I have always loved tortoise shell cats. When Slick found her way into my life 17 years ago, that love found fulfillment.

She was the “baby” back then. Now she is the matriarch in the family. She has renal disease, but is mostly asymptomatic, and she is in pretty good shape for her age.

Recent photo of Slick, the Queen of Comfort

I wrote about Slick’s story back in 2009. I don’t think I can improve upon it, so I thought I would share what I wrote back then. What follows is a reprint from a post that I wrote on 6/27/09.

Slick came into my life in the summer of 1995. A small oil spill caused by a pipeline rupture had filled the Tuscarawas River near my home with black oily goo. I volunteered with the wildlife rescue for the spill, as many ducks and geese were harmed by the oil that invaded their habitat. Along with the wildlife, the rangers also brought in a calico kitten who had been romping along the riverbed.

I already had two cats at the time, Beezie (read about Beezie here) and Bub. I had no intentions of taking in any more cats. But there was something about this little kitten…The rangers thought that she had oil on her because of the black patches in her fur, but that turned out to be her natural markings. She did have an injured paw, though. I was concerned that she would not be saved if they took her to the Humane Society. The local HS was a fine organization, but was overwhelmed, and not likely to treat an injured animal.

I made the mistake of putting my hand in the cage that held the kitten. She purred and loved on me so sweetly,  there was no way this cat was going to the Humane Society. The rangers gladly allowed me to adopt her. She was named Slick after the oil spill, and she has been with me ever since.

A minor surgery fixed her paw, and Slick quickly took over my home. She and Bub became friends quickly, and they were best buds until Bub went to the Rainbow Bridge in 2004. Beezie never quite warmed up to her, but she tolerated her, much the same way that Slick tolerates Brewskie today.

Slick became an indoor-only cat at my home. She was pretty wild at first, and obviously missed climbing trees. She loved to climb up on high things like the refrigerator, kitchen cabinets and curtain rods. She has always been a silly character, doing kooky things. She settled down somewhat after a couple of years, but she continues to enjoy high places. She still gets the zoomies now and then, and she is still kooky. She loves the nip and gets drunk as a skunk whenever she partakes.

Slick has always been a great cuddler, and her short tortoise shell colored fur is very soft. Brewskie gets very jealous when she and I cuddle.

I always considered Slick to be my baby. She was younger than Beezie and Bub, and she always just acted younger. Things changed, however, when Beezie went to the Rainbow Bridge in 2003 and Bub in 2004. She and I were both lost without our other pals. She especially missed Bub, with whom she was particularly close.

I knew that Slick would need another companion, as I was often gone for most of the day. A friend directed me to a family that had newly born kittens, and I brought home Noah. Noah proved to be a bit too aggressive for Slick, so I brought home Brewskie to redirect him a bit. Now Brewskie is best buds with Noah in much the same way that Slick and Bub had been. My mother’s cat named “Who” joined us in March 2008 when Mom had to go into a nursing home.

Although I got the others to keep her company, Slick has never really forgiven me for bringing these monsters into her home! She has always treated them with disdain. Brewskie, knowing that I always protect Slick when he or one of the others picks on her, gets especially jealous when I cuddle with her. He seems to think that I favor her.

I love all my cats dearly. But the Brew maybe right. I do sometimes show Slick special attention, because of our history and because she is so much older than the others. Can you blame me?

And that is the story of Slick.