March Vintage Cat Madness And Present Sadness
Happy Mancat Monday with your friendly feline editor Clyde. Mind you, I’m feeling more bearish or lionish with the stormy weather. March arrived with the roar of a lion. Snow, sleet and a wicked wind knocked down massive tree limbs. Who knows if the Farmer’s Almanac is right about March coming in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. The only thing I know for sure is spring is coming officially if not obviously.
It’s with a heavy heart to have to announce the unthinkable. Another book contributor of ours has died suddenly. We posted our tribute at our @BlackcatsofIG Instagram community for the dear Persian queen @Kootythecat.
She was our only cat from the Middle East and I’d like to think she is flying on her magic rainbow bridge carpet. Fly free dearest girl. See you one day.
A new month means a new/old cat art. So old it’s antique from 1896. Frankly, if there was a juicy bunny sitting beside me, I would not be serenading it with sweet music.
Odin agrees 110% having first hand experience in bunny hunting. We’re all been hunkered down indoors snoozing and binge-watching films. If you’ve never seen the classic Harry and Tonto, fire up your Netflix. It’s miles and decades ahead of its time and stars a ginger cat with Oscar-worthy acting chops. Art Carney won the Oscar for his role in 1975 and deserved it. It turned out Carney did not like cats and the crew placed bits of liver on his clothing to make Tonto, the cat the character he doted on, seem affectionate.
And look at this sweet black kitten from a home movie from 1958. It’s cute until the woman picks up the cat at the end. We know now that scruffing a cat is painful and never a good idea.
Dear me, all this vintage nostalgia is making me feel old. Wait! I am old. Although not as old as the cat we featured on Instagram on the weekend. One senior puss 20+ was rescued and has found her forever foster home. The vintage cat food ad dates from 1949. I assure you no cat would appear glossy coated after a few portions of any food. It make you wonder if the cheap food then was actually better than now.
It goes to show you, it’s never too late for feline love. If you don’t mind me asking, what the oldest cat you’ve had the pleasure to live with?
44 Comments
Pipo/Angel-Minko/MrJackFreckles
Sorry about the loss of such a sweet black kitty.
Our first kitty together as a married couple was Groucho who was about 18 or 19 when he had to go to the RB, We had him for at least 11 years, got him for free from a furmily who had to clear their house of all pets due to preemie babies coming into their family with all kinds of equipment. So sad, but we loved him and he loved us too once he got used to us:)
Pipo will be 14 next time round…
Layla Morgan Wilde
Groucho was lucky to be rehomed with you xoxo
Brian Frumb
We are so sorry to hear about that sweet and wonderful girl and we send love and hugs to her very special family.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks and purrs and goodness know you’re still missing your girl. xoxo
Cats of wildcat woods
Sending comforting purrs to Kooty’s family. Thank you for stopping by and commenting about our Mr Kitty.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks and lots of love back oxo
meowmeowmans
We’re so sad to hear about Kooty’s passing. We are sorry.
One of our fellow volunteers has a cat that just turned 25. How wild is that???
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks and I’m loving to hear about more senior cats living into their twenties.
Memories of Eric and Flynn
I didn’t know Kooty but it is always very sad to lose a very much loved member of the family. I send my condolences to her family.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks and much love to you xoxo
easyweimaraner
I’m so sorry… it seems the year of the dog is not really a good one for the feline world… so much purring friends had to go within the last 3 months… so sad…
Layla Morgan Wilde
Merci, c’est vrai. It’s hard to keep up xoxo
The Dash Kitten Crew
Oh heck, another beauty gone. Our condolences to Kooty’s family, these are sad times.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thank you, it really puts everything into perspective.
leroys_mama
We already sent condolences to Kooty’s in your earlier post. To Puss ‘n’ Boots credit, the canned varieties were heavy on fish, light on grain, (and stank something awful)! Cats in this area generally live 14-16 years, no matter whether indoor or outdoor (although the outdoor ones may expire earlier.)
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thank you and for the early cat food info. I thought the same. It’s where “stinky goodness” probably came from. As costs of fish rose, brands added cheaper ingredients like cornmeal or other grain.
Renee
Condolances to Kooty’s humans. Mr OK Kitty Superior was around 17 in spite of having to depend on the kindness of neighbors who kept him fed his first 10-11 years of life on the street. When we fostering him he was FIV positive had an airgun pellet imbedded under his ear – a tumor developed there later, and the beginnings of chronic renal disease I began managing daily after adopting him two hears later and moving us to Arizona from California – a flight he spent sleeping on my lap in his soft carrier. He taught me a soul mate isn’t always human and Miss Sootie is teaching me that soul mate lightening can sometimes strike twice.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks Renee about sharing about your dear Mr. Ok Kitty Superior. That is a fab name! And hooray for Miss Sootie!
da tabbies o trout towne
Guys; we are truly sorry to learn about your friend Kooty; Godspeed her journey to heaven ~~~~~ ♥♥
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks dear tabbies xox
Teddy and Mom
Sorry to hear about another contributor going to the Bridge. What a darling cat too – I remember thinking that when I saw her photo in the book.
