Crazy Cat Man

I readily admit to being a crazy cat man. It all started in 1986 when my roommate Mark and I adopted Domino from the North Shore Animal League in Port Washington. We decided to get a cat because Mark had agreed to watch his grandparents cat, and even though it wasn't loving and friendly, we missed the pitter patter of paws around the apartment.

So we headed up to The North Shore Animal League in Port Washington, and there was this little black cat meowing at us. The label said it's name was "Wilma," and it's brother was "Fred." We walked around a bit, and circled back and took "Wilma" out of the cage, and she purred and cuddled and wouldn't let go. The choice was made. We named her Domino because of the white spots on her chest and belly.

When we got home, she ran around, jumped all over the apartment, and got use to the place. That night we tried to keep her in the kitchen by blocking the opening with a large piece of luggage. She laughed at us, and jumped over it multiple time. That night she ended up sleeping on Mark's head. After that, he shut his door, and she ended up sleeping with me, and that's where she stayed. After Mark moved to California, she truly was my cat.

I had Domino for 16 wonderful years. She saw me go from being single to married with a daughter and loved everyone around her. She was a very social cat.

Domino had developed cancer from various shots given to her over the years, and had been operated on 3 times. When it happened again, we made the very hard decision to put her to sleep. She had lost a lot of weight, and wasn't her happy, loving self.

I took her to the vet, and my mother in law went with me. As I held Domino, crying into her, she looked at me with those beautiful gold eyes, and we said good-bye. We had her cremated, and she is buried in our backyard garden, and I still talk to her every day.

Afterwards, the vet took me into the back and showed me a little black kitten that had recently been rescued. While she was quite skittish and afraid, I immediately fell in love with her. I went back with my wife two days later, and we took her home. She also had two white spots on her chest and belly.

 

We named her Daphne, and it took about six months for her to really come out of her shell and become the purring, cuddling machine she really was. Once that happened, she was always by my side. 

She slept on my wifes pillow, always facing me, or she would be in my arms. If I was watching TV on the couch, she would be on my lap. Daphne was a real cuddlebug, always wanting to be with her person. My kids called her "Doopy," "Daffy," and various other nicknames. She came running when she her "food" or "treats!"

One morning around 6 am, I heard this wailing, and couldn't figure out what was going on. I jumped out of bed, and there was Daphne in the living room, convulsing on floor. I picked her up to try and comfort her, but she didn't stop.

I put her down, and ran downstairs to get the carrier, when my daughter yelled, "Dad, I think Daphne's dead." I ran back upstairs, and she was. I had someone get a shoebox, and we brought her outside, and we buried her in the backyard.

 

I still talk to her everyday.

The house was so quiet without a cat, and my grief was overwhelming. So my wife went on a search to find us another black cat. She connected with a woman who did rescue, and it was a divine intervention, as she worked out of the same building where I got Daphne in Westbury! While it was now under new ownership, it was a sign.

We met Kelly at the office, and she brought 3 kittens with her, two gray and one black. One of the gray ones hissed at me, so he was out. The other two allowed us to hold and cuddle them. I had no intention of getting two cats, but they were so cute! The gray was named Luna, and the black was Raven. We knew those names had to change. The black one also had two white spots on her chest and belly. Do you notice a theme here?

When we got them home a week later, Luna became Scarlett Rose, and Raven became Daisy Noel. Yes, we give our cats middle names. Daisy became Melissa's cat, and to this day I can only pet her if I give her treats. Scarlett is our ADHD cat. She cannot still still, but loves to get lots of pets and attention. She is our little mooch who always comes running when she hears the fridge open, or when we're eating dinner. She especially loves chicken and cheese.

Let's fast forward a year. I was still missing Daphne, and didn't really have a cat of my own. Scarlett was Miss Independent, and Daisy claimed Melissa. 

I came up with a plan. I decided to volunteer at one of our local shelters, Last Hope Animal Rescue, and had Melissa come with me as I thought it would be a good experience for her. Little did she, or my wife know what my real plan was.

My first day there, I met this little bundle of purring happiness. I was holding a little white kitten, and across from me was this little black kitten, who was meowing at me, "Me next, me next!" Okay, you're next. I put the first one down, and opened the cage and lifted her out. She meowed at me, "Please take me home!" Okay, I'll take you home. Her name was Tiny, because she was. It was love at first site! She has three white spots, one high on her chest, one lower and one on her belly.

Two weeks later, I called a supervisor at Last Hope, and told her I wanted Tiny. I almost lost her, because someone else wanted her, but they didn't let the adoption go through because she was quite old with an older cat already in the house. So Tiny was mine!

I made arrangements to get her on that Friday, but got a call on Thursday from someone saying she'll be over in an hour! I said that didn't work, it was supposed to be tomorrow. She replied I'll be there in an hour. No, I'm not ready. Okay, I'll be there in two hours.

I gave the girls a credit card and a list, go to Walmart and get this stuff. I'll explain later. Tiny shows up first, and then the girls with all the needed kitten supplies. Boy, were they surprised to see this little black girl kitten! We named her Dakota, which really fits her. She is a real cuddlebug, and I truly believe that Domino and Daphne brought us together, and I thank them every day for that.

I am the crazy cat man.