Picky-picky

Picky-picky is a fictional cat in the Ramona series of books by Beverly Cleary.

Picky-picky is the Quimbys' old grumpy cat. His name comes from his finicky attitude towards his cat food. He is affectionate towards Beezus but is wary of Ramona because she is so loud. Picky-picky is so picky about his cat food that when he refuses to eat the cheap Puss-puddy brand when Mr. Quimby loses his job, he ends up eating the family's Jack-O-Lantern instead. He later dies of natural causes while Ramona is in the third grade (Ramona Forever). Beezus, who is closer to the cat, grieves his loss heavily, while Ramona helps her sister get through the traumatic situation. His burial helps heal a rift between Ramona and Beezus that had recently occurred.

Picky-Picky is said to be 10 years old in Ramona the Brave, two years before he dies. However, in an illustration in Ramona Forever, a makeshift grave (with an amateur headstone) shows Picky-Picky dying at 10 years old (which is fairly young for a house cat). If he was 10 during Ramona the Brave, he would have likely been 12 or 13 years old at time of his demise. In the 2010 film remake of Beezus and Ramona, (Ramona and Beezus), Ramona scribbles that he was 16 when he died on his gravestone.