they got food, water, and antibiotics. I was also protecting them from a mean guy that would kill them by holding them by the feet and swinging their heads into the wall.  My roommate wasn’t pleased, but she didn’t report me.

It was another year and another roommate that loved cats when being naughty again I smuggled Morris into our room. He loved the attention. I wanted to keep him and even took him home one weekend, but he didn’t get along with my current cat and I had to bring him back.

My First Orange Tiger

Morris was not technically mine, but he did introduce me to the wonderful personality of orange tigers. Gary had an orange tiger before and wanted another one. This desire happened after we got Pebbles. She hated other cats and we were told not to get another cat. Gary figured a boy could hold his own against her, so we got Tigger. 

Tigger managed to get Pebbles to tolerate him. He was a wonderful and much-loved cat. He loved to play with thin wooden sticks made for floral arrangements. We could have him going in circles to chase one. He got sick and we found out that he had an abdominal infection. It was possibly caused by a foxtail for he may have swallowed a piece of the stick that he would bite off. 

Tigger was only one year old and we thought he deserved a chance at life. We took out Care Credit and took him to a specialist surgeon. He had surgery and even blood transfusions to no avail. The bacteria took over his body and after thousands of dollars invested to save his life, our beloved Trigger died.

Conclusion

Orange tigers in my life have been wonderful friends. I had heartache in not being able to keep Morris. Then, there was the heartache of losing Tigger. Getting Trigger was a blessing to heal our former loss. We were so happy to have another orange tiger. Consequently, if you have never had one, I would recommend that you get an orange tiger for your next cat friend. I still have Trigger and there will be more to his story coming in the future.