Mehitabel T. Catt, 1981 - 1997

I named her Mehitabel after Don Marquis' character, Mehitabel, in "Archy and Mehitabel", a collection of poetry, composed allegedly by a poet who was reincarnated as a cockroach. All the letters are in lower case because the author had to hit the keys on the typewriter with his head (being a bug) and was unable to find a way to hit the shift key at the same time as the other key.

Mehitabel's Strange Alliances

Her union contract was originally posted to soc.pets in 1986 when the netnews hierarchy was much flatter.

Mehitabel's Abbreviated Life History

When I lived in Haight Ashbury, she waltzed into my kitchen, hopped on the counter to eat my dinner, jumped in the fridge for more dinner, and made herself at home. She had a litter of kittens in my closet two months later. The kittens all went to good homes, I might add, and she was promptly spayed three days after the last one went.

She and I lived in 11 different places together and she liked riding in my car to visit people.

She peed all over the place. I hope there is a place in heaven for people who don't strangle their pets for inappropriate urination. Her nickname was "Urine Trouble". She was the Boss of the Cats and was very affectionate with people.

She lived for 16 1/2 years with me, which means she was 17 to 17 1/2 when she died. Her ashes are buried under a rose bush, the type of which is called "Golden Showers". I think the rosarian who named that bush had led a sheltered life. It is a lovely rosebush and aptly named for "Urine Trouble's" final resting place.