Chaos Critter: Family Profile - Beleth

Beleth is ready for his closeup. He is after all always ready to steal the camera and the fame. Find out about the secret life of everyone's favorite puppy-cat!

We are catching up on life or life is catching up with us. And Beleth has informed us that he after all is the star of all the shows and blogs. So, he needed to have his profile up and running. So, without further ado, here is the Beleth our second Chaos Critter profile.

Beleth - The Puppy Cat!

• Species: Felis catus

• Breed: Half Maine Coon Mix

• Coat Color: Grey tabby with long fur and a puffy mane.

• Eye Color: Yellow

• Distinctive Features: The dog that looks like a cat.

• Temperament: Biddable, demanding, and cuddly.

• Profession: First Responder

Who is Beleth?

Well, Beleth first joining the family when Tod and first got together. How he got his name is a LONG story, but here it goes.

We tried living with just Aki. But for all that she pretends not to “need” siblings, she was horribly lonely without one. When she was an only cat, she would yowl piteously when she heard us coming back from work. Then she’d curl up and not leave my lap for ANYTHING. So, we figured she needed a friend and sibling.

When we were out looking at dogs, because even at that time, I wanted a dog horribly but knew I didn’t have the time or space for them, we can across Beleth. He was small, fuzzy, and super friendly. The moment Tod picked him up, Beleth put his paws on either side of Tod’s neck and we were goners. Beleth was signed for and adopted immediately. (I would not put Beleth down. Anna had to do everything. -Tod)

Having chosen one of the most friendly cats EVER. We brought him home and found out we had to quarantine him due to ringworm… If you don’t know, the “treatment” for ringworm (a fungus) is to dip the animal in a sulfur bath every week for a while…

So, we had the cuddliest, sweetest, sulfur smelling kitten ever and Tod, being Tod decided to name him after the a demon.

Yes, a demon!

So Tod went off to Wikipedia and found a demon that was summoned by one of Noah’s sons. Together, they wrote the first mathematics textbook. (Yes, we’re nerds.)

What does the family think?

Beleth is part of the established family, but Aki was very grateful for another kitty, at first… Having a rambunctious youngster around eventually caused her normal disdain for distractions to surface. As for me, I was happy to have another kitty, especially one that was sort of like a dog.

Our Maine Coon likes to play in water. He comes when called and knows several tricks. So long as he thinks you have a treat, he will do almost anything… except lay down because cats are a little too liquid for that.

So, in some ways, Beleth was my first dog.

I used to take him to pet stores and let him ride on top of an open carrier. He would go in and out of it on command, and in general was super well behaved because… treats are a currency he understands.

As for the other critters, Fluffy thinks he doesn’t visit her cage to watch her hang out enough. Dante thinks Beleth is his twin brother and therefore is always up for a game. Crokell thinks Beleth should come to dog class because he was Crokell’s first teacher. And Frank… He thinks Beleth needs to stop trying to help by eating any fluff that is left out.

What does Beleth need?

Beleth doesn’t need much. After his first little oddity with ringworm, he has been a happy camper. He is in good health except for bladder stones. The big guy is lively and mostly needs the normal cat things: a litter box, food (low acid), water, and a scratching post. He also demands cuddles EVERY night, a part of my pillow to sleep on, and he likes to get a few treats, but he doesn’t NEED them.

He is very social, like Aki. He likes having other animals to play with and my sister to maul.

He doesn’t need hats, but wears them in order to keep Anna happy.

Does Beleth work?

Yes… sort of. Beleth will work for a salary of treats. He is a regular fixture on the blog. He considers it work, after all, to pose. Which he will do. He thinks Aki is missing out by not working for treats. All he has to do is sit, come, beg, stay, or move as told. What is more simple than that for a quick reward?

Beleth also supervises Tod while he works, hang out at his feet, not on them but near by, and makes sure the puppy (Dante) doesn’t do anything too bad.

Lastly, he is the first responder. When the dogs are called, he arrives first. He finds our phone alarms and silences them (whether they need it or not). Being very tech savvy, Beleth knows how to “edit” better than me (Anna), as he can cut words like a champ. The delete key and him are fast friends. Yes, he has deleted important items before and reminds me to save and version control… because he is very mischievous with tech.

After all this, Beleth says he barely has time to nap, saying he only manages 8 hours of napping a day after his 8 hours of beauty rest at night. After all 16 hours of sleep isn’t very much for a puppy-cat like him.

Chaos Tip of the Week

Always leave your luggage open. Your Maine Coon will inevitably help you "pack" by jumping in and claiming territorial rights.

Critter’s Weekly Question

How long does it take your cat, dog, or other critter to completely cover your freshly packed, dark-colored clothing with an impressive layer of fur?