Requiem for a Great Cat(newyorker.com)
newyorker.com
Requiem for a Great Cat
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/requiem-for-a-great-cat
51 comments
Our tomcat passed too soon, a few months back. He was basically a puppy dog in demeanor, following my wife around the house from room to room. He would howl after she left the for the day, and greet her at the door on return. He was like a little old man with a bedtime routine, and as soon as the alarm clock went off, he mosyed up to her pillow for his face rubs.
We have a younger cat we adopted as a kitten that he really raised like his baby the first two years, before she rebelled and became a loner.
Lately it's been interesting watch her adopt some of his former, very specific traits months after his passing and sort of assert herself as the alpha of the house.
We have a younger cat we adopted as a kitten that he really raised like his baby the first two years, before she rebelled and became a loner.
Lately it's been interesting watch her adopt some of his former, very specific traits months after his passing and sort of assert herself as the alpha of the house.
I prefer cats over dogs because they kinda live alongside me, instead of having their human as some kind of object of worship/pack leader.
Having a cat is like having a roommate. Having a dog is like having someone who's very sure you're best friends forever and ever. There's something to be said for either.
There really should be a word for “personality” as applied to a cat. “Catitude” is the one that comes to mind for me.
"Catitude" is a good one. One might also say "felinity". Or "kittyhood". Or "purrsonality"!
I've only watched the movie version, but all these feel like they were words spoken by a character in CATS the musical.
I've only watched the movie version, but all these feel like they were words spoken by a character in CATS the musical.
Anyone who has lived with a Tortoiseshell Cat knows another word for this: Tortitude.
My past cat was like Bea, but in addition would lie across my shoulders while I worked at the desk, and chirp into my ear. I've never tried replacing him because I think the chances of getting another cat like that are low.
You had the privilege of living with a wonderful cat.
But I have to disagree on the chances. You know cats. So I think the chance of you being with another wonderful cat is very good!
A lot of it is how you raise them.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/YW4twLBBvu6bMrKq7
But I have to disagree on the chances. You know cats. So I think the chance of you being with another wonderful cat is very good!
A lot of it is how you raise them.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/YW4twLBBvu6bMrKq7
I’d second this sentiment and encourage the previous poster and some of the other replies to consider fostering for a local shelter.
We started fostering early in the pandemic, a few months after losing a very special guy, and it’s been very fulfilling. You‘ll get a chance to help some cats or kittens get out of a cage for a few weeks and find new homes - and I’d be surprised if you don’t eventually find one whose home just happens to be yours.
We started fostering early in the pandemic, a few months after losing a very special guy, and it’s been very fulfilling. You‘ll get a chance to help some cats or kittens get out of a cage for a few weeks and find new homes - and I’d be surprised if you don’t eventually find one whose home just happens to be yours.
Yes, I agree with that about raising them, but I think that improves the chances and well short of guarantees it. One of our first cats was very unfriendly and hated being held, grumbling the whole time until you put her back down. As kids, if we managed to convince her to sleep on our bed or sit on our lap while watching TV, it was an absolute triumph and moment of pride. Then you'd move your leg slightly and get scratched in the face.
My delightful cat meanwhile had to be stopped from constantly trying to nuzzle you!
My delightful cat meanwhile had to be stopped from constantly trying to nuzzle you!
Same here. When he was still young, my cat used to sit on my shoulder while I was trying to get computer work done. He passed away almost 2 years ago. I haven't been able to get another cat yet because I am pretty convinced he was something really special and I am unlikely to be as lucky a second time.
Haha that’s so sweet. I’ll just say my cat is the opposite - earning her affection is really special; anyone she chooses to love has already loved her for months. When she finally cuddles up - ah!
So just like people - you’re right - you’ll never find another cat like that - but you’ll find something especially different!
So just like people - you’re right - you’ll never find another cat like that - but you’ll find something especially different!
A few years ago, someone wrote to me here on HN something like this:
> F*** cats. They are all the same. If you lose a cat, just get another one.
Obviously this person did not know cats.
> F*** cats. They are all the same. If you lose a cat, just get another one.
Obviously this person did not know cats.
