Cat: Banshee (Domestic Shorthair) – Albany, NY (Oct 2000 – Mar 8, 2018)
Banshee earned his name. When he wasn’t screaming at his humans for food, he was screaming at visitors for entering his territory, or to anyone for disturbing his place of rest on the sofa.
It took him a long time to warm up to a person, but unlike “fraidy-cats” who would run and hide from strangers, he stood his ground and made it very clear who was the boss of his domain.
Despite his tough and curmudgeonly demeanor, he was loved. As he aged, he softened around the edges, and even started to purr freely when cuddled, rather than just squirming to get away. He stopped assaulting visitors, and became an amenable old man.
Sadly, he was one of many cats diagnosed with feline kidney disease, and despite inexhaustible efforts from his family, he succumbed five months after his diagnosis. His absence is almost as loud as his presence, and he is deeply missed.
The first time I met Banchee he was sleeping soundly on the couch. I made the mistake of walking in between the couch and the coffee table and he swiped my leg, scratched me, and ripped my jeans. I spent the next 5 years aggressively trying to win his affection. Even when I would watch him and feed him.. he would hiss at me from his bowl of food that I poured for him. I loved stealing pets and kisses from him while he was sleeping and/or ignoring me. His last year he really sweetened up and let me really pet him, sit with him, and even purred once or twice. Banchee’s presence was always known when he was in the room- his meow, hiss or stare. No matter how mean he was he was always the best looking. I know cats can appear gender less but Banchee was all boy, masculine, and dominant and beautiful. I’ll miss stealing a pat on his head or asking Hudson to “get him” and watching them tussle. I don’t have cats of my own- so I loved getting my filll with Bansh, who was always a challenge. He always let Christopher pet his head… figures.