Anybody, human or animal, who lived in southern California in the mid-1990s remembers what they were doing 20 years ago today. On January 17, 1994 at 4:31 A.M., Los Angeles was devastated by the 6.7 Northridge earthquake. My human, who has lived in Los Angeles her whole life, certainly remembers. The only thing is, she was not in L.A. that morning.
It was sometime after 7:30 A.M., Eastern Time, and she was on a couch belonging to a couple she knew who lived in Astoria, New York. She had just spent nine days doing business in New York City, interviewing the metal band Pantera for a magazine cover story, visiting band guys she knew and ending her trip by spending a couple days with her friends Mike and Daina (since divorced). She was waiting for the car to come pick her up and drive her to JFK airport and Mike switched on the TV… and there was Los Angeles in rubble and flames!
My human immediately called to see if her flight had been cancelled. It was still on schedule, customer service told her, so she headed right for the airport… where she found out the flight was cancelled after all. It took eight and a half hours before she was able to get a flight back home. Eight and a half hours of alternately sitting at the bar and trying to call friends, family and coworkers to make sure everyone was all right. (She even called the teachers of the meditation group where she later wound up taking home a foster cat.) Everyone she reached was okay, if shaken up. The only one she couldn’t call, however, was the one that mattered most: the cat before me, Harlot. She had no idea where Harlot was or if she was safe.
Although my human has been a big proponent of indoor-only cats since she can remember, Harlot paid her no heed. She was happiest as a mostly-outdoor cat, having adventures, hunting small game and chasing other cats off her territory. Whenever my human went out of town, whoever was living in the sublet attached to her house would feed Harlot, but she would spend nearly all her time outside, making her rounds and keeping an eye on things. There was really nobody, however, to keep an eye on Harlot, and that’s what worried my human. While she was waiting for a flight home, she did get hold of Pete, a guitar player who was the current sublet resident. He said things were calm at the house, but there was no word about Harlot.
So after an eight and a half hour wait at JFK, then a five hour flight home, my human finally set foot in Los Angeles. A mysteriously dark and quiet L.A. She had possibly the worst shuttle driver of her life taking her home. It took an hour of wrong turns and almost-accidents before she was finally standing in front of her Silver Lake home, suitcase in hand and heart in her throat. She lugged the suitcase up the long, winding walkway, up the hill past the brush and trees up to her house — a familiar post-trip routine under the most unusual of circumstances. The silence was even spookier than the usual rustling of night creatures. Until finally, my human neared the base of the staircase leading up to her door. A sweet and slightly whiny meow called out. It was Harlot, wondering where she had been and what took her so long.
It was possibly the happiest reunion my human had ever had.
The odd thing about that earthquake: up until then, whenever the earth shook, it would send Harlot flying under the bed. She was deathly afraid of earthquakes before the Northridge quake hit. But when my human arrived home that night, she realized that everything was going to be all right. And for the rest of her life, every time there was an earthquake, she stayed by my human. She knew that as long as she was there, she was safe.
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Miss Harlot was certainly a special kitty and I’m so glad she make it through the Northridge quake safe and sound. I’m only three so I was not alive for that quake but my human lived through it as did the three cats she was living with at the time. Her kitty Bo immediately took refuge under the bed as soon as the apt started rocking and rolling and Kia rode it out in the living room. However when my human started looking for her third kitty, Peedy, he was nowhere to be found. He eventually came out from hiding later that afternoon but to this day she has never figured out where he was hiding and boy was she worried sick! Meow and Namste! ~ Pippy the Feline Yogini
Whew!! I thought this was gonna have a bad ending….but NO! Hooray! I’m glad everyone was okay.
We don’t really have earthquakes here…not like the West Coast. I do remember waking up one morning, feeling the bed shaking…and yes….we were having an earthquake. Weirdest thing ever. Longest 30 seconds EVER!
We held our breath until the end of the story!!
When we had our 6.1 last year mum’s first thought was stand in front of the catflap, so the cat’s can’t get out! THEN she worried about her china collection falling off the shelves!!
Harvey
😯 Wow what a story bout yer Mum n Harlot…me wuud bee terryfied if we had another earthquake…me haz lived thru 2 mild onez here. Ferst one in da other place wif da Hu’manz who ignored me n da 2nd one wif Mum n she stayed right by me side n sang to me…
Who knew dat we cuud get earthshakin over here???
