Remembering Romeo

Today is National Cat Day, and I want to pay tribute to a special feline.

Earlier this year I lost my friend Romeo–RoMEOW, Studster Cat, THE Roamster–who passed away unexpectedly.

As would luck would have it, my neighborhood had not one, not two, but three outdoor cats. I loved all of them, but by far my favorite was Romeo, the coolest cat in the entire town.

An utterly beautiful, striking orange tabby, Romeo was the first to greet me, my first acquaintance on the street. He made me feel at home. He was king of the neighborhood, and his name couldn’t have been more perfect: Romeo, a real life charmer who stole everyone’s heart. A true Puss in Boots!

Romeo’s owners lived across the way, and let him roam wherever and whenever he wanted. Blazing Western CO summer heat? A sudden cold snap? Romeo would be out and about, exploring, climbing, and chilling with the neighbors. Everyone loved him.

As a cat person, I especially adored Romeo. He was a specimen—a large, muscular cat with the healthiest short hair coat. I often joked he liked to lift, as he was so healthy and brawny for a feline. It didn’t matter where he wandered; he was always immaculately clean.

I always enjoyed his visits. I loved announcing in the silliest voice, “Romeo, oh Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” And sure enough, more often than not he heeded my call and bounded out of the bushes. Countless times he’d be waiting at the curb when I arrived home from work—a real gentleman.

What I especially loved about this amazing creature was that he just wanted to enjoy my company. Though I always had treats on hand, oftentimes he’d bypass the food and went straight to sitting with me. A cat of very few meows (he meowed only 5-6 times in the years I knew him), he calmly surveyed his domain, his tail gently swaying.

I will forever miss his calming presence. Whenever I was writing away or studying, Romeo was often nearby, supporting my endeavors. Here are some of my favorite Romeo moments:

• Attempting to sneak a bite out of someone’s lunch in the back of their pickup truck

• Inspecting my car (climbing the seats and dash)

• Scaling the sky high new house behind the property

• Sheltering at my place whenever it rained

• “Breaking into” neighbors homes and the second floor

• Inspecting the beds of pickup trucks parked on the street

• Sitting directly under my chair as I worked/ studied

And of course, watching Romeo interact with fellow outdoor felines Mochi and Bob Ross was always a laugh. If Romeo was the silent jock, Mochi was the class clown/ social butterfly and Bob Ross the lovable spazz. And to his credit, Romeo patiently tolerated the high energy antics of the wannabe BROmeos. Since Romeo’s passing, Mochi has some big shoes to fill.

Thank you Romeo for your friendship. I will forever miss seeing you stroll down the street, then bounding my way whenever you spotted me, tail high, whiskers forward, a happy fellow. Just as you roamed the neighborhood, may you forever explore the heavens.

LONG MAY YOU ROAM!

–LMC