Chubby needs to be prepared to out-run Michael at a moment's notice.

For about 3 years, we owned 2 gerbils: Ernie and Bert. Ernie was female and Bert was male; although, the receipt from the pet store stated they were both female. Michael named them.

Gayle met Chubby at her nephews' joint birthday party when he was a kitten.  Here is Chubby when he was about three months old.  (This photo was taken by the breeder, Gayle's sister.)

Gayle was just sitting down to enjoy some cake, when this little ball of fluff jumped up to have some too.  He sniffed at the cake, but decided instead to take a nap in her hand.  As he was still being offered to buyers, she decided that this kitten would be her pet instead of the Golden Retriever dog she had been thinking of getting.  Besides, you don't have to walk cats in the snow.

Chubby had already been named by Gayle's niece, for he was a good eater they said.  Gayle decided to change it slightly, officially naming him Chubby's Baby Face, when registering him.

Taking him to visit her home, to see how the other resident pets would handle this, she found Chubby was a good little traveler, as it was only a short distance anyway.  When he finally did start to meow  she made up an impromptu little ditty:

Chubby wubby was a cat, Chubby wubby had no hat.  Chubby wubby wasn't fat, was he?  Say no!  He wasn't fat.  He was just right!

Singing it over and over, he settled right down.  Ever since then, it's the song to sing when Chubby seems upset, and he calms down again.  It's his song.

Well, when Chubby turned one year old, she fashioned him a birthday hat out of construction paper.  (They don't make party hats in correct sizes for cats!)  Tying it on with a ribbon, it didn't stay on for long.  She also realized she had to change the song now to say, "Chubby wubby had a hat..."

Here is the Chubster last year on his birthday.

In case you are wondering, a plateful of tuna fish works wonders while trying to tie on a party hat.  We even baked cupcakes, but we didn't light the candle for Chubby to blow out.  Michael did it.

Chubby is quite a character now.  He loves to sleep, but he also enjoys being a kitten again, if only in spirit.  He loves to play with toy mice, and watch the gerbils (of course ).  He loves to chase string, or the end of a stick dragged across the carpet.

Because Gayle bought Chubby from her sister, she was able to get videos of Chubby's mother and siblings.  His father is owned by someone else, but we even got a video of him too.  Chubby likes to look at photos of cats, but when we play the videos, Chubby comes over and meows at the TV screen, especially when his mother meows in it.  We think he recognizes her voice.

As Chubby has always enjoyed watching wildlife, either on TV or through a window, we are thinking of getting him a membership in the Audubon Society.  What do you think?  Bird Watchers of America?  In his first home after Gayle bought him, the neighborhood squirrels used to run up the front of the house, hanging onto the brick wall with their claws.  Then they would peek over the edge, especially the young ones who didn't know any better.  They would sit and cock their head to one side and watch as Chubby lunged at the window.  Eventually, Chubby got wise to how hard that window was, and would just sit patiently, perhaps just swiping a paw in their direction.  Silly cat.

He's a lap cat, but on his terms only.  He also loves to lie on top of someone's head, as they sleep.  And he takes all the pillow too.  But we love him.  Our furball, Chubby.