Random Pet Family Appreciation Thread 34: Cats!

Unread post by **Falcon** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 7:55 pm

Fixed. -_- I even forgot Dejanira's fourth cat and didn't realize till now.. *crawls into a dark corner out of total embarrassment..* Maybe I shouldn't post anymore today..

Sun Sep 02, 2012 7:59 pm

D'aw, you're okay. Everyone has off days sometimes.

Unread post by **Falcon** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 8:07 pm

Thanks, today's been pretty off, yeah, I won't post the rest of Toph's kitties till I'm more coherent. x_x

Sun Sep 02, 2012 8:09 pm

I had been waiting for you to come in this thread and post about Hawkbane.

I look forward to seeing the rest of your kitties.

Unread post by **Falcon** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 9:27 pm

Tyger talked me into it, and I apologize if this turns spammy. Here's the rest of Toph's pride:

Jada

Jada is the newest member of the pride and Hawkbane's mate. Her name originally belonged to a cinderweb broodling from The Molten Front, but our bond was short lived, so the spider was released back to her home and her name migrated to this hunched snow leopard. I'd gone to End Time with Hawkbane and with my best friend in order to find a mate for my number one cat. I'd originally intended on taming a hunched white tiger, but decided to let Hawkbane choose for himself, plus, one of the snow leopards kept looking at him before turning away in a manner that seemed almost shy. I pointed the leopard out to my best friend, and she agreed, and Hawkbane seemed to be staring off in that one cat's direction. So, the choice was made and Jada came home.

She's quiet and prefers staying back in the stables and helping Rehema look after the rest of the pride, knowing that her mate and mistress will come home safe and sound; however, she does enjoy outings once and a while so she can stretch her legs, and so Hawkbane won't end up missing her for too long.

Pharaoh

Even before he was changed to an orange saber-cat style tiger, I've always loved Shango, but I had no clue which of my hunters he'd fit the best with until the day he helped me tame King Krush. I ended up taming Shango thrice as a sacrificial pet for Bestial Wrath back at the end of WotLK, and ever since then, I felt like I owed him in return for the help. More detail can be found in this post on my blog.

Rehema

Rehema was the first hunched cat I ever tamed on Toph and her name means 'compassionate' in Egyptian. She's empathic and motherly towards Toph and towards her stable-mates, always managing to keep the peace whenever squabbles break out. Her gentle nature ended up catching the eye of my best friend's blue warp stalker, Barroth, and the two became an item.

Rehema, Barroth, and two of their cubs.

Riana

Riana is one of the youngest members of the pride, and she's Tomas's mate. There's not really much to say about her since she's always been very quiet, and she can't bear to be apart from Tomas, so she's something of an enigma to me.

Sekani

Sekani's name is 'to laugh' in Egyptian, and boy, does he fit that to a t. In spite of his big, impressive mane, he's a goofy little cub at heart, always smiling and looking like he's thinking of something funny. He's a very silly lion, and he's also the one who got the 'Stood In The Fire' achievement for Toph, since had I not decided to go look for Sambas, I never would've been in Ramkahen the moment Deathwing torched it.

Tomas

Last, but definitely not least, is Tomas, Riana's mate. He's named after Smoke from Mortal Kombat, who's real name is Tomas Vrbada. Unlike most of Toph's cats, Tomas is more of a loner and less affectionate, save towards Riana, but he'll show affection towards Toph on rare occasions. He does possess a fiery streak, though, since he was quite the handful when he was testing Toph before he saw her worthy enough to become his partner.

And that's Toph's pride, sorry for so much spam. ^_^;

Sun Sep 02, 2012 9:35 pm

Wow that's a lot of cats!

But they all look great with your hunter and it's neat that they all have some little story to go with them.

Unread post by **Falcon** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 9:59 pm

Thank you, Tyger! *too tired to type anything else*

Unread post by **Aquillian** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 10:13 pm

Man these are my favorite threads to read... I'm such a dork, I get excited every time they get new posts! I just wanted to say that I saw Hawkbane while farming for my Netherrays a few weeks back and it made me think of Toph. I couldn't remember your name, but I knew someone on Petopia was Hawkbane's "owner" so to speak. I'm happy to report that for the entire two days I farmed he remained alive and well ^_^ Anyway thanks everyone for sharing their stories!

