Juno Hugo-Vidal, First of Her Name, Queen of the Windowsill, Empress of the Upstairs and Down, Slayer of Bugs and Stealer of Snacks, handed away earlier this week on the age of, allegedly, 12. The trigger was humane euthanasia made needed by kidney failure and a systemic an infection; an ironic last blow for a cat who nursed her human by way of the elimination of a kidney. She is survived by her devoted human servant of 9 years, Victoria; loyal canine companion and protector Janey; and puppy Karma, who she tolerated with a past saintly persistence.
Her early years stay shrouded in thriller. Like an actual woman, she made positive we by no means knew her actual age. What is thought is that in 2014, she was plucked from the streets of Brunswick, Maine, by the Coastal Humane Society (now the Midcoast Humane Society). Victoria Hugo-Vidal and her sister Virginia took one have a look at the scrawny, scabby grey and white tabby, recent from the alleyways, and knew instantly she was the one.
Technically, we have been paid to take her: As a part of an adoption particular, she was fee-waived, and we received a number of tickets to a Three Doors Down live performance as a part of a shelter giveaway. Which, on reflection, we must always have scalped, particularly contemplating how a lot money in costly prescription kibble she would later require. (Her scabs weren’t from preventing, because it turned out; they have been from having delicate pores and skin.) On her first evening within the Hugo-Vidal family, she stole the remnants of a rotisserie rooster off the kitchen counter and dragged it up the steps, down the corridor and to Victoria’s bed room at 1 within the morning.
Juno witnessed Victoria descend into alcoholism and claw her approach into sobriety. When Victoria would drink an excessive amount of and move out at her desk, on the sofa or on prime of the covers of her mattress, Juno was at all times there subsequent to her when she wakened. Was she ready for Victoria to die so she might eat her? The proof is inconclusive. But throughout the lengthy, grey winter of 2017-18 particularly, taking part in with Juno on the finish of the workday was just about the one pleasure Victoria had going for her in her life. Juno knew what time her devoted servant was on account of arrive home and received to pacing round, watching the door for her.
Juno accompanied Victoria by way of a number of relationships and strikes, from her mom’s home to an condominium with a boyfriend (longtime readers might bear in mind Ishmael), again to her mom’s home and at last to her very personal home. Despite cats typically having problem with environmental modifications, Juno dealt with every transition with blase acceptance; she merely strolled right into a room and mentioned: “Yes, I am here and this is mine now.”
She was additionally remarkably genial with different animals. At varied factors in her life, she calmly lived with a rambunctious kitten, a chunky elder cat and Neko, who she was initially adopted as a companion for. (They by no means turned shut however maintained cordial diplomatic relations.) She additionally appreciated dogs and was often used to show rambunctious puppies that they wanted to respect cats’ boundaries – she would stand her floor and use her claws if needed. While light and loving, she was not a pushover.
Her hobbies included taking part in with fishing-rod toys, chasing little transferring dots of sunshine, chewing on plastic, trying to climb into the lap of anybody consuming on the sofa and gently taking meals immediately from their mouth if she wasn’t stopped in time, and taking a nap on the chest of anybody who reclined at lower than a 30-degree angle. She loved dozing in sunspots and, whereas she had access to many luxurious blankets, pillows and items of furnishings, her favourite spot was at all times on prime of a chunk of plastic (purchasing luggage, delivery envelopes). In the winter, she slept on prime of Victoria’s head, the place she appreciated to purr notably loudly at 2 a.m.
Unlike many cats, she liked assembly new folks and would fortunately, in her younger days, trot as much as a newcomer to obtain the pinnacle scritches that she, in fact, was entitled to and deserved. As she aged, she let new people come to her, and anytime a customer entered the home and went to pet the cat, Janey barked and snarled at them to remind them that Juno was her cat, a part of her pack and below her safety. Juno by no means received any greater than 8 kilos, however she dominated any place she selected.
Now that she is gone, there’s a small vacancy on the sofa, within the nook, on the kitchen desk. Her devoted human servant retains seeking to the left, by her favourite nook, and she or he just isn’t there. She was a gradual, foolish presence within the lives of the Hugo-Vidals for 9 years. She was a lot liked and will likely be a lot missed.
Victoria Hugo-Vidal is a Maine millennial. She may be contacted at:
[email protected]
Twitter: @mainemillennial
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