Wednesday, June 14, 2006

This Is Not A "Cat Blog"

And yet, on rare occasions, we here at SoF receive information about cats which we feel compelled to pass on to our readers. Today we have quite a rare tidbit.

Research (Google) has turned up a photographic image of "Mrs. Chippy", the cat who accompanied Ernest Shackleton aboard Endeavour for the famed ill-fated Antarctic expedition. Interestingly, Mrs. Chippy was actually a boy cat. But that's beside the point. The point is that my good friend 9 bears a striking resemblance to Mrs. Chippy. There's no denying it: they could be father and son.

9 has always been adventurous, particularly in the cold. Once, in February, in Vermont, he disappeared for ten days. He returned hoarse, malnourished, dehydrated and bedraggled-- possibly he had gone to the North Pole and back. So I have long suspected that he may be descended from famous explorer-cats, and this new photographic evidence strongly supports my theory.

I will be mounting an expedition to Antarctica this winter to search for Mrs. Chippy's remains and obtain DNA samples which can be used to confirm 9's ancestry. I will need a stout wooden boat, sixty sled dogs, and 700lbs of pemican. Anyone wishing to join the expedition may submit his or her qualifications to this site.

5 Comments:

Blogger Katinka said...

(Uncanny...!)

Dr. Phinklestink -

1972-2006 Associate Research Coordinator for Disovery of Ancient Feline Remains, AUST.

2004 Published "Cats:Our Visitors from Outer Space"

1988 Published "The Lexicon of the Domesticated Feline"

Other atributes:

Expert in the customs of people groups found within the Southern Hemisphere and Antarctica.

Can eat fish, preferably salmon.

6/14/06, 1:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'll volunteer... is insanity a qualification for your expedition... ;D

6/14/06, 4:03 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Chippy has thicker whiskers than 9 - perhaps 9's will get bushier as he is forced to adapt to life among the penguins (what? you wern't going to just *leave* him, were you?)

I request a re-take of the 9 portrait - make him stand in the same position on your shoulder.

My qualifications:
1. can make cats purr.
2. polar experience.
3. dogsledding experience.
4. omniverous, thus able to eat pemmican. Have eaten seal.
5. I saw that penguin movie, thus am expert on Antarctic life.
6. I built an igloo once, thus am expert in polar survival skills once stout wooden boat gets crushed to matchsticks.
7. Have Inuit friends to call on sat phone should (6) be an exaggeration.
8. My word verification is pickmenow.

6/14/06, 7:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Notice to all applicants: if you are selected for the Endeavour to Find Mrs. Chippy’s DNA 2006 Antarctic Expedition, participation will be contingent upon your signature of an iron-clad release, indemnification, and waiver agreement.

6/15/06, 11:27 AM  
Blogger Katinka said...

Contracts, eh?

You know on second thoughts, I really think that Johanna or the mysterious Anonymous would be far more suited to the requirements your expedition. I fear my aversion to cold climates and my lumbago may prove to be something of a hinderance to this endeavour.

However, seeing that 9 may need a companion while you are away, I am available during the next two months (July-Aug.)and would be more than happy to accompany him to the Fijian islands should that be convenient.

cordially,
Harry Phinklestink

6/16/06, 7:47 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home