SUSAN LOESCH
CATS IN THE STACKS

I brought something new to school with me this morning! Little Rock artist Rene Hein just completed a portrait of our Big Footsie in oil and it is now on the front desk for everyone to admire.

Mary and Lea showed it to Alex. He seemed to be appropriately impressed, and he rubbed the edge of it over and over to mark it with his scent. Was he possibly thinking, “Welcome back to your library, Footsie?”

Then all of a sudden he jumped down. (more…)

SUSAN LOESCH
CATS IN THE STACKS

Some of my favorite times in the Library are when it is fairly peaceful and I have kids in here that I don’t see as often and there is time to just visit with them.

Most of the time Alex is part of that conversation if not the main topic.

Today, Alex was in his bed on the front desk, decked out not in a bandana but in the tie he got for Dress-up Day during Spirit Week. His last place trophy was prominently displayed close by. (more…)

SUSAN LOESCH

CATS IN THE STACKS

What IS it about a cat’s tail that makes it such an object of fascination for my very youngest students?  When they visit with Alex they will hold his tail way faster than they will feel his whiskers or even begin to pet him.

My kindergartners were here for a story hour and a visit with Alex last week, and sure ‘nuf when he sat down with them it was all hands on the tail! I remember Jordan, while she was in preschool, meeting Footsie for the first time, immediately grabbing his  tail and gazing at it like it was magic.  She is a grown-up kindergartner this year and now Alex’s tail amazes her.

One of her classmates,  after spending lots of time admiring Alex’s tail, went on to pet him and said to me, “I feel his bones. Why do you feel bones on the outside of his body?” I pointed out how he could feel the bones in his wrist and fingers and spine and we decided that it was much the same as feeling Alex’s bones. (more…)