Frank and Pearl

Frank and Pearl are brother and sister cats who were abandoned when tiny little kits.  Pearl cried all the way home, ergo, Poor Pitiful Pearl, but I had no name for the male.  They are Siamese-Tabby mix.  Pearl is a petite tabby with a buff undercoat, and Frank is a big boy with the crossed blue eyes of a Siamese, but with tabby rings around his tail and legs.  I was trying to think of an elegant name for this handsome boy, but Steve took one look at him and said, "Frank.  Frank is a good, honest, barn-cat name," and so Frank it was.  When we adopted Bessie Anne, it was Frank who took over her care and training, washing her face and ears and slapping her down when needed.  They're still best friends.  Pearl is the better hunter, leaving her trophies (or parts thereof) by the front or kitchen doors.  Frank is the lover, weaving figure-eights around your legs.  Pearl prefers to fly under the radar, coming to visitors only if there's a promise of a treat.  Pearl likes to watch television, and prefers the Animal Planet channel...to the point that she will lay back in her cat bed like it's a recliner to see better.  She took a particular interest in the Eukanua Dog Show the other night.  Bessie Anne hides milk bones in that cat bed.  It was always Pearl's domain until recently.  Frank walked by while Pearl was sleeping, perhaps looking too comfortable.  He stood over her.  She paid no attention.  He slapped her with one paw.  So what.  He pounced on her, got her to chase him down the hall, raced back ahead of her and leaped into the bed...ha! ha!  They now take turns.  Last summer Frank had a terrible accident and had to have surgery on his leg.  He was confined for several weeks in the bathroom to recuperate.  When brother and sister were reunited, he was still wearing that cone-head thing and to Pearl he looked like Frank-enstein's monster!  Even after the cone was removed, it was weeks before she stopped hissing and running from him...and he never understood why.  They are once again inseparable and complete the triad of my little house kids.