Richard’s Notes

Anne’s younger daughter Bonnie was given this cat for her 15th birthday by her then boyfriend. The cat was one of a large litter and the owner was unsure about giving a kitten to a couple of kids. She called Anne who okayed it.

That was in May and by June I’d met Anne. That summer (the summer of love…) I found out that if Anne and I were going to get together there would be some things I’d have to allow into my life, including this cat. I was allergic to cats and had never had one so this was a big deal for me. Also, the whole “cat people” thing made me want to puke. However, Anne was worth figuring this stuff out for.

The cat used to climb up my bare legs trying to get close to my beard. Shredded legs and watery eyes do not make a great introduction but somehow I became attached to the cat. Animals that show affection, even as they make you sneeze, can grow on you.

That fall we got a house together and Bonnie went off to high school, Anne went off to teach in a high school, and when I wasn’t traveling (technology consulting) I was home. The cat, originally named “Sybil” by Bonnie, became my cat and Anne and I, not liking Sybil called her The Kitty (Anne tells me that most of her cats have been called “kitty”).

In time my allergic reaction to this cat has gone away. The cat has slept near my head every night she’s been inside for most of her life. I am at least a one cat person (ugh!).

The Kitty has had a fantastic life as a “professional” cat as we’ve lived either near or in deep woods for her entire life. She has had more “adventures” than you ever want to know about. She’s lived through all of it and remained a loyal friend. Now she’s arthritic and has a hard time moving around but she has her moments with toys and just today she went outside for a while to roll around in the spring smell.

I plan to give her a can of tuna tonight instead of her regular cat food. In typical fashion she’ll undoubtedly flip her tail, walk away, and not eat it.

Happy birthday Kitty.