July 14, 2000 to January 24, 2018

I bought Chat Chat 17 years ago from some runaway kids for $19. He was half blind and developed a lion’s mane as he got older.

The vet estimated he was 6 weeks old, so I chose July 14, Bastille Day, as his birthday. “Chat” is French for male cat and pronounced like “sshahh,” but I pronounced his name like the dance (cha cha). I’d ask him wassup in rhyming French (Qu’est-ce que tu fais là, Monsieur le Chat?) and tell him how much I loved him in Italian (Il mio gatto, ti amo molto moltissimo!).

He followed me everywhere like a dog and waited for me to sit down so he could use me as his chaise lounge.

As he got older, his meow became a little whiny, and it sounded like he was either saying "now" or "no" - either usually an appropriate kitty response to the situation.

Chat Chat was always mostly fluff and never weighed very much, but he had a HUGE personality.

I miss you so much, Monsieur le Chat!