In Memory of Ishi

I am taking a brief intermission from fashion to dedicate this post to my beloved cat, Ishi; 9/1/08 to 1/24/20, RIP. He was our beloved cat for almost 12 years. He survived the ice storm of 2008/2009, the arrival of two new feline sisters, and had to deal with our now 85 pound puppy. And he just purred in return. He had a way of locking eyes with you and gazing at you with an expression of pure love. He was extremely playful as a kitten and was known to do flips on the bed.

My husband and older son gave him the name Ishi following an archery class in 2008 where they learned that Ishi was the last known member of the Native American Yahi people from the present-day state of California. When they returned home from their class, they decidedly announced that his name would be “Ishi.” Prior to that, his name had been Raphael after one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a name given to him by his foster mom.

In his prime, he weighed 18 pounds. He was a mackerel tabby with distinctive stripes that ran perpendicular to his spine and lined his legs. This tiger-stripe pattern was dubbed “mackerel” because of the stripes coming off the spine resembling a fish skeleton.

He is giving me his silent meow here.

Do you see the “M” above his eyes? This marking sets tabbies apart from other cats.

Farewell my handsome kitty. You were greatly loved and will be deeply missed.