Chessie, a littermate of Cody and Callie, came by her name in a circuitous fashion. After Callie and Cody commandeered the syllables of Calico, we were left wondering what to name the third kitten in the litter. The name Cody had a good Western feel to it. We remembered Gunsmoke and decided Chester would be a fitting companion name.
When we picked up Chester after what we thought was to be a neutering we discovered it had been a spaying. Chester was Chessie from that day forward.
As you can see in the photos, as she matured her coat began to show signs of muted calico coloration that were not noticeable when she was a kitten. Sister Callie only showed her calico genes in her ears, so subtle calico apparently ran in the family.
Dilute calico or not, she was a beautiful cat. In fact, she became more attractive and personable as she aged, raising questions about Ogden Nash’s old dictum:
The trouble with a kitten is that
Eventually it becomes a cat.
Look at those eyes! Is it my imagination, or do calicos have extra-special eyes? It’s not just the color; it’s the way they look at you. I have a photo of Dixie Rose staring at me from the bed that I titled “Me, Cat. You, Worthless.”
Calicos definitely have a way of looking at you. When we first brought Taylor (the calico we had for 20 years) to our vet, the first question he asked was “Does she have that calico personality?” I think the stare reflects that spunky, in charge spirit.