Dead Cat No Fun

The last photo of Gato Simba Roque alive.

He died September 12, 2011. I had him killed because his cancer advanced to the point where the last 2 days he could not eat or drink, could barely walk a few steps without collapsing, gazed into the nothingness, and was just generally unresponsive. He only meowed once in his last three days - when i loaded him in the car to go to the vet.

Shortly after i took this photo my mother called me from Addis Ababa, so her and my father were able to say goodbye to him. It was the first time in days that i saw him lift his head and look around.




Gato was a very distinct cat, and the kind that makes anthropomorphism easy. More than a friend, he was a mentor and guide, and seemingly in touch with his Buddha nature. He was there when i dropped out of school, the first time i shaved my head, through all the failed relationships, and more - for 17 years he took all our emotions and turned them into purrs.

I made his coffin out of some spare wood, wrapped him in a cushion cover my mom made, rested his head over a can of tuna, and put his legs around some dry food, toys, seven coins, and some other trinkets. He is being buried in an undisclosed location in Michigan.



I miss him so much.