Pup and Purr 2021 | Page 28

balance each other out . They ’ ll come sit on you and snuggle . They love each other and cuddle up together . But in the morning before I wake up it ’ s crazy — I ’ ll hear stuff slamming around like they ’ re kickboxing .”
Recently another shrewd kitty knew just whose home to approach . “ I just rescued this emaciated , motherless little guy that came to my window ,” says Fish . “ I ’ m not sure what to do with him yet . I started feeding him and trapped him to try and get him up to par . I thought he was feral , but actually he ’ s super lovey . I ’ m already in love with him of course ! He ’ s energetic and so sweet . But I put him in the bathroom and it was like putting a wild raccoon in there — he went nuts ! I was like , ‘ What did I do ?’ I went in , laid on my stomach and eventually he checked me out and crawled on my back . Within a day I was petting that cat . He had probably never had human contact ; he was so scared of me , then he just melted . Now he won ’ t leave me alone or stop licking and purring . Then he ’ ll want to wrestle the cats for 12 hours and they aren ’ t having it .”
About four years ago , Fish moved to New Orleans from her hometown of Kansas City . “ I fell in love with New Orleans and its culture , art , music and food ,” says Fish . “ I love its
spirituality and spookiness and that Voodoo vibe . It ’ s such a beautiful , poetic place . Hearing the folklore about my favorite artists who made the pilgrimage here , like The Rolling Stones , Led Zeppelin and Bob Dylan was enticing ; their stories sound so romantic . You feel you ’ re in the heart of something special in New Orleans . And have you seen all the cats in the Bywater ?” After living in small spaces in Kansas City with Fish , Mo now loves hanging out in his fencedin backyard in New Orleans . “ After being an indoor cat , Mo is happy having some territory outside ,” say Fish . “ My boys chase geckos and lizards and never try to leave . They know their names and come when called ; they ’ re just the best ! They get entertained staring at the top of the palm trees at night because there ’ s , well — I call ’ em mice — but I know they ’ re rats !”
Thanks to Mo ’ s influence , Fish is a devotee of black cats . “ My dad ’ s girlfriend at the time goes , ‘ Every Samantha needs a black cat !’ So Mo is my witchy kitty ! And Halloween is my favorite holiday .” Fish dismisses evil superstitions and negative connotations associated with black cats . “ It ’ s terrible because black cats have a very special , sassy , wonderful personality ,” says Fish . “ If I see a black cat cross my path , I ’ m one of those psychos who ’ s probably chasing it trying to save it , like my neighbor ’ s
26 Life Unleashed