Prickles, a Ragdoll-cross cat, has just turned 23 years old, a remarkable milestone for the beloved companion of Lakes Entrance resident Giselle.
The kitten was gifted to Giselle by her mother as a birthday present when she was just eight weeks old.
“Mum got her from a coworker whose Ragdoll pedigree cat had fallen pregnant to an alley cat,” Giselle said. “She wasn’t well handled at first, so it took Mum a while to coax her out from under the fridge where she was hiding with her siblings. From the start, Prickles was a cat with sass who preferred her own company. She often took a swipe at you, so the name seemed appropriate. It’s only with age that she has warmed up and seeks a cuddle.”
Prickles has moved with Giselle across Victoria, living in Fitzroy, Warrandyte, Bulleen, Croydon, Kilsyth, Bayswater, and finally Lakes Entrance.
“She was always a challenge to keep indoors at night. At any opportunity, she’d dash out through a crack in the door, returning home in the early hours with a live rat or mouse,” Giselle said. “She even preyed on pardalotes and once caught a bat, though I managed to free it unharmed. Thankfully, she retired from hunting around 12 years old. Now, she still wakes me between 4am and 5am, demanding a cuddle or breakfast.”
Age has mellowed Prickles, who now enjoys sunbathing, brief garden strolls, and a good brush, but her sass remains. “She’s still the boss of our dogs and speaks her mind. You can’t have a barbecue without her asking for a taste of steak,” Giselle laughed.
Prickles celebrated her birthday on January 30, and Giselle says she is grateful for the 23 years of companionship. With most domestic cats living between 12 and 17 years, Prickles is certainly having a long, happy life.
