R. I. P. Caruso

 

R. I. P. Caruso: 1988 - 2006

Today I had to lay to rest my beloved Caruso, my feline companion for the past 19 years – one year longer than I’ve known Christian! He’d been gong downhill for the past few months and his decline rapidly accelerated over the past couple of days. The vet came to the house and I held him in my arms as the doc gave him the shot. I’m having him cremated, since I wouldn’t know where to bury him. He’s always been an indoor, city-living, apartment cat. 

In April of 1988, I was 26 years old, living on Euclid Avenue in San Francisco. Having spent the past two years living in London, Berlin and Helsinki, I was now “stable” for a while, working on my Master’s degree at San Francisco State University, so I decided the time was right to get a cat. I’ll always remember the day I got Caruso at the SPCA: He was in a big cage with about 15 other kittens. When the attendant opened the cage to let me pick one out, most of the kitties just lolled about and ignored me. But from the very back of the cage, a little orange fireball came running to the front, literally screaming at the top of his 8-week-old lungs “PICK ME! PICK ME!” He was the obvious choice. 

Back home, my little kitty’s impressive voice demanded attention wherever he went, so I decided to name him Caruso, after the famous turn-of-the-(20^th)-century opera singer Enrico Caruso. Soon thereafter, we recorded the “songs” I’ve linked to below. Just like all kittens, Caruso was always under foot, but one day he gave me a real scare. My phone was ringing and I was running to get it before the answering machine picked it up. Caruso got tangled up in my feet and I ended up stepping on his head! He seemed OK at first, but then I noticed he was being unusually quiet and still, just sitting on his chair, gazing blankly into space, a dumb look on his face with his tongue sticking halfway out. Fearful that I had given him a concussion, I rushed him to the vet. But the vet said there was nothing he could do; we just had to wait. He snapped out of it the next day, but from that day on, he had his distinctive snaggle tooth which gave him his cute crooked smile. I think I knocked his jaw slightly out of alignment.

Caruso's Debut (link to song)

Over the years, Caruso grew into the perfect cat. He was always playful and friendly. My friends were always amazed at how he would “fight” with me. He’d really look ferocious when he’d “attack” me, but he never once hurt me. I think that’s because I always alpha-rolled him from the time he was a kitty, so he always knew who the real Leo the Lion of the house was… ME! He loved to sleep with me, right up by my face, which I loved. He had several tricks which many of you probably remember, including “Escape from the Shopping Bag” and “I Must Lick!”

What Am I Doing 2 U Cat? (link to song)

As he grew older, he fattened into a big lovable sandbag of a cat, topping out near 20 pounds! He took after his daddy that way. Even in his old age, he always loved to play with his toys, and he remained incredibly affectionate right up to the very end.

I remember at one point in the late 1980’s, when I thought for sure I’d be dead in 5 years from HIV. As part of my Shanti Project training, I had to write my own obituary and will, and I remember breaking into tears as I wrote a letter to my mom and Betty, asking them to take care of Caruso after I was gone. He was my only “possession” that I cared about, that I had to worry about. Now I’ve outlived all three of them, and life goes on… 

Caruso, I’ll miss you terribly…