The day my mom set the cat on fire.

I have probably already written a blog entry about this but I can't find it so I am just going to write another one. Just in case some animal rights activist is wanting to attack my mother A. She had the best intentions.  B. I'm pretty sure the statute of limitations is up because this was a really really long time ago.

Growing up my family had a cat named Krinkles, more so Krinkles had us.  He was a very regal orange and white cat that looked exactly like a cat named Morris that had a commercial that he was popular for.

Krinkles came home one day with 3 ticks on his neck.  My mother had read in a magazine that if you would put rubbing alcohol on the ticks they would pop off.  It didn't work and after several attempts she gave up and went back to the article to see what else she should try.  She read that if you light a match and put it to the tick they would let go and back out so as not to leave their head stuck inside the cat.  So my mother ran off to try this technique not reading that you need to blow out the match first.

So, when the lit match and the alcohol that was still on the cats fur touched of course the cat burst into flames...in the garage...on fire....in a garage...where there are other flammable type items. So mom opened the door to the garage and off the cat flew up through the neighbors yards burning all the way....

Now.  If I stopped there this would be a horrible story.  It's not really I promise please continue.

My father was at work that day in a board meeting.  He had told his secretary Trish to not put any calls through to interrupt the meeting but when she heard the panic in my mother's voice she sent her through anyway.  So my father listened to her dilemma and then in front of the board yelled "You set the cat on fire?  WELL PUT HIM OUT!!!"

Meanwhile my sisters and I had come home from school and I guess Krinkles felt that since we were home he had witnesses and could return as well.  The alcohol is the only thing that really burned.  His fur was a little crispy but for the most part he was untouched.  More importantly the three ticks were still in tact.

My mother has had this story told at her expense on many occasions.  I have even had people come up and tell me that they have heard the story before and that its not true.  Oh but it is.  I lived it.  Krinkles never quite looked at my mother the same ever again.

So that's the story of my mother and how she once set a cat on fire.