Mischief or Missy The Cat . . . A Memorial

The Story of Missy

It was 1994. We were living in Key West, Florida, ironically in a house named Casa Gato or Cat House. Cats are a major part of the Key West culture, stemming mostly from Hemmingway's six-toed varieties but also from the large feral population.

From the very beginning, Missy found comfort sleeping on my chest. And so be it, that's where she found comfort in her final days.

When we were getting a kitten for our son's, Missy had attached herself to us and we couldn't take just one. Her brother, BJ passed away last summer.

We quickly named her Mischief because she was the curious one. She was the likely one to get caught places she shouldn't be. She was the one who became an expert at the fine art of escape, only to return home after her adventures. While she couldn't speak, you could tell she was the "sarcastic" cat.

Many people see Missy as a black cat, though she is a "Havana Brown", a breed of very dark brown cats. She of course is in reality a feral mix, but her dominate look is that of a Havanah Brown. This if course created problems for me as a photographer. She was very difficult to photograph.

Missy has brought plenty of joy to our household over the years. She passed into the kitteh after-life November 23th, 2011 around 4:30 pm via euthenasia. Missy, you will be missed.

Sleep well Missy. You're home with your brother now. You were loved!