Cape Cod Pets

Tiberius ?Emperor of North Eastham? 1998-2011

Ty was an accomplished, albeit corpulent, mouser, dies at age thirteen

   Tiberius (right) and his lifelong friend Misty (left) guard their infamous “catnip banana”

A giant tabby named Tiberius died at the Brewster Animal Rescue League on Christmas Eve after a period of declining health.  The thirteen year old was a resident of North Eastham.

Some likened Tiberius to a Cheshire Cat.
Tiberius was originally adopted for the Masonic Angel Foundation office in Orleans eight years ago this week.  When he proved too nervous for office life, he went home with one of the Masons and lived there in splendor for the next eight years. Having lived his first five years as the pampered kitty of an elderly woman it became necessary that “Ty” learn to live with other cats. 

Shortly after moving into the house with two female cats, Tiberius was joined by “Misty” another male cat of the same age who also had lived with a senior lady.  Ty and Misty became inseparable friends, running and playing throughout their large house, playing “Lenny and Squiggy” to Grace and Anne’s “Laverne and Shirley”.  Even at the age of thirteen the two boys couldn’t walk down a hall together without goofing on each other or making mischief with the easily-offended Grace and Anne.  The unquestioned alpha male in the house, Tiberius ruled his domain with wisdom and “tough love” for his feline subjects.

Three years ago Ty’s owner adopted a kitten named Albert, whom Tiberius came to adore.  Ty taught Albert the finer points of hunting for mice in the basement, catching crickets and tormenting house flies. 

Ty was an accomplished mouser but his corpulent frame sometimes made it difficult for him to flush out a hiding rodent.  In those cases, Albert or one of the other cats would often catch the mouse first.  Tiberius was “all business” where mice were concerned.  If one of the other cats caught a mouse he simply exercised his alpha status and confiscated it.  No matter who caught the mouse, Ty would exhibit it for approval and then eat it on the spot.  He did not play with mice, he ate them immediately. With apologies to Jurassic Park, “the mice were alive when he began to eat them.”

Tiberius grew fond of an increasingly tattered “catnip banana” which he guarded jealously.Despite his size and prey instinct, Tiberius was very much an affectionate lap cat.  In winter he liked to sleep on his human’s bed with the other cats but when summer air conditioning was too loud, he slept on the stairway so he could listen for danger and keep his family safe.

In recent months, Tiberius grew fond of an increasingly tattered “catnip banana” which he guarded jealously.  Only with Misty would he share his prized possession.  There were many hilarious antics when one of the other cats stole the toy but Tiberius always retrieved it.

Just before Thanksgiving, Tiberius’ health began to fail him.  His life-long friend Misty stayed by his side even as he became less interested in his surroundings. 

In addition to his loving human owner, Tiberius leaves his best friend Misty, his beloved protégé Albert as well as his female foils Anne and Grace.