YouTube Edition · Unread post by **Kalliope** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 10:13 pm

Definitely agreed, Aquillian; I always think of Toph when I see Hawkbane, since I've never known anyone else with such a deep attachment to him.

Unread post by **Falcon** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 10:22 pm

D'aww, you guys.

I'm glad that he was alive and well, Aquillian, and that's okay, I'm pretty forgettable since I tend to disappear for months on end.

Unread post by **Bithala** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 12:51 pm

Ah, cats, mine (and probably everyone else's) favorite family.

My first pet I ever bonded with was a cat, on my main, Bithala. When I was questing in Sholazar, I decided I wanted one of the pretty dreadsabers I had seen all over the place. Little did I know I would become so attached to him, but during my adventures, I did and he's now an always permanent resident of my stable. Here he is, my favorite and first cat.

Jude-

Yes, I named him Jude after the song Hey Jude, because it's my favorite song, and my favorite cat deserves a fine name like Jude. He is my heart and my soul. He and Bithala are one. This tauren couldn't live without this cat. He is fierce, protective, and would do anything to protect his master. He does have his soft side though, and will curl up against Bithala for a nap; he is always at her side. He is the fatherly type, although I have yet to find a girl for him

Here's me as a bunny and Jude having fun during Noble Garden (:

"Is that delicious looking bunny really my master? Dangit."

Such an old screenshot, such old armor, such a young Jude. He's been with me for a long time, and will be with me for the times to come.

Now, Jude's brother, is a new addition.

Harlem-

I'm not sure why I named him Harlem, but it just popped in my mind when I tamed him and I stuck with it. Harlem and Jude are brothers, both from the wilds of Sholazar. Jude was unwary of the new arrival at first, but they bonded quickly. Harlem is very young and very playful, always bothering Jude. Jude gets annoyed easily, but he'll play with Harlem sometimes. In turn, Jude is teaching Harlem how to be a fierce cat like he is. They learn off of each other

I think he looks good with my firey hippogryph.

Harlem has also brought the playful nature out of Bithala- they sometimes play chase with each other.

These two cats are inseparable to Bithala. Although Harlem is new and I don't have many screenshots with him, I will build some memories with him (: Hopefully come MoP, I'll fill my stables up with some more beautiful cats, but for now these two beauties are my pride and joy (:

My Magistream Keep · Unread post by **starkittens** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 1:00 pm

So many cats!!!!
/fear
So many white cats!
Not very many Lynxes nor the old Lion skin...
Our common lions need some loves too!

Unread post by **Sesamee** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 1:41 pm

starkittens wrote:So many cats!!!!
/fear
So many white cats!
Not very many Lynxes nor the old Lion skin...
Our common lions need some loves too!

I can't bond at at all to the classic cat models. The lions look scraggly and the others look too blocky. I love reading the stories about those who have and I can appreciate the bonds of those who love them or have had them for years but they're just not for me.

They desperately need an update. We have A LOT of cat skins but so many of them look so terrible that, quite frankly, they don't count.

My Magistream Keep · Unread post by **starkittens** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 1:56 pm

Sesamee wrote:
starkittens wrote:So many cats!!!!
/fear
So many white cats!
Not very many Lynxes nor the old Lion skin...
Our common lions need some loves too!
I can't bond at at all to the classic cat models. The lions look scraggly and the others look too blocky. I love reading the stories about those who have and I can appreciate the bonds of those who love them or have had them for years but they're just not for me.

They desperately need an update. We have A LOT of cat skins but so many of them look so terrible that, quite frankly, they don't count.

That is true.
But, they should still be shown some love too! Just because they look blocky doesn't mean that they don't want some love too!

Unread post by **Sesamee** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:39 pm

The love they need most is from the devs with some updated looks, lol!

YouTube Edition · Unread post by **Kalliope** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 3:02 pm

starkittens wrote:Our common lions need some loves too!

I didn't put in a pic, but Jambalaya is a plain old lion.

My Magistream Keep · Unread post by **starkittens** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 3:11 pm

Kalliope wrote:
starkittens wrote:Our common lions need some loves too!
I didn't put in a pic, but Jambalaya is a plain old lion.

Yay! Awesome Kalli to the rescue!

