Pomponia

Adopted 17 February 1992 in Tulsa - died 15 May 2008 in Houston.

According to her rescuer, Leslie Johnson (Blog bio 28 MAR 16), Chloe was "the sweetest, smartest cat alive." Conversely, she had lived in a cage during most of her three years of age and been returned by three adopters. I had learned not to put much faith in Leslie's evals, but I agreed to adopt the cat anyway.

Our introduction on the kitchen counter was inauspicious: Leslie opened the cat carrier in which the voluptuous feline sat and I approached. Like a flash, the newcomer bit my nose and scratched my cheek. Welcome home!

Having established her dominance, Pomponia (as I renamed her) turned out to be good natured dominatrix, readily accepting people and fellow pets. She liked to chew lettuce; often sat on potted plants; sat on my right forearm when I tried to work at the computer, and flicked her tail over my plate of food. Visitors who wore dark colors, were allergic to cat dander, or just didn't like pets were targeted by Pomponia as preferred laps to sit on and linger. No amount of shushing or restlessness of her chosen victim would dislodge her; more decisive attempts met with a warning bite. I was begining to understand why lesser people would return her. Pomponia never doubted she was everyone's Better.

When in 2005 Chris and I moved to Saudi Arabia, Pomponia --with Violeta (Blog bio 18 OCT 11), Calpurnia (Blog bio 13 MAY 12), Sultana (Blog bio 13 MAY 12), Pertinax, and untame Montecor, Antares, Minutia, Simba, and Rocky -- stayed safely at home in Tulsa, well cared for by Lanette Dietz. We returned to the US much sooner than expected in 2008, accepting an attractive position at the University of Houston to be closer to his family and because Academia is in his blood. By then, Violeta had died, and we moved the rest of the tame cats with us to our temporary exile.

In Houston, Pomponia rejoined Magnus (Blog bio 18 MAY 10) and met her new Saudi siblings (both rescued in Dhahran) Farhaan (Blog bio 11 JAN 13) and Basmah-Pastora (Blog bio 16 SEP 13).

Pomponia ("la gordona") was a Presence, not just by her girth, but by her self-assurance; her mere presence made the room feel more comfortable, the house a home. 

Four months after getting settled in the house on Sylmar, and only ten days after Sultana had to be euthanized at the Houston Emergency Hospital, on 15 May, at 11:45AM, Pomponia was also euthanized. There must have been a damn good reason, but she is one of my disturbing episodes of animal-death amnesia. Only through my pet record do I know that she was euthanized, cremated, and later her ashes buried in Tulsa. What was the health issue ... why euthanasia ... why not even an entry in the diary I used to keep. There is a dark maw in my brain that swallows such facts; certainly not for lack of sorrow ... but perhaps too much.

Forever wondering, forever mourning.