Sherman was rescued from an all-cat, no-kill shelter in Denver, CO.  I found him on line before we moved to the Denver area and he struck me because he looked very similar to a cat we had recently lost (R.I.P. Ernie).  We went to look at him and he was not very friendly and actually tried to bite me.  I didn't want to give up on him.  He was an older cat and had lost his left, rear leg.  He had just undergone surgery when we visited him the first time, so I attributed his bad attitude to him just not feeling himself.  So we went to see him again a few months later.  That went much better and we took him home.  You'd never know that he'd lost a leg the way he gets around.  HIs original shelter name was Scheister, which in German means $h!tter, so we changed it.  He is very thankful to have a home and you can just tell it by how he acts.  He doesn't ever sleep up on the bed with us like the other cats, but makes sure to come upstairs to the bedroom every night to make his rounds.

Julius knows he is the King of the house.  And he loves his mama.  He lays next to me in bed every night and loves to win races up the stairs (don't tell him I let him win).  He likes to be called "Handsome Orange Boy" and also answers to Julio.  I don't know why we started to call him that but he seems to like it.  He will let you know if in no uncertain terms that his food bowl is left with only crumbs - he does NOT like to see the bottom of the dish!  Julius also likes to escape out any door that opens, but always comes home.  Home is where the food is.

Ozzy was an impulse adoption.  He is the most wonderful cat.  His shelter name was Talks A Lot and it fit him well, but Ozzy was easier for my (at the time) 2 year old to say.  So Ozzy it was.  He converses with me all day long and is a big boy at 15-16 pounds. 

Minnie was dropped off with her brother and a Bengal at a cats-only veterinarian in Cheyenne, WY - her owner couldn't handle them.  I convinced my husband that she would be a perfect birthday gift for me (a bit early) and I grew up with a "meeser" and would love her!!!  So he gave in and we brougt Minnie home.  She is a classic, show-quality Siamese and I think she knows it.  She is not a typical shoulder cat like a lot of meesers.  She is very aloof and wants us to love her when SHE wants us to lover her.  She is very vocal and "yells" at us quite often.  For some reason, she wants to love on us when we're in the bathroom.  Strange....

Missy was originally named Boogy at the shelter, but we decided that we would give her a name that reflected the season.  My girls decided on Mistletoe since it was December when we brought her home and we call her Missy.  She is a strange cat.  I'm not sure what to say about her.  She is not overtly friendly.  Or unfriendly.  She just kind of "exists" in the house and only wants to be petted when she wants to be petted.