Sometimes, people ask if we have a favorite cat-soldier. Or, what is our favorite thing to make? Or, what is the hardest thing to make? Today, we look at the answers! (For our previous FAQs, check out our Mewsings index.)

Favorite cat(s):

Rebecca – I could answer this question in two different ways. As far as a favorite because of who the cat portrays, I would say Gen. Garnett or Stonewall Jackson. But if we mean the cat, it is a tie between two favorite vignettes. On “Desperation at Skull Camp Bridge,” one cat’s horse got shot, and so his buddy is helping him up onto his horse behind him, so they can both escape. On “The Boys Are Still There,” two cats are lifting a wounded cat onto a stretcher. I had never thought of that pose before, so they are unique—and super-cute.

Ruth – I don’t have a favorite cat, because it varies. It’s hard to pick a favorite story. Right now, I would choose Lt. Morris from USS Cumberland, because his story is fresh in my mind—how he gets thrown into a situation that no ship’s commander has ever faced before (fighting an ironclad), his determination, and his response when called upon to surrender.

Favorite horse(s):

Rebecca – Our dioramas have too many cute horses to pick from! That said, on “Come On, You Wolverines,” I installed a dapple-gray jumping well ahead of the line, just so folks could see the dapples I painted on him (I really don’t like painting dapples!). I’m proud of his paint-job, and he’s cute.

Ruth – It’s probably Lt. Haskell’s horse, Dick, because of the story of his calm courage and loyalty—and our little guy is in a cool pose!

Favorite diorama:

Rebecca – Closest to my heart is “The Fate of Gettysburg,” as I’ve always liked reading about Pickett’s Charge. But as a diorama for the diorama’s sake, Bigelow’s battery at the Trostle farm has been a favorite of mine because of all the action going on.

Ruth – Closest to my heart is “I Want You to Prove Yourselves,” our diorama of the 54^th Massachusetts at Battery Wagner. But from a technical aspect, I would say “The Boys Are Still There,” because of all the variety on it (Hazlett’s battery coming into position by horse and hand and starting to fire, the Signal Corps, infantry, terrain, trees, boulders, aid stations, etc.), and from the research aspect (rocks based off of photos, the analysis that went into getting the 140^th New York’s position correct, etc.).

What is your favorite or most fun thing to make?

Rebecca – I like ships, so it was fun making the ironclads and Cumberland-in-the-bottle. Now, I’m having way too much fun going all-out with building USS Cumberland from scratch for our next diorama. (Ruth says, “I would rather stick needles in my eyes!”) On an “individual cat” level, it is fun bringing personality or humor into the cats (and horses). One example is the Snowball Battle, where a few cats are doing face-plants into the snow.

Ruth – Horses for “Come On, You Wolverines,” because of the freedom to play around with poses and markings. With two hundred new horses to make for it, we could do anything—so long as it was galloping 😉 Also, samurai and ladies in ball gowns are always fun to make! (Rebecca finds that hard to believe, as she would rather do neither samurai nor lady cats, but is happy to encourage Ruth in it!)

What is the hardest thing to make?

Rebecca – Ruth thinks that I would say the ship-in-the-bottle, but that’s not my answer. Instead, it’s the dog! Yep, Patrick remains the hardest thing for me to make. Generally, with a diorama, we just roll with what’s next and figure it out, little by little. But when I sat down to make our cats’ mascot, I blanked on what generic markings on generic dogs look like. After overthinking it, I made a plain black dog. Looking back on it, I realize it would have been easy to base the dog off of a friend’s pitbull mix that looked similar to the famous mascot Dog Jack, and every other bull-terrier type mascot that we see in Civil War photographs! The second-hardest was a horse that I made using a store-brand polymer clay. I discovered that, unlike Sculpey, the clay would not hold details, and it almost convinced me that I couldn’t make horses! (I had been making them for ~25 years at that point.) So, if you try making something out of clay and have trouble, try different brands and see which works best for you. I finished the horse and installed him on a diorama, but he’s hidden where no one can see how ugly he is!

Ruth – Rebecca thinks I would say the samurai, since each one is made with detailed layer over detailed layer. But it’s actually anything that involves calculations and measurements!

With over 10,000 cats, nearly 800 horses, a dozen main dioramas and many more smaller scenes, we have a lot to choose from! Which ones will be your favorites?