Katsumi (aka Kat)
September 1966 - March 1983

Kat was my first Siamese kitty - my very first love of this beautiful, intelligent breed.  She was a purebred seal point, coming from a long line of fancy heritage.  I wanted to give her a name befitting her lofty station in life but also wanted to be able to just call her Kat, so. . . I named her after a favorite song of mine at the time - the Katsumi Love Theme - sounded regal to me!

She was only 8 weeks old when we brought her home to love; my son, Jim, was almost three.  They grew up and bonded together as only a child and pet can.  She loved and protected him over the years as well as any watchdog could.  Woe to anyone who tried to hurt him - even me.  He and I would pretend that I was scolding him and going to give him a spanking and she would actually attack me!  Not viciously, but she'd wrap her mouth and paws around my arm and give a low guttural growl as a gentle reminder to leave her boy alone!  It was so endearing. . . she had so much love to share.

She was such a funny girl, with personality plus; I could fill up pages with memories of her antics.  One of her special talents was opening doors -  she could open them like she had hands.  She'd hang on the knob of the basement door and swing on it until it opened - then she'd prance through as if it were purrfectly normal behavior for a cat to open a door!

Heartbreakingly, she developed cancer in a  mammary gland; in spite of two surgeries and subsequent treatment, she succumbed in March 1983, at the age of 16-1/2.  We buried her in a special spot in the backyard.  She gave us many years of love and pleasure and will always have a special place in my heart.