The Naming of Cats
T. S. Eliot, 1939
T. S. Eliot, 1939
The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,
It isn’t just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I’m as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.
First of all, there’s the name that the family use daily,
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo, or James,
Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey—
All of them sensible everyday names.
There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,
Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:
Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter—
But all of them sensible everyday names,
But I tell you, a cat needs a name that’s particular,
A name that’s peculiar, and more dignified,
Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,
Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?
Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,
Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,
Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum—
Names that never belong to more than one cat.
But above and beyond there’s still one name left over,
And that is the name that you never will guess;
The name that no human research can discover—
But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.
When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular name.Related - internet working group RFC, the naming of hosts (https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2100.html):
The Naming of Hosts is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a host must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.
First of all, there's the name that the users use daily,
Such as venus, athena, and cisco, and ames,
Such as titan or sirius, hobbes or europa--
All of them sensible everyday names.
There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,
Some for the web pages, some for the flames:
Such as mercury, phoenix, orion, and charon--
But all of them sensible everyday names.
But I tell you, a host needs a name that's particular,
A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,
Else how can it keep its home page perpendicular,
And spread out its data, send pages world wide?
Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,
Like lothlorien, pothole, or kobyashi-maru,
Such as pearly-gates.vatican, or else diplomatic-
Names that never belong to more than one host.
But above and beyond there's still one name left over,
And that is the name that you never will guess;
The name that no human research can discover--
But THE NAMESERVER KNOWS, and will us'ually confess.
When you notice a client in rapt meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
The code is engaged in a deep consultation
On the address, the address, the address of its name:
It's ineffable,
effable,
Effanineffable,
Deep and inscrutable,
singular
Name.I've always loved the mysticism around the Names of things. It shows up in fantasy magic systems, it shows up in religious texts, it shows up in political discourse, it shows up in just about any decent programming text.
Because we recognize, as creatures of language, that names have real, true power. There is something so magical and cool about the act of assigning a name to anything, it shapes the way we think about that thing.
In some of my favorite stories, finding somethings "True Name" gives you some form of power over it. That combination of sounds and syllables that lets you grasp something's essence, understand it, hold a whole abstraction in your mind at once - of course that would be something of great power!
I also love the correspondence to mathematics. Think of Maxwell's equations for electromagnetism for an example, or the long quest for a "Unified Theory of Physics". Maybe names need not be words, exactly. Maybe names can be equations, or snippets of music, or any other lossless compression of some deep concept - where, by knowing the name, you gain an understanding of the whole of something without losing anything in the reduction.
Anyway, spiritual mystical hokey pokey mumbo jumbo, I know - but certainly fun to think about!
Because we recognize, as creatures of language, that names have real, true power. There is something so magical and cool about the act of assigning a name to anything, it shapes the way we think about that thing.
In some of my favorite stories, finding somethings "True Name" gives you some form of power over it. That combination of sounds and syllables that lets you grasp something's essence, understand it, hold a whole abstraction in your mind at once - of course that would be something of great power!
I also love the correspondence to mathematics. Think of Maxwell's equations for electromagnetism for an example, or the long quest for a "Unified Theory of Physics". Maybe names need not be words, exactly. Maybe names can be equations, or snippets of music, or any other lossless compression of some deep concept - where, by knowing the name, you gain an understanding of the whole of something without losing anything in the reduction.
Anyway, spiritual mystical hokey pokey mumbo jumbo, I know - but certainly fun to think about!
If you didn’t read it yet, you are going to love “A wizard of Earthsea”.
Edit: but you seem like you did.
Edit: but you seem like you did.
I have not, actually, it's been floating around on my to-read list for ages. This trope is all over the place, but the main examples that were floating in my brain when I wrote this comment were The Name of The Wind and Unsong. I should really give Earthsea a read, been meaning to for a long time.
That’s great—now I have two more books on my list! :)
The Name of the Wind I really enjoyed, but be warned - it's part of a trilogy, and the second book was released 12 years ago. News on the supposedly forthcoming third has been sparse, and it seems quite possible that the trilogy won't be finished.
