Remembering Absent Friends: el Gato perfecto

Many years ago, when I was in college, a hungry black tomcat with a deformed ear lived near the town's student apartments. I began feeding him, allowing him in the apartment despite my roommate's concerns that the cat might have fleas. My roommate spoke Spanish, so after he talked about the "gato," I began to call the cat "Gato" as well. Maybe I felt that if I didn't give him a real name, just called him Cat, I wouldn't become too attached.

Gato would often stretch out on my bed while I studied next to him and stroked his fur. He was affectionate in a hard-boiled Humphrey Bogart way, a tough guy who wasn't asking for any favors, but if you were offering a little help, he'd gladly accept it. He loved cottage cheese, and when I poured the water from a can of tuna over his dry cat food, he gobbled it up.

Since he had never been neutered, Gato wanted to roam at night. I didn't know better, so when he went to the door and meowed insistently, I dutifully let him out. Once someone at the apartments ignored Gato's collar and well-fed tummy and called the town's Animal Control, which caught him and took him away while I was at class. I went downtown and bailed him out.

In late spring, the end of the semester and the end of the lease on the apartment were approaching, and I had just begun to wonder what to do next. I didn't want to move and leave Gato behind.

One afternoon, I returned to the apartment and found him waiting outside the front door. He stumbled while trying to trot over to me, and he wouldn't eat or drink. He didn't respond to the vet's treatment, and on Good Friday 1983 I had Gato euthanized.

Gato had been a good friend at a time when I needed one. 

Forever Home Friday: Kozmo and Ponderosa

On Fridays we'll post pictures of Tabby's Place cats who recently have been adopted.

Kozmo

Ponderosa

Tabby's Place at 20 - Throwback Thursday: Tashi

Tashi   (2008 - January 17, 2014)   He was a cat who touched many during his lifetime, including the founder of Tabby's Place, who wrote this shortly after Tashi passed. 

Tashi, never trashi. 

Tashi loved to play, as here with creamsicle Gumbo.

Angela T. took this and sent it to me, with the title "Cyril and Uncle Tashi."  He does look protective of the little one.

 

Woman Cat Wednesday: Xena

 

Xena

Twofur Tabby Tuesday: Shishito and Poblano

Shishito

Poblano

 

Moggie Monday: Melee

Melee

 

Easy Like Sunday: Shifty

Shifty

 

Special Needs Saturday: Fenek

 

Fenek   (you can sponsor him at this link)

Forever Home Friday: Bonita and Zelda

 On Fridays we'll post pictures of Tabby's Place cats who recently have been adopted.

Bonita

Zelda

Tabby's Place at 20 - Throwback Thursday: Charlie

Charlie

2006 - September 24, 2019

His picture looks down benevolently on visitors in the lobby at Tabby's Place.  Charlie was a big man cat, and a special needs cat if there ever was one:  FIV-positive, diabetic, hyperthyroidism, heart disease.  

He was also the most loving cat I have ever known.  Possibly the Greatest Cat Who Ever Lived.

 

Black and White Wednesday: Tucker

Tucker

 

Twofur Tuesday: Rashida and Shifty

Rashida

and

Shifty

 

Marmalade Monday: Sky

Sky

 

Easy Like Sunday: Grecca

 

Grecca

Special Needs Saturday: Anka

 

Anka  (you can sponsor him at this link)

Forever Home Friday: Disco and Wallace

Disco

Wallace

Tabby's Place at 20 - Throwback Thursday: Max

 Max (arrived 2009, died 2/8/2019)

Whitester Wednesday: Sketch

Sketch

 

Twofur Tuesday: Ponce de Leon and Durin

 

Ponce (top) and Durin  

Midnight Monday: Kennedy

 

Kennedy

Easy Like Sunday: Alex

Alex

 

Special Needs Saturday: Fenek

Fenek (you can sponsor him at this link)

 

Forever Home Friday: Callie and Oscar

On Fridays we'll post pictures of Tabby's Place cats who recently have been adopted.

Callie

Oscar

Tabby's Place at 20 - Throwback Thursday: Paulette

I was Paulette's Special Needs correspondent beginning in January 2014.  For that month, I wrote to her supporters:  "During a recent visit, she accepted both a treat of a little chicken baby food and a lot of petting.  ...[S]he was enjoying it so much that if I stopped even for a moment, she would nudge my hand with her nose as if to say, "Get back to work!"   But eventually she was satisfied... and lay down in contentment."

In September of the same year, her adopter wrote: “At first glance, she looks plain, scarred, afraid. She’s anything but, however. She’s strong, she’s smart, and has nearly the loveliest peach-colored hue under her chest and belly. When the sun hits her just right, she glows deep russet. Her doe eye looks at you and melts your heart straightaway."  More about Paulette and her adopter at the link below.

Paulette (arrived October 2011, adopted August 2014)

Wordless Wednesday: Ponce post-pounce

 

Ponce de Leon

Twofur Tabby Tuesday: Denali

Denali

 

Moggie Monday: Josie

Josie

Easy Like Sunday: Aries

Aries

Special Needs Saturday: Carrot

Carrot   (you can sponsor him at this link)

 

Forever Home Friday: Martian and Charly

On Fridays we'll post pictures of Tabby's Place cats who recently have been adopted.

Martian

Charly

 

Tabby's Place at 20 - Throwback Thursday: The Okinawa 3

These three cats came from Okinawa to Tabby's Place, with the help of a young Marine who was stationed there.  (Just another reason to tell him "Thank you for your service!")  Angela wrote their story in 2010...  

Pikachu

Miyagi

Kimiko

...and all three were adopted together in May 2011.