Eightball

Eightball, then named Bear, and her sister Mousie were surrendered to RAPS when the couple they lived with divorced.

Eightball

Mousie, 2009

photo by Phaedra

Mousie has since passed away. Phaedra describes her as "like her sister with her cute looks but not so much with the sweet nature." Even though Mousie was not terribly tolerant of other cats, she did find a good friend in Phaedra.


Eightball is easy to get along with. She can also be quite the entertaining cuddler, performing on occasion the Eightball dance, which Ann refers to as "the 8 ball in the side pocket."  Apparently, if you imagine the little black cat having sweetspots along her side in the rough position of pool table pockets and you scratch her side accordingly, she will respond with great enthusiasm.

I haven't hit the spot yet, but Phaedra's managed to get quite the little happy cat wriggle going in this video:



Even with her small size and cuddly personality, Eightball's no pushover. Sanctuary volunteer John has noticed her ability to somehow take over any sleeping spot she wishes, regardless of any other cat thinking they had some prior claim.

It was just this, in fact that caused me to finally run afoul of volatile Baby.

I was stroking Eightball, which she liked, before I moved across the tearoom to take some photos of Joanie where she was sleeping on the table. Baby was snoozing on a chair by the door. While taking pictures, I must have backed a bit closer to the chair (my guard foolishly down because the demon-Baby appeared dormant). What I didn't take into account was Eightball following me across the room and then deciding that perhaps she would like to sit on the nice chair by the door.

Before I know it, Baby, now suddenly wide awake, is lunging at my leg, I'm bleeding, he and I are yelling at each other, and little Eightball is sitting blithely in the middle of what had been Baby's chair.