Unsong is a very idiosyncratic web serial novel by Scott Alexander (the Slate Star Codex/ Astral Codex Ten guy). It's a weird mixture of religion, sci fi, fantasy, comedy, and probably some other genres too. It's among my favorite things I've read, but due to the weirdness might not be for everyone. Still I think most of the HN crowd would appreciate it, it's truly special in my opinion
Unsong is a very idiosyncratic web serial novel by Scott Alexander (the Slate Star Codex/ Astral Codex Ten guy). It's a weird mixture of religion, sci fi, fantasy, comedy, and probably some other genres too. It's among my favorite things I've read, but due to the weirdness might not be for everyone. Still I think most of the HN crowd would appreciate it, it's truly special in my opinion
Steve French.
One of the things I enjoy most about cats is that I do not have to fear that their enjoyment of my company is slavish or out of fear. Cats will like you or not, but they will not do so because they feel compelled to do so. With dogs, their devotion is too easy, almost slavish, and for some reason end up feeling like they fear that I would transform into the dog version of Simon Legree.
On my short trips, I sometimes stop by an odd store which is a combination of tourist trap (literally hundreds of varieties of bizarre sodas, Route 66 memorabilia, antiquated candies, homemade fudge, and so on) and a basic farm store, with feed and grain and other farm supplies. Apparently, a young cat had made himself known to the store by wandering in and boldly catching a few mice to display to the humans inside as a portfolio. Spec work for hunters. He had since become the shop cat, relentlessly patrolling. This was unknown to me until I saw this cat wandering about as I turned an aisle. A little surprised, I bent down and said "Hello," then to be rewarded with a leap and an armful of purring cat. The proprietors then told me the story of how he came to be there.
He is still there and is still happy to see me, but ignores other people, in the way cats do.
On my short trips, I sometimes stop by an odd store which is a combination of tourist trap (literally hundreds of varieties of bizarre sodas, Route 66 memorabilia, antiquated candies, homemade fudge, and so on) and a basic farm store, with feed and grain and other farm supplies. Apparently, a young cat had made himself known to the store by wandering in and boldly catching a few mice to display to the humans inside as a portfolio. Spec work for hunters. He had since become the shop cat, relentlessly patrolling. This was unknown to me until I saw this cat wandering about as I turned an aisle. A little surprised, I bent down and said "Hello," then to be rewarded with a leap and an armful of purring cat. The proprietors then told me the story of how he came to be there.
He is still there and is still happy to see me, but ignores other people, in the way cats do.
This is one of the best cat stories ever!
You may enjoy Three Little Kittens:
https://archive.org/details/ThreeLit1938
You may enjoy Three Little Kittens:
https://archive.org/details/ThreeLit1938
It's been a rough week for my cat and best friend Nomi since last Thursday when he started showing signs of back pain, lack of appetite and GI distress. Over the week he's lost the use of his tail and back legs which is scary, but we are doing tests and working on figuring it out. I feel bad he had to spend the week in critical care, but he would have died because his kidneys were failing from dehydration. He will be back home tomorrow and I can't wait. I've been visiting him at the hospital every day.
Been there. Watching the love of life slowly fade was the most painful thing in my life. Cancer, failing kidneys and liver. She was visibly in pain for a while.
I miss her so much. I even managed to shave my beard with her on my shoulders. I still wonder how we managed that
I miss her so much. I even managed to shave my beard with her on my shoulders. I still wonder how we managed that
Give Nomi some scratches from a stranger. Wonderful of you to care for him the best you can.
Good luck, hoping for the best.
Wildlife crossings, when an we have it in our American consciousness?
In the Netherlands, there are 66+
https://unusualplaces.org/natuurbrug-zanderij-crailoo/
Other places in Europe: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/23/how-wild...
In the Netherlands, there are 66+
https://unusualplaces.org/natuurbrug-zanderij-crailoo/
Other places in Europe: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/23/how-wild...
In the UK, we mostly use tunnels, which are cheaper - at least, if you are installing them when the road is built. Just stick down some tubing and you're done . I'm not sure if any are large enough for deer though.
>"The comedy of catness lies in the juxtaposition of organically sinuous movement with the drab rectangularity of human habitation. "
My brain collapsed while trying to digest this. Still I love cats.
My brain collapsed while trying to digest this. Still I love cats.
For some reason I can’t get over the word “juxtaposition”.
