A Cat's Impact

I recently rewatched "The Electric Life of Louis Wain" starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy. Born in 1860, Louis Wain was an English artist best known for his drawings featuring anthropomorphized, large-eyed cats and kittens. Without his art, cats wouldn't have the beloved, Internet-famed status they have today. In fact, H.G. Wells once remarked. "He invented a cat style, a cat society, a whole cat world." In 1886, The Illustrated London News commissioned Wain to draw 'A Kitten's Christmas Party' depicting 150 cats engaged in humanized, Holiday activities – some of which resembled Peter, the cat he shared with his wife, Emily. In fact, many of Wain's pieces resembled Peter. And it made me wonder, how much did our first cat inspire us, or change our thinking about cats forever. So, I interviewed a couple of local cat parents to find out. Tricia, Brighton Heights: I was about seven years old when my mom and sister found a thin and dirty stray kitty hanging out at the laundromat. He was a gorgeous pure white cat with one blue eye and one green eye and was deaf in one ear. We named him appropriately The Beaut. He was our first cat, brought into a home with two dogs and five kids. He wasn't the easiest cat, he sprayed, was easily overstimulated and I was allergic to him. But he was so smart and special in countless ways and we loved him very much, he became our "gateway cat". If it wasn't for The Beaut, I doubt my Dad would have spent the rest of his life taking in strays and caring for local ferals. If it wasn't for The Beaut, I wonder if each one of my siblings and I would have had numerous cats bless our lives. I believe observing my parents allow us to take this cat in and give him a good life, probably had a huge impact on me at such a young age, instilling in me the need to rescue and also find homes for many cats in my adult life. It all started with one singular beautiful boy that we saved and who I believe saved us right back. Jessica, Avalon: While I cannot pinpoint one specific cat that peaked my love for cats, I can say that running around with kittens in our barn was my first memory of my feline friends. When a kitten would let me pick it up, I would carry it with me everywhere. Looking back, I can see this is where my affinity for felines began. Fast forward 30 years and my love for cats has only grown. These days, I dedicate my free time helping to slow the reproduction of stray, feral, and community cats through TNVR (trap-neuter-vaccinate-return programs,) while caring for my own rescue cats. I will spend my life sterilizing as many unwanted cats as I can and encourage residents to learn about community cat care. Morgan, Ben Avon: There's always one cat that changes it all. For me, that was Louie. Louie has reformed me from being a cat lover to a full-blown cat lady aficionado. From the moment I rescued him from the woods of Butler County, everything changed. He was so small; he could fit in the palm of my hand. For the first time, something so tiny and vulnerable, relied on me and only me. I had just graduated from college and was out on my own for the first time too. We immediately became best friends and our own little family. Through the years, Louie has grown into an athletic, incredibly affectionate, (sometimes ornery), emotional support cat. Truth be told…he's been the one to rescue me. He has helped me through hard times and provided me with priceless companionship. It amazes me that he always seems to lay on my lap when I need him most. He's also been there to "slow blink" to me in the happiest times. Louie has become an important part of my identity; his stately face and unique markings have graced pieces of jewelry, framed pictures, commissioned paintings and even one of my birthday cakes. Anyone who knows me knows how important Louie is to me. The profound impact Louie has had on my life (& heart) has been a driving force to further educate myself & care for cats on a whole new level. I found myself diving deep into cat literature, videos, Facebook groups and community pages trying to learn the best ways to make an impact for cats in need. It didn't seem fair that Louie was a "lucky" cat that went from being born outside, to living safe inside snuggled up on my lap, when so many cats needed help. I now felt compelled to try to end the suffering of the vulnerable & neglected cats in our area. When a stray cat showed up in my yard years ago, I knew what I had to do. I reached out to my local cat lady network, bought my first trap, and learned how to TNVR (trap-neuter-vaccinate-return.) It's hard to keep track of the number cats I have had a hand in caring for (& fixing, supporting, fostering, transporting etc.) since I rescued Louie, but I am proud to say that my efforts have made a difference. Louie turns 11 this year and we continue to share a precious, unbreakable bond. I have Louie to thank for the profound impact he's had on my life, and for motivating me to help cats in need. As it would seem, these first cats – these inspiration cats – led these cat parents on to do great things for other kitties. Never underestimate a cat… The Wain painting in this blog post is from his later years and was obtained from Wiki Commons, though many of his reproductions can be obtained from any shop that sells reproduction art.