Cat Daddy and I are on the last part of our holiday, which is a week in a secluded eco-croft in Durness. And, whilst London sizzles in a heatwave that looks set to hit 37°C on Monday, we are luxuriating in the joy that is 23°C and below. It’s absolutely blissful, although I do miss the company of Louis Catorze. (Cat Daddy, however, says he doesn’t.)

I have brought my Great British Map of Folklore and Superstition on holiday with me, and the north coast of Scotland is packed with spooky creatures of interest. These include ghosts, mermaids and even witches who shapeshift into cats, the latter of which made me think Catorze would probably feel quite at home here:

Us: “Do you think our cat is a baobhan sith, or is he a cait sith?” Scottish people: “Aye.”

I’ve said it before but it’s worth repeating: Catorze has the weirdest cat tail I have ever seen. Although the tail itself is still nowhere near as weird as the fact that, when making him, God/Mother Nature/Satan/whoever decided that he wasn’t quite weird enough in his personality, so a weird tail was also necessary:

Nope. We have never seen anything like it, either.

We have various theories in terms of what could have inspired this crocodilian creation. Here are some suggestions:

A friend sent me this, and I see the resemblance.
Catorze’s hindquarters could make a fine hat one day. A very small one, obviously. (Sent by another friend.)
The branch of a monkey puzzle tree. Quite apt as Catorze is both a monkey and a puzzle.
Caterpillar segments, anyone?
A snazzy, snaky bangle, perhaps?
Maybe he’s more haute couture than we realise?

Are there any other Catorzian tailalikes out there? Please let me know, if so.

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30 responses to “La queue du monstre”

  1. Charles Huss avatar

    I prefer to think of him as not weird, but unique.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. iamthesunking avatar
      iamthesunking

      No, he is weird. 🤣🤣🤣

      Liked by 1 person

  2. mmechapeau avatar

    A big thanks to you. Thinking Louis is more haute couture than you realise made my day.
    🐈‍⬛

    Liked by 2 people

    1. iamthesunking avatar
      iamthesunking

      Have you ever seen a tail like it?

      Like

      1. mmechapeau avatar

        A picture doesn’t really go proof. For instance, does Louis’s tail always look like that?
        😺

        Liked by 1 person

        1. iamthesunking avatar
          iamthesunking

          Not always, no. But sometimes the way he curls it makes all the segments really stand out.

          Liked by 1 person

          1. mmechapeau avatar

            Thank you for your answer.

            Liked by 1 person

  3. Dr. CaSo avatar

    😆😆😆 haute couture 😆😆😆 God, your blog should be prescribed instead of prozac!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. iamthesunking avatar
      iamthesunking

      Life with Le Roi is like permanently overdosing on Prozac! 🤣🤣🤣

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Kate Crimmins avatar

    My all black cat had magic stripes you could only see in some lighting. Maybe all black cats have weird or unique tails.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. iamthesunking avatar
      iamthesunking

      People often see Catorze’s segments in photos and think they’re stripes. No, they’re actual segments! Proper pieces!

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Kate Crimmins avatar

        Like those beads that pop together!

        Liked by 2 people

        1. iamthesunking avatar
          iamthesunking

          Hahaha, yes! 🤣🤣🤣 I’ve not seen those for many years!

          Liked by 1 person

      2. Sally Goodman avatar
        Sally Goodman

        All part of his uniqueness!

        Liked by 1 person

        1. iamthesunking avatar
          iamthesunking

          All part of his weirdness.

          Liked by 1 person

    2. Sally Goodman avatar
      Sally Goodman

      Many black cats are “ghost tabbies”. My Snoodle has tabby stripes that can be seen in a certain light. But Le Roi’s tail is something else entirely!

      Liked by 2 people

      1. iamthesunking avatar
        iamthesunking

        I found out yesterday that Blue the Smoke Bengal’s markings disappear in winter when he gets his winter chin! 🤣🤣🤣 Catorze’s tail weirdness is deffo physical breaks in the fur and not colouring.

        Like

  5. Mary McNeil avatar
    Mary McNeil

    Our black cat Orion (RIP) had tabby stripes that showed up in certain kinds of lighting. They were on his body not his tail, and they were very subtle, so that doesn’t sound like Catroze does it ?
    On the subject of Scottish folklore, you may enjoy a blog by Icy Sedgwick

    Main

    https://pod.co/fabulous-folklore-with-icy

    Liked by 2 people

    1. iamthesunking avatar
      iamthesunking

      These are definitely actual cracks in the fur, not a different colour. Catorze is weird. I will check out the blog, thank you!

      Liked by 1 person

    2. iamthesunking avatar
      iamthesunking

      First line of first link: “How did a skeleton end up embedded in the floor …?” It’s so annoying when you get skeletons embedded in your floor, isn’t it? 🤣🤣🤣

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Mary McNeil avatar
        Mary McNeil

        Well, I am not the best housekeeper, so some things on the floor might get overlooked. (The blogger is not only a folklorist but writes her own creepy stories…but given folklore, the skeleton in the floor might not be her fiction.)
        I just googled Celsius to Fahrenheit after reading your newest post and realized you are talking about 104 degrees ! My Lord ! It isn’t a dry heat either is it ? (that really is a factor)

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Ismérie avatar
    Ismérie

    Bonjour,
    Miout, chat le plus gentil du monde (RIP) avait exactement la même queue. Tout noir lui aussi.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar
      iamthesunking

      Vraiment? Comment ça se fait que certains chats aient cette queue mais que la plupart ne l’ait pas? 🤣🤣🤣

      Like

  7. cat9984 avatar

    Are there good cait siths and bad cait siths?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar
      iamthesunking

      Black ones are never good. 🫤

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Aspasía S. Bissas avatar

    Something about his tail makes me uneasy; I have no idea why. I still think he’s adorable, though 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar
      iamthesunking

      HE makes me uneasy!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Aspasía S. Bissas avatar

        That’s why you miss him when you’re away on holiday 😉

        Liked by 1 person

        1. iamthesunking avatar
          iamthesunking

          Cat Daddy says he doesn’t.

          Liked by 1 person

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