Whenever I come across the word, it’s a pretty strong signal that a writer/speaker is simply trying too hard. Similar to the abuse of the word “unctuous” by food writers, it’s a deceptively narrow word that tempts people into seeing where they can fit it in.
Whenever I come across the word, it’s a pretty strong signal that a writer/speaker is simply trying too hard. Similar to the abuse of the word “unctuous” by food writers, it’s a deceptively narrow word that tempts people into seeing where they can fit it in.
"Unctuous" essentially just means "oily, but it's a good thing." But since that's a pretty rare property for a food to have, there aren't many ways to say it, or things to say past just "unctuous" — which makes it seem kind of opaque and ritualistic as a descriptor.
It's similar to how we have a lot of ways to describe things smelling bad, but relatively few words to describe things smelling good beyond "fragrant" or maybe "aromatic."
It's similar to how we have a lot of ways to describe things smelling bad, but relatively few words to describe things smelling good beyond "fragrant" or maybe "aromatic."
Often it means "it seems fatty/oily, but actually it's collagen" too. Like with a slow cooked cut of meat with lots of connective tissue.
Unctuous: [0]
> 1: having, revealing, or marked by a smug, ingratiating, and false earnestness or spirituality
> 2
> a: FATTY, OILY
> b: smooth and greasy in texture or appearance
> 3: PLASTIC
I’m aware of the definition. My experience with the word has primarily been under the 1st definition, so the positive connotation that food writers have been using it with seems absolutely ridiculous to me. Especially when I would use the first definition to describe the work of many food critics (maybe it’s an attempt at reappropriation :P).
I don’t mean this in a harsh way, but using unctuous to describe “oily but good” properties just seems ignorant. I hear “unctuous” to describe a fried pizza the OP enjoyed, and think “slimy sales person” or “The Blob”.
I also get that language is fluid as groups repurpose words. I’m just not a fan of this one. Current usage screams that some food writer pulled the word out of a thesaurus instead of their vocabulary and somehow it started to stick.
[0]: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unctuous
> 1: having, revealing, or marked by a smug, ingratiating, and false earnestness or spirituality
> 2
> a: FATTY, OILY
> b: smooth and greasy in texture or appearance
> 3: PLASTIC
I’m aware of the definition. My experience with the word has primarily been under the 1st definition, so the positive connotation that food writers have been using it with seems absolutely ridiculous to me. Especially when I would use the first definition to describe the work of many food critics (maybe it’s an attempt at reappropriation :P).
I don’t mean this in a harsh way, but using unctuous to describe “oily but good” properties just seems ignorant. I hear “unctuous” to describe a fried pizza the OP enjoyed, and think “slimy sales person” or “The Blob”.
I also get that language is fluid as groups repurpose words. I’m just not a fan of this one. Current usage screams that some food writer pulled the word out of a thesaurus instead of their vocabulary and somehow it started to stick.
[0]: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unctuous
The food (or just literal "oil") sense came first, though; unctuous has always been a sensory texture word. It wasn't always a positive quality, mind you; it's just one of several normal words you could use to call something "oily" in Latin. From Etymonline:
> late 14c., "oily, having a greasy or soapy feeling when touched," from Old French unctueus, from Medieval Latin unctuosus "greasy," from Latin unctus "act of anointing," from past participle stem of unguere "to anoint" (see unguent).
> Figurative sense of "blandly ingratiating" is first recorded 1742, perhaps in part with a literal sense, but in part a sarcastic usage from unction in the meaning "deep spiritual feeling" (1690s), such as comes from having been anointed in the rite of unction. Related: Unctuously; unctuousness.
(Which is to say: there are probably Bible translations from before the sarcastic personality sense developed in the 1700s, that use the word "unctuous" as an adjective for the same effect that we'd today use the word "anointed.")
It's kind of fascinating that the word "unctuous" has acquired positive connotations with respect to food, from starting off as a relatively neutral descriptor. I think it's maybe a rare reversed example of the common connotative shift that happens over time, where if there's a "high [language]" word (usually a foreign import that sounds fancy and technical at the time of its introduction) and a "low [language]" word (usually a native or much older borrowed word) for something, then the "low [language]" word will acquire negative or rude connotations to speakers of that language. E.g. the difference in propriety in English between writing "I'm eating pork" vs "I'm eating pig"; or between writing "feces" vs "dung."
