About a week and a half ago, my human came across this photo of a cat she once had and since he was jet black — not a hair of white on him — I thought I would share it on Friday the 13th. She had been looking for this photo for years! She had him in the 1980s, even before Harlot.
He was not the first black cat she had. When she was very young, she had one with gorgeous long black fur. In fact, he looked a little like Spitty. But my human’s parents let their cats outside and he was hit by a car and killed when he was less than two years old.
This guy came along a couple of years later, and lived with my human all through the 1980s. His mother was a Siamese, and he had the Siamese voice and wedge-head. Like most cats of Siamese origins, he was very attached to my human. Unlike most Siamese origin cats, he was not very bright. He enjoyed rushing around the apartments my human lived in, and at one place that had a closet with mirrored sliding doors, he ran smack into the door and stunned himself. They had already been living there for some months, so he should have known better.
He also had a nervous stomach and threw up on several of my human’s favorite pieces of clothing. See that big Egyptian style statue he is sniffing? That is a replica of an actual museum piece and was a gift to my human. During one of his clumsy spazz runs, he knocked it over and broke it.
When my human brought home Harlot, she did not like him and vice versa. They spent their lives together ignoring each other as much as possible, and when he died at the age of 18 of chronic renal failure, my human swears that Harlot celebrated. My human, on the other hand, was very upset because even though he was not the best cat ever, he was the one stable and trustworthy being in the crazy life she had at the time. You might say that in spite of all his faults, my human was lucky that he crossed her path.
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4th February 2012
Dear Sparkle,
Lovely text. Nice tribute to any cat. I had an all-black brother, named Toto. But we were separated when we were 12 weeks old. I was the only kitten that my Mummy chose to keep. (Her husband at that time, had found a lost kitten for himself (Calle Cat, co-founder of the Red Cat Society) which meant that I lost my sister Lisa, whom I really liked.)
Toto was different from the rest of us. It was not only his black colour, he was extremely shy. My other brothers (I had four) were more open and friendly towards other cats and even humans.
Toto was adopted by a human lady who lived in the same town, but we never saw him again. (She was also a shy person.) She gave him a new name: Elvis.
You are a very good writer, Sparkle. My human thinks so too.
Purrs,
Sara Cat
Love that picture of him. My Human’s first cat (before my time) was a black one, half siamese, who died of kidney failure and was with her in some crazy times too.
He sounds like a very special kitty! I bet he brought a lot of laughter into your mom’s life. (Perhaps a bit of frustration as well…)
Aren’t there some cultures where black cats bring good luck?? Or maybe it’s just wishful thinking. Interesting story, Sparkle!
Tom
How sweet of you to share his story for Friday the 13th! I love black cats.
My very first cat was a black female not a white hair either ! She lived and shared my life for 20 years. She choose Mr. G as a good husband for me, she assisted to bottle feeding of my boy, she accepted a dog and she was very intelligent. She went with me everywhere, shopping, visiting friends, she went in and out and she also walked on a leash ! I never had such an intelligent cat after her ! When she died it was as if a part of me would die too.
The publicist loves black cats. Her first was a big 22lb one named Bart. I know she has said this before but she once had 14 of them at once!
Harlot was very handsome! We enjoyed the story of him and your human too!
His name wasn’t Harlot – Harlot was the cat before me that she brought home while she had the black cat. Harlot’s story is here: https://www.sparklecat.com/special/photo-hunt-memorial
I am honored that you pasted a tribute to a Black Kitteh on Furiday the 13th! We is Beautiful and The Human is always disappointed because there aren’t very many pictures of Black Boys like me on calendars and stuff, prollee cuz so many pictures are just fur and eyes, MOL!
I didn’t even realize it’s Friday the thirteenth. I had a black cat once too. He was the meanest cat I’ve ever seen . He bit anyone who ever tried to pet him. He always let people pet him just enough to be able to bite them, hard. I finally made friends with him, only to have him get me again while he was sitting on my lap.
love the name Harlot…I find it hard to believe that ANY cat wouldn’t love you!! I am sure that he did in his own way
Cheers for “cats-who-came-before”!
He looked very handsome.
What a wonderful post. I too had a special black cat that was with me through thick and thin. The only constant in a far too turbulent life. I’ll have to share a story about him soon.
: )
Glogirly
What a wonderful looking cat! Me thinks it must be beacuse uis is part Siamese
Kisses
Nellie
your human was lucky to have such a trustworthy and loving companion.
Sparkle
He was a beauty!
purrs
>^,,^<
♥Abby♥Boo♥Ping♥Jinx♥Grace♥
It was nice getting to know the cat that came way before you, but I didn’t catch his name. BTW, TW was born on a Friday the 13th many centuries ago, which explains many things. She has that same museum cat statue but it’s smaller and in the “china closet.” I believe today they call them Curios.
That’s a cool story for speshal black cat Friday! Owr mom says black cats are lucky too.
Thanks for coming by to wish me a Happy Gotcha day. It was Jan. 4, but mom din’t put the post up for me until late. Whatcha gonna do wif beans?
Buddy
Friday the 13th has always been good luck for me…I was born on that day. Now I have a beautiful black house panther (Kip) who is such a joy and a special cat I feel so very fortunate that he has come into my life 🙂
The black kittie in the picture sure is a beauty.
My human had a black cat. She lived for 18 years. Always gave her good luck on Friday the 13’s.
He’s a beautiful kitteh, and that is a great picture. Looks like something you’d find in a magazine somewhere.
Siamese are special cats like that. And no we do not like sharing our people–although if we have to we will. I think he sounded like a wonderful boy. It made my human laugh that he was the best cat ever because she said that about Simone (the Siamese who came before) and she says that about me. I do not think she will say that about Ichiro though…
I enjoyed reading about the special back cats, they both sound cool to me!
He was lovely and your Mom was lucky to have him. Black cats rule!
He’s GORGEOUS!!!
We black cats are lucky to all our hoomans and work extra hard to make sure that they have good luck. All of us blackies in the Carter household, especially me, are devoted to our MomKatt.
ADOPT BLACK CATS!
I always like to put in a plug. You never know who’s reading things … 🙂
I can identify, too, with Harlot’s craziness!
PURRS!
Selina
He was very handsome. What a good life he had.
Happy Weekend!!
~ The Bunch
Yep – sounds like a wonderful house panther!!
What a handsome fellow and beautiful picture & post. He was magnificent
Our Mum loves all black cats too and she had one called Max – everyone around knew Max cos he just knew he was everyone’s furrend and never refused a free meal!!
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
Is good dis day, and dis posts you makes Sparkle. We gots tow of da House Panther black kitties, an dey is makin som furrtabulous membries for our Humon. Both of dem be inta mischief but we loves dem anyways. When dey crosses ours path it jus means dey beated us to the crosswalk I’m thinkin ….
Loves da tribute.
Great post for the Thirteenth. That is great that your human has pictures of the cats from before. Who knew that we should have taken pictures many moons ago. It was fun hearing about this gorgeous black kitty. Take care and lots of luck to ya.
What a great looking guy! We think if a black cat crosses your path…it’s good luck!
He sound smart for me.
Smart enough to make human laugh and cry.
He knocked Egyptian kitty statue over, He may give a sign ” Nothing last long forever ”
Thanks so much to share. It’s touched and it’s lovely
Many Hugs to your human
xoxo
So beautiful friend!Thanks for sharing your memories and this adorable picture!
Luna
A very handsome fella indeed!