Unread post by **Niabi** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 3:42 am

I was wondering when we would be seeing the topic of cats for pet family appreciation

Cats would have to be one of, if not the most favorite of all my pet families (definitely top 5 for sure). I suppose it has a lot to do with my fondness for felines in RL which in turn, has influenced me to own/adopt/rescue many, many cats over the course of my existence. I could also easily imagine myself paired alongside a regal lion or a sleek jungle cat if such a thing were possible, safe, and ethical.

Khau’s lion is Tsavo:

Back in the days of The Burning Crusade, my very first hunter, Khau, had the prestige of owning all three rare lion skins back when stables only allowed for three pets total. I eventually came to the conclusion to release all but one for the sake of diversity and to further advance my main pet’s fighting skills. Tsavo had taken me the longest time to acquire and so he was chosen to stay on while The Rake and Echeyakee were released back into the wilds. The decision left me with a lot of regret and anguish but I knew it was the right one to make at the time.

Auroryn’s cats are Seraph and Sanguine:

Auroryn was created for the sole purpose of acquiring Echeyakee mostly because of the extreme difficulty I was experiencing when I released Khau’s Echeyakee. It never occurred to me before to play more than one hunter, but the desire I felt to create a Blood Elf and to have my white lion back overcame the apprehension I felt.
Sanguine came along much later, during a time in Cataclysm when I was feeling strong urges to try out some new pets for my hunters. The lynx model seemed attractive enough but I was deeply put off by the way their goatee and cheek fur looked. Nevertheless, the warm, rich hues of their pelt along with the connection they shared with the Blood Elves of Silvermoon piqued my curiousity and I slowly started to warm up to their more likable features.

Kadija’s tiger is Quentao:

Quentao started life off as a Durotar Tiger from the Echo Isles and has since evolved into Shango’s model from Sholazar Basin. I haven’t yet decided whether he will be evolving again into one of the newer tiger models from MoP since doing so will probably make Kadija's other pets look that much more dated and unattractive.

Niabi’s tiger is Jadis:

I had no previous interest in taming this cat but somehow she snuck up on me all of a sudden and made her way into my heart! Before Jadis came along, I was only interested in taming beasts whose features were considered more realistic/believable. I was already set on taming one of the pure white leopard models from Winterspring. As I was finishing up quests in the area, Rak’shiri made his presence known to me through my NPC_Scan addon. That's when I figured, “Why not?” I could always release him if a bond didn’t form and come back for the other cat model later. Sure enough, the instant he flashed and became mine, I realized how utterly perfect he looked standing next to Niabi. Niabi’s other pets already possessed skins that were white, blue, and aqua in tone, so Jadis had no problems fitting right in. Once a name was settled on, he became a she, and now I can never imagine a day goes by without having her running alongside my Draenei.

Ghiselle’s lion is Maksim:

Much like Auroryn, Ghiselle was initially created for the purpose of reacquiring The Rake I had given up on Khau so long ago. Maksim also lent inspiration for Ghiselle’s gold and brown stable theme.

Lilyth’s cat is Saerra:

You wouldn’t know it from the picture, but Sierae is actually one of the Ghost Saber models from the Ruins of Mathystra in Darkshore. I don’t see her as a ghost though but rather as a RL snow leopard. I just hold onto the Ghost Saber model for its rarity and uniqueness. If an updated model made its way into the game which resembled more of a real life snow leopard, then I'd consider evolving Lilyth’s beloved cat.

Unread post by **Rhyela** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:46 pm

Oh heck, I guess I'll post.

My number one bud, my life-long companion, my heart of hearts, is the one and only Tetsusaiga. I tamed him a bajillion years ago in Vanilla. Back then, I was ignorant and when I saw his picture online somewhere (it was love at first sight, let me tell you), mistakenly believed he was a rare spawn. I looked him up and everything, knew where to go, and so I sat there. And sat there. I finally decided to try to find out more about him, then found out he was a Horde-only quest spawn. Crap.

My brother, bless his heart, went to go make a Horde character, level it up, and do that quest for me so that I could get Echeyakee. I waited patiently for a while, then an undead dude came trotting up. I assumed it was my brother, and the fellow summoned Echeyakee and emoted (can't remember whether it was /cheer or /point or /yes or what...it's been a long time), so I tamed him. Inu Yasha was probably my favorite show back then, so it seemed only natural that I name this beautiful white lion with the poofy mane (and gorgeous eyes) Tetsusaiga, since he kind of reminded me of the tuft of fur on the blade of the same name. That, and I saw him as something of a fierce and beautiful weapon.