Haz ya eber felt da earth move sparkle?? it iz bery scarey!!
Lub Nylablue xx
Great story! We (rather Mommy) remembers that earthquake well! They was living on Vancouver Island and they had some shakes up there. Itwas the first time Mommy had ever experienced an earthquake and it scared her to bits!
Kisses
Nellie
Harlot was truly a heart-kitty. They know their humans are there for them when it counts.
So glad she was right there at the doorstep waiting so you didn’t have a frantic search after that looooong trip home. So very glad she was safe! My animals have been acting coo-coo, well more than usual, and with this strange weather to boot, we’ve been wondering if another earth quake is coming. Hope not!!
a scary way for Harlot to face her fear,but so glad she was safe and sound,xx SPeedy
I remember that earthquake. I was in New Mexico, but we had some friends in California, close enough to have their stuff shaken off the shelves and glass broken. They were OK, though. It must have been horrible worrying about Harlot all that time. I am so glad that it all turned out so well.
We had just left LA for NV when that one hit. I don’t miss earthquakes.
We’re so glad that everyone was safe especially Harlot! We can’t imagine how worried your human was but we’re so glad there was a happy ending!
I remember that earthquake as though I myself were there. I was not but I felt deeply sorry and troubled for all who were. That was a terrible horrible thing and I am so grateful that you and Harlot were reunited.
Mommy can only imagine the turmoil your Human went through.
I am so glad that Harlot was safe. That must have been terrifying.
An earthquake ! It should have been so scary for Harlot and your mom ! We love the happy end of the story ! Purrs
A beautiful name for a gorgeous baby girl!…LOVED your happy ending!…Our Mommy thinks you guys have the coolest Mom ever!…Have a fun weekend, dear friends…xoxo…Calle, Halle, Sukki, Mommy Cat, Daddy Cat
I was in a car accident recently while on the way home from work; got rearended. Had to wait forever for the police to finish paperwork. The whole time, I was worried ’bout my ferals, who always get fed when I come home daily, and it was deathly cold in Michigan. I know how much I worried in that 45 minutes, but I cannot imagine how your human held it together for all those hours. I’ll bet Harlot’s greeting cry was like manna from heaven for her! I’m okay, by the way, only my bumper got a bit cracked and the other guy got the traffic ticket. And the ferals made it through the arctic blast.
That is a beautiful story Sparkle.
What a story! We’re glad it had a happy ending and that your mom and Miss Harlot were okay!
Miss Harlot was sure a pretty kitty girl..How scary to not know ifs your kitty is safe..Thanks for sharing a wonderful story! 🙂
I am so glad everything turned out alright. What a pretty kitty.
Lovely story….
That was a good story Sparkle! I hope those nasty fires aren’t in your neck of the woods.
The fires are pretty far from here, but we are still getting a lot of smoke. We could smell it all last night.
I was young then, but I remember that. I wasn’t in LA, I was in Central CA, but we got the after-tremors. My mom’s family all lived in LA, though, and the phone calls started. We ad no fatalities, just some scraped knees from cousins who fell down when it happened.
Glad Harlot was okay! That must have been scary. I know that the news made it sound like it had hit everything in the area, which was very frustrating and hard to determine. The woman’s father thought she’d know that anything centered in Northridge wouldn’t have affected him much but he worked at JPL and that had some damage (much exaggerated by the early Gopher reports, which was the library’s version of the internet pre-internet as we know it) and that scared her because he commuted in (although later than the earthquake hit). She finally found out he was fine by calling her aunt who he HAD called.
Whoa! Intense stuff. All TW remembers is the big earthquake in San Francisco. Nicky had a similar experence with a different outcome. He used to go out and one night he was out during the worst T-storm we ever had. TW kept opening the back door and calling to him but he didn’t come. After that night, he was terrified of t-storms even though they didn’t phase him before.
I read this beautiful post with my heart in my throat. Thank God Harlot (what a great name!) was ok, and you, too!
Holy cat! I can’t imagine being in an earthquake. That must be so terrifying. I’m glad the story had a happy ending for Harlot and your human.
WOW, Sparkle. Just … wow. That’s amazing. Harlot was one lucky feline. MomKatt can just imagine the sick feeling your meowm had ’til she got home & saw her baby was OK. She was cute too!
