Veggievents says farewell to a team member.
John:
Now, I’ve never been a cat-obsessed kind of guy, but after living with Kitty for the past few years, I have turned the corner from “Yeah, sure, I like cats” to the full-fledged crazy cat guy. I have seen physically cuter cats, but his personality was drew most people in — I never met someone that didn’t like him immediately. The way that he would knead the air while getting his belly rubbed was likely the cutest thing I ever saw. He was completely deaf and the way that he would startle so easily made him especially charming in a way that a fully-abled cat couldn’t be. The catio that I built for him (and the other cats that have passed through our home) is surely the hallmark of my cat obsession. One could argue that catios are not really for the cats, but for the humans that care for them. Now that ours is empty, I know just how much it was really for both of us. Even through Kitty rarely used it, I still have fond memories of him every time I sit outside. With the Portland catio tour around the corner, it makes me sad that he won’t get to indulge in the attention that he both loved and deserves. Kitty passed away Thursday, July 11th, at home after suffering from heart failure. He will be deeply missed.
Lauren:
I used to be afraid of cats, but I don’t remember why. Fear of the unknown, I guess. Kitty turned my fear into love. I often cradled Kitty like a human baby. I don’t know if he actually liked it, but he indulged me. He loved pets, especially chin rubs. Kitty loved attention so much that he actually enjoyed going to the vet. He would run into the carrier even if it was for another cat’s appointment. Kitty became deaf after multiple ear infections, but it just made him sleep easier because noise didn’t bother him. However, he would get very startled when woken, but would immediately start kneading. He even kneaded when I clipped his nails, which was annoying, but cute. Because Kitty was my first long interaction with a cat, I didn’t realize how different he was. I often forget most cats are not as friendly and laid-back as he was. I adopted Kitty as a kitten. He was almost 16 when he died, but he was still just a kitten to me. Kitty was my best friend. His heart was failing and now my heart is failing because he is gone.