Dave the Cat 2012

Charlie, Peter, Allison, Kelly, Carla, and a few other people with whom I still converse remember Elliott, my first bicycle-riding cat. Many more constantly remind me of the almost seventeen years I spent with Dave the Cat.

Our story began with Tigger and Elliott in It Started With a Three-Legged Cat, and its current conclusion is recounted here. I state it that way particularly, because three times including this week since Dave's demise in 2004, I have been amazed by events in life that integrally included Dave and me.

We are Chapter 2 in "Florida's Famous Animals" by JG Annino, 2008, which was the second book to publish our story and photo. In 2002, Dave and I attended a book signing, because Julianne Hare put us on page 146 of "Tallahassee: A Capital City History", situated between two of my late personal acquaintances, "King Love" and Tim Simpkins, "Tallahassee's Super Hero".

Later in 2008, I brought my grandsons Dylan and Gabriel to the Museum of Florida History in Tallahassee to see the "Pets in America" exhibit, also featuring "Dave: Tale of a Tallahassee Cat".

Two weeks ago, Lee and Vicki Norris passed the word to me that Quarter Moon Imports at Lake Ella was holding a pet photo contest for the next several days. I don't recall being more excited about the prospect of winning a contest since the days leading to October 1985, when I instinctively knew I had a good chance to win my second-ever Halloween costume contest, as the Big Choice Crane Game.

Quarter Moon had one day of in-person voting last Saturday, and I spent the day there outside, wearing my treasured Catman shirt, and showing passers-by Dave's memorable photos, and both books to win votes. It was a perfect day, almost cloudless with a breeze. 

Quarter Moon was collecting pet food donations on behalf of the Leon County Humane Society, to be provided to low-income seniors to help them keep their pets in their homes. I brought several cans of cat food.

I visited with Matt at The Barber Shop next door and gave him a copy of "Florida's Famous Animals" inscribed by me, in appreciation for the twenty years he spent cutting my hair until I didn't have enough hair left to be worth our while.

I told as many people as I could that Dave and I needed their votes. Family, old and new friends, friends in New Jersey I hadn't seen in more than thirty years, former classmates and teachers, friends in Orlando, and Facebook friends across the world I will never meet were happy to vote for Dave and me.

On June 21, I attended Wendy's after-hours wine and cheese party at Quarter Moon and met her staff, and Sonja from Leon County Humane Society, on the last day of pet food donations, when the winner was to be announced.

Dave and I won first place by a comfortable margin.

Quarter Moon gave me a nice gift certificate, and has sponsored our entry in the Leon County Humane Society's pet photo contest in July.

Dave the Cat lives on through me, and I have been comforted through four decades with his physical and ethereal presence.

THANK YOU to all who made a couple of mouse clicks to help us win. In a few weeks, you will likely hear from us again for the next photo contest.

As I sign books,

Mitch and Dave the Cat

March 2013 conclusion is here.