Purrz!
Selina
Oh, I can’t even imagine how scared Harlot must have been when the earthquake hit. I think animals are even more in tune to the vibrations and noises… She was a smart kitty to always stay by her human after that! As you know (CA quake of ’71) Glogirly is VERY scared of them.
xo
OH MY WORD
I cannot even imagine how worried your human was and how happy she was to see her fluffy Harlot.
I guess you get used to earthquakes if you live in areas where they happen just like over here we are used to hurricanes…but at least we have a warning when a hurricane is on the way.
Hugs madi your bfff
how scary – but we bet seeing Harlot safe was a huge relief!!
Wow…what a story. I was worried all through it until I got to the part about your human hearing Harlot’s voice calling……amazing she was safe and sound. I love happy endings…we had an earthquake here in Virginia a few years back which surprised EVERYONE….very rare occurrence……I knew it was coming before it came – flew by Mom with my furs on end and headed for the basement and 60 seconds later everything was rumbling and the house was shaking, stuff falling off counters, etc. Mom now calls me her “EARLY WARNING DEVICE”……I did the same thing when we had a tornado a few years ago. We cats just KNOW stuff sometimes. Thanks for the story Sparkle.
Hugs, Sammy
My mom remembers that Sammy..she says they felt it up here in Pennsylvania and the house shaked and all the kittehs were scared and runned to hide..you was a smart kitty to warn your mom!
Wow, super scary. So glad Harlot was ok.
Your Pantera reference sure bring me back… I saw them perform as an opening act for someone (I forget who now) probably about 20 years ago. Juat saying that makes me feel old.
Thank COD for the happy ending. What a beautiful cat Harlot was, and we loved getting to meet her. Purrs and hugs, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
Wow, we are not fans of earthquakes. That must have been terrifying for both your hoomin and Harlot.
WOW, how time flies. I had just graduated from college and my cat and I had just moved and were living in Thousand Oaks, CA back then. And people from Michigan don’t understand and fear earthquakes. Horrifying. Then came the Malibu fire. And O.J. But I loved living in So Cal and miss it! Of course we plan on moving back in the next few years (squeeeeee) so I am looking forward to that! So glad that you and Harlot were safe…there is nothing more scary than being away from those you care for when something like this happens!
The mom says…wow, has it been 20 years since that quake? She remembers it…though she didn’t live in the LA area, she remembers all the news and the pictures and video…it was horrible.
We’re glad to hear Harlot was okay…your human must have been so scared for her.
Mum can’t remember hearing about the earthquake so we guess she had switched off her aerial and wasn’t on receive that day. It must have been very scary.
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
That must have been a really worrying and frightening time but I was so happy to read that all was well and that Harlot was safe. Thank goodness. x
My Lady and I are so happy that Harlot was home safe after that bad earthquake.
Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrs, Spike William
Great story. We love stories with happy endings. Glad Harlot was all right. Glad everything was all right for you. I do remember that earthquake. Take care.
My Mommy remembers that day very well. It was indeed very scary. Everything flying off the shelves in kitchen cabinets, The two resident cats of the time running off scared and gone, missing for hours. My Mommy says she was having a hard time getting out the bed and go under the door arch, since the ground was shaking so hard. Her chimney had cracked. One of the cats was later found sitting in next door neighbor’s yard so frightened that she couldn’t move. Mommy had to scoop her back home. The other cat came home much later and spent the next following 3 days under the blankets in Mommy’s bed. It’s a horrifying experience for kitty cats and humans too!
We’re glad Harlot was safe and sound 🙂
wow… what a story.. I can’t even imagine how happy the human was when she saw Harlot, and I love that Harlot learned that the human would always keep her safe…
We loved the ending of the story best!
Purrs,
The Chans
What a sweet story and a happy ending. Natural disasters are the scariest when we are separated from our kitties.
Wow! We’re glad to hear that she was safe!
Sometimes you gotta be an outdoor kitty! We’re glad Harlot was safe. Thanks fur the good story.
Thank goodness there was a happy ending to that story. We only get very small earthquakes in the UK, and none within my lifetime.
What a happy story for such a scary time.
Harlot was a mighty cute kitty and we were happy she was OK
after that earthquake.
Thank you for telling us about her 🙂
Purrs Georgia and Julie,
Treasure,JJ
and Angels Tiger and Tillie