Griffin - My faithful familiar

On September 26, 2009 my 13-year-old familiar and faithful kitty Griffin passed away.

In July of 2008 he has something akin to a stroke and was all wobbly for about a week.  He had stabilized by the time I took him to the vet a few days later, but inside I knew that I was living with him on borrowed time.

MardiGriffin

I got Griffin as a spindly-legged Louisiana Swamp Cat.  I was living in New Orleans in 1996 and was thinking about getting a kitty.  I was actually talking to a friend aobut this when outside the window of Kaldi’s Coffee House on Decatur in the French Quarter I see this wispy little orange ring-tail sauntering past a window.  Since the window was about five feet off the sidewalk I ran out to see what it was doing.  Outside were some gutter-punks spanging on the corner and I asked if that was their kitty and could I hold it.

They told me that some friends came through town with him and left him there and that there were trying to find a home for the little guy.  I told them not to worry that I’d take him.  So Griffin rode down Esplanade with me, riding inside my scooter helmet and covered in fleas.

In those first days he got no fewer than five flea baths with different products, but every time I dunked him in a bucket of dip all the fleas would just climb up to his head.  So dense were his fleas that they literally would fall off his head into the water because they had no more real-estate left up top.

And so, on day five we went to the vet and invested a couple of hundred bucks in a brand-new flea medication called “Front-line” and “Advantage”.  It was the first time I had ever a significant chunk of my own money in taking care of an animal.  And with that, the fleas died, his shots were up to date, he was registered to me on his rabies tag and I had my first baby!

It was just him and me for the first two years and he moved with me from NOLA to Colorado, where I followed a guy.  That relationship quickly deteriorated and I moved back to Ohio, with Griffin to recollect during the summer.  I learned I left Colorado with more than myself and Griffin when I learned in July that I was pregnant.  Griffin and I had many deep conversations on the back patio and I decided that I was going to undertake the responsibility of being a single mom.  As I bought baby stuff, Griffin thought I was buying him elaborate cat toys.

Griffin in his ExerSaucer

He was a great friend.

Mia luvs up Griffin (who is tolerating her shenannigans)

He was a good brother to Mia.

Griffin and Baby Mia

Griffin asleep in Bed

Felize, Griffin and Lucifer

Griffin and Lucifer eat the Catnip at TimberTop's patio

Griffin & Ojo - 2004

His last days:

Getting older

Griffin has left the building

Griffin has left the building - September, 26, 2009

Griffin Memorial

Griffin Memorial

I have collected some of my Griffin photos into a set over on Flick’r: You can view them here