I don't remember if I called my brother or if he called me, but in any case I went to thank him for helping me, and he replied that that wasn't him. So yeah, some random Horde guy took pity on me and summoned Echeyakee for me so I could tame him. I may not remember his name, but I will always remember his kindness.

I am ashamed to admit that there was a time in WotLK that I needed stable space. There were shinies to be had! I foolishly believed that I could release Tetsusaiga and tame him again later. His loss didn't hit me right away, as I was playing with the new toys. However, that feeling of dread and loneliness began to sink in. I missed him, BAD.

I tried taming Sian-Rotam, as I had written a story that I had released Tetsusaiga out there to start his own pride. I tamed him, but it just wasn't him. I tamed Echeyakee again, but he was lifeless this time, as if he were only a shell of his true self. I was devastated, truly. I know it's just a pixellated animal in a game, but I was heartbroken. I tried to move on. A little while later, I tried taming Echeyakee again. Still nothing. This white lion was just a white lion. Hope was lost, or so I thought.

Finally, I read a couple stories on here about people asking for their pets to be restored and having their request granted. It was a long shot. Tetsusaiga was an old, old mob, and I had recently tamed an Echeyakee and named it the same thing. I wasn't sure if they'd be able to help. I gave them all the details I could - his level when released, the approximate time frame; I even went so far as to notice on WoW's armory that pets loaded or tamed after the armory went live had lower ID numbers in their URL than newer pets, so I used that knowledge to try to help them even more.

Imagine my sheer shock, surprise, and elation when I logged on one day to a lovely mail from a GM, and Tetsusaiga - the REAL Tetsusaiga (or "Tetsusaiga the Elder" as the GM called him) - waiting for me. Writing this brings tears to my eyes. I vowed that from that day on, he will NEVER leave my side ever again. Other pets may come and go, but Tetsusaiga is part of what makes WoW, WoW to me. We've tanked old Zul'Farrak, devilsaurs (back in Vanilla when they were freaking terrifying); we've chomped Horde; seen new zones together; been through every expansion..... Even if I put this game down never to be played again, I will know that I ended it with my best friend at my side. Never have I grown so completely attached to something in a game. I love Tetsusaiga (fudge, now I actually am crying,

).

Sadly, I lost a lot of my pics when I got the new computer, so I'll attach what I have and try not to spam too much. XD

(A re-tamed Echeyakee would have been 82, since they leveled to three below us at the time - the original Tetsusaiga was released at level 80.)

Unread post by **Jurz** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 9:34 pm

I wish I had a heart felt story about a cat, but cats and I have always had a love hate relationship both in WoW and IRL. I love the cat models, but I could never ever bond with one. Ever. I tried to. I tried so hard to. I wanted a cat, but the darn things never stuck with me! When my cat of nine years died I desperately searched for a cat to inherit her name. Even then I couldn't bond with a cat. I soon gave up, deciding that the only hunter I would ever be able to bond with cats on was going to be my furture undead hunter and that was only because I had decided that all of her pets were going to be ghosts, spirits, diseased and undead. Only then would I have a pet to inherit my deseased cat's name. Only then would I even have a pet cat. I loved the models. I loved my pets cats IRL even though sometimes they didn't return the feelings of affection. Snow leopards are my second favorite animal. Still, I just could not bond with the darn things. Until... Skarr. Hunched. Sleak. He would be mine. I was upset that he couldn't inherit my deseased cat's name because he is a he and I could not see him as anything other than what he was. But, he was still going to be mine. I camped him for two months. Some days of and on. Some days for a few hours staight. I saw that darned crab more times than I cared to count. But, one day my efforts paid off, not without a slight twinge of...nothing could describe what that slight twinge was actually XD When I finally saw him there was a Worgen desperately trying to tame him. Once he died I swooped in, silenced the darned thing and tamed him. The slight twinge came from feeling like I had stolen from the Worgen. I was filled with joy with a slight twinge of...I still don't know how to describe it. But, I was 99.9% joyous. I finally got my dream cat pet that was actually a cat and not a spirit beast. Since he was sleak and metallic and black with red eyes I had to name him Mephiles after one of the antagonists in the Sonic the Hedgehog game for the xbox and PS3.