> late 14c., "oily, having a greasy or soapy feeling when touched," from Old French unctueus, from Medieval Latin unctuosus "greasy," from Latin unctus "act of anointing," from past participle stem of unguere "to anoint" (see unguent).
> Figurative sense of "blandly ingratiating" is first recorded 1742, perhaps in part with a literal sense, but in part a sarcastic usage from unction in the meaning "deep spiritual feeling" (1690s), such as comes from having been anointed in the rite of unction. Related: Unctuously; unctuousness.
(Which is to say: there are probably Bible translations from before the sarcastic personality sense developed in the 1700s, that use the word "unctuous" as an adjective for the same effect that we'd today use the word "anointed.")
It's kind of fascinating that the word "unctuous" has acquired positive connotations with respect to food, from starting off as a relatively neutral descriptor. I think it's maybe a rare reversed example of the common connotative shift that happens over time, where if there's a "high [language]" word (usually a foreign import that sounds fancy and technical at the time of its introduction) and a "low [language]" word (usually a native or much older borrowed word) for something, then the "low [language]" word will acquire negative or rude connotations to speakers of that language. E.g. the difference in propriety in English between writing "I'm eating pork" vs "I'm eating pig"; or between writing "feces" vs "dung."
Aside: Some of the high quality commentators on the internet at on the perfume + scent fragrance site https://basenotes.com/
I would go so far as to say that the median commentator on that site is the kind of person I'd want at a dinner party. That's high praise.
I would go so far as to say that the median commentator on that site is the kind of person I'd want at a dinner party. That's high praise.
I was hoping this would be about Virtue the cat from The Weakerthans' song [0].
[0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmkNPOBWdGs
[0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmkNPOBWdGs
That's "Virtute", from the Canadian city of Winnipeg's Latin motto, "unum cum virtute multorum": "one with the strength of many".
Not from Winterpeg or anything, just long-ago research resulting from my personal insistence that the guy from Propagandhi wouldn't be making spelling mistakes
Not from Winterpeg or anything, just long-ago research resulting from my personal insistence that the guy from Propagandhi wouldn't be making spelling mistakes
Oh my. I've loved this song for over a decade now, and not once did I see that it wasn't Virtue! Thanks to you for the correction.
Here’s a 2013 picture and a little writeup about P-22, the “great cat”:
How this photo turned a reclusive mountain lion into a Hollywood icon (2022) https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/p22-holly...
How this photo turned a reclusive mountain lion into a Hollywood icon (2022) https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/p22-holly...
This is my favorite cat: https://discworld.fandom.com/wiki/Greebo
He probably could have kicked P-22's butt.
He probably could have kicked P-22's butt.
When your cat loves you so much, it wakes you up at 5am just to make sure you're still alive.
I'd like to rephrase this as "When your cat loves you feeding it so much, it wakes you up at 5am just to make sure you're still alive and able to feed it real-soon now".
Mine doesn't want to be fed and I don't think it's worried about me...but it does want me to know about the birds chirping outside. Yes, little one, I can hear them too.
> it wakes you up at 5am
by loudly vomiting up a furball onto the carpet.
by loudly vomiting up a furball onto the carpet.
Better than quietly doing it in a hidden spot so you find it days later, lol.
How about puking while enjoying the warmth of my audio receiver. I almost had a heart attack because I didn't want her to get electrocuted
There is a solution to that. Be a night person, sleep during the day.
Makes things so much easier :-)
Makes things so much easier :-)
I think that's exactly what humans love about cats. They really have personalities. Unlike any other domesticated animal, cats aren't tasked with any job. One often thinks about mousing cats, but that turns out to have much less historical evidence than humans just... loving cats! Having pet cats and human civilization appear to be essentially the same thing. The book "The Lion in the Living Room" is excellent if you're interested in this topic, and talks about P-22 at length. Even if you're not a cat person, it's a must read for LA residents or anyone interested in anthropology.
My cat Cleo is dramatically different than Bea, and she is also magnificent!