Stryper
Sadly, Stryper died in late 2019, but I've left her page up for reference...
Stryper was our Maine Coon, which is the largest breed of domestic cats. We got her in early 2012 from the neighbor of a friend, because Stryper had broken her leg, and the husband was allergic to cats, and etc., etc...
We took her in, and she healed up just fine, and she was a very energetic young cat. We tried not to let her out of the house, because a couple of times earlier in her time with us she would go out and not come back – for as long as two weeks! We honestly thought we had lost her forever, then she came back as if nothing had happened. So, later, her only opportunities to go out were under "adult supervision"...we would sometimes let her walk around our yard (and eat grass, which is about all she really wanted to do out there anyway).
She did love to play with us, though...she would chase the end of a string all around the room!
Sometimes we would have an interloper -- a small black and white cat that liked to come into our yard and look for Stryper. When Stryper would see him, though, she'd growl, start yelling, and try to get the other cat (through the glass). We would tell her she was a good guard cat!
Even though she was large (for a cat) and already nine or ten years old (aeven years living with us), Gaye's favorite term of endearment for her was "baby!"
Oh, and she snored! It was the funniest thing – she made this soft little high-pitched humming sound when she was deeply asleep.The slightest disturbance would make her stop, too - all I would have to do was softly say, "Good Kitty," and she won't awaken, but she would stop snoring!
Dan calls Stryper "Camouflage Cat," because her markings actually caused her to blend right in with our bedroom couch. Sometimes, especially when the light was low, we would really have to look for her there!
A picture from January 2016, where Stryper is watching her favorite Christmas toy being dangled overhead...
In July 2016, Stryper is - again - expectantly looking up at something...
In March 2016, Gaye happily endured Stryper trying to "help" her play a song on our keyboard!
This is the photograph that Gaye says best captures the essence pf Stryper!
Newer Photo of Stryper!