Hugs, Pam and Teddy too
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks Teddy and June for your kind words xoxo
The Swiss Cats
We’re sorry for the loss of your friend Kooty. The oldest cat Claire had was Biscotte, aka Miiie (1977-1994). Claire was 4 years old when Biscotte arrived in the family. She looked like Zorro, black with a white tie, but was smaller and “rounder”. She was an indoor cat, but enjoyed our balcony and going out in the field around the house under supervision. She was literally Claire’s sisfur. Purrs
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks Claire. Biscotte (great name lived to a ripe age)
Kathryn
Sad about Kooty. Always sad when it’s their time and especially when it isn’t.
Love the black cat and the lion.
Puss N Boots can from way back.. <3
Layla Morgan Wilde
Kathryn, thanks and you would know that location in Boston. Btw, someone recently copied the mystery story magazine concept and calling it Black Cat Mysteries.
Kathryn
The Black Cat… 1896.. High Street, Boston…
Kathryn
Sad about Kooty…..<3 <
Ellen Pilch
How sad that another contributor to Black Cats Tell All has gone to The Bridge. The oldest cat we ever had was my hubby’s cat, Patches, she was 19.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Ellen, thanks and Patches lived to a very ripe age, almost 100 xoxo
Skeeter & Izzy
We send our luv and purrs to Kooty’s peeps. We so hate to hear about departures. We know that she has to be flying on that magic carpet fur sure!!!!
We have lots of fur buds that we have no idea of age.
We found a mug over the weekend that describes us and our life to a T…
It says….STRESSED ,BLESSED AND CAT OBSESSED….moL
Luvs
Skeeter nad Izzy and the Feral Gang + Twig & Peanut $ Romeo and the Angels >^..^^..^<~
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks guys and that’s a good point about not knowing exact ages. Ha, love that saying and it fits us to a T! xoxo
Kathryn
Oh my. THIS is Sooo charming.
Ched agrees and isn’t even upset I woke him up from ONE of his morning naps, between his lunch nap and afternoon nap. Oh, it is after lunch. He hasn’t had lunch yet. He takes a late lunch. Well, he’s still not upset.
The woman who scruffs the cat is wearing an incredible outfit…
Yes, when I was a child… I think my parents would pick up some of the kittens by the scruff.. I guess people assumed we should because the mother cat does… But the mother cat only does that when the kittens are very tiny, and she has no other choice. In our house, the mother cat picked them up to put them back in the cardboard box we had for their ‘home’, the mother would nurse the kittens there, and that’s where she wanted them, until they were…three months or so…
Yes, now we know better.
Love that black cat. Our black cat when I was in my teens, Kemal, was so special.
The oldest cat I had was Emma, 1972-1992. Ched will be 16 in 15 days, and Mao (now in ATL), too. I’m hoping Ched will make it to beyond 20.
Growing up our cats were indoor/out door. We never had a cat box. This was in the 50s, early 60s. Two got ring worm, Siami ran away at 7 when I took in a stray… Kitty I (Siamese) was poisoned = probably for pooping in a neighbor’s yard and Kitty II got kidney disease at 15.
Emma lived to 20, indoor cat.
Cheddar, also indoor.
The shelter said Emma was probably born mid April to early May. So my then BF and I randomly decided May 1. Then, 16 years later, my son was born May 1.
The shelter we got Cheddar from said probably born March-April, so I randomly decided March 20 because it is around the first day of spring.
I think it’s cute that some cats are born on people’s birthday.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Happy early birthday to Ched. OMC 16! That quirky home movie really got me thinking how far we’ve come re: cat care and yes about the outfits.
The Island Cats
We are so sorry to hear about Kooty. Sending lots of comforting purrs to her family.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks dears xo
Andrea Dorn
I’m so sorry to hear about Kooty. Such a pretty cat.
My oldest cat was 19 before he passed back in 1999, Lando Calrissian.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Andrea, thank you. What an interesting name, Lando and a long life. xo
Maggie
Sad news about Kooty. We never have long enough with our dear companions. Only 16 years old?
We all try to be grateful for the time we get, but it’s hard.
We adopted a 2 year old Mom cat from the CT Humane Society many years ago. She was there for over 6 months having come in with her own kittens, and then used as a wet nurse for kitten orphans after that. Her nursing skills were no longer needed and she was put on the Kill List. We named her Maude, and she ruled our household and lives for 20 years.
xxoo
Layla Morgan Wilde
Maggie, thanks and it’s so true 16 or 20 is never enough. Maude sounded like an amazing queen xoxo
Summer
That is so sad about Kooty. Purrs to her family.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks kindly xo
Edie Chase
I’m sorry to hear about Kooty, sending her family comforting thoughts.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Edie, much appreciated xo