This has to be one of the more unique post titles I’ve ever come up with – but what transpired earlier this week was one of the most unique, and special, experiences of my life. Let me explain.
It all began on August 17, 2009, when I wrote a post titled Tortitude – the Unique Personality of Tortoiseshell Cats. It rapidly became one of the most popular posts on this blog. When you google “tortoiseshell cat,” “tortie cat,” “tortitude” and any number of other combination of these terms, the post pops up in the first three results on Google’s results page. Readers started leaving comments sharing stories about their torties. It rapidly became so much more than just a blog post. With more than 3500 comments to date, it has turned into a real community of tortie lovers. (Editor’s note: as of April 2012, the post had more than 9500 comments.)
About a year ago, a core group of tortie lovers began to post almost daily, and what started as an exchange of tortie stories turned into online friendships. We not only continued to share tortie stories (and anyone owned by one of these cats knows there’s always plenty of new material!), but we supported each other through life’s ups and downs.
There is Harry in Virginia, who, along with his wife Julie and daughter Rachel, volunteers and saves untold feline lives with Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation, and his tortie Brooke. There is Bernie in Western Pennsylvania, who had never had a cat in her life until a determined tortie named Steeler decided that she wanted to live with her. There is Jay in Eastern Pennsylvania, who taught his tortie Stirfry to trust humans again. There is Bernadette in Western Pennsylvania, whose two senior torties Kelly and Cookie grace some of her artwork. And there are many more: Glen in Canada, who rescued his tortie Kasey from a rough life outside a mechanical plant. Shannah in New York and her tortie Emma. Michael in Arizona and his tortie Honey. The list goes on and on.
With two exceptions, none of us had ever met in person. I had met Bernadette at the Cat Writers Association conference in November of 2009, and I had met Harry and his family at the National Capital Cat Show in Chantilly, VA in September of 2010. I had never met any of the others, and I never really expected to. Then Bernie, Jay and Bernadette decided that they would make the trip down from PA to come to my book signing at the Stray Cat Café, to benefit Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation, on April 10. As Bernadette put it in her write-up of the event, “On Sunday I took off for Falls Church, Virginia with a person I’d never met before to get together with a bunch of other people I’d met on the internet. Sounds like the sort of thing they tell you not to do, but I happened to know that each of these persons, including myself, owned at least one tortoiseshell cat, so I knew the worst we’d do is talk about what our cats did in the litterbox or deposited on the floor.”
Finally, we would all meet in person, after talking to each other on the blog for over a year. When Bernie, Jay and Bernadette arrived at the Stray Cat Café, it was like being reunited with old friends. The evening flew by. Harry and his wife Julie graciously invited us to their home for brunch the following morning so we could continue our gathering before the PA contingent headed home again. We spent a delightful spring day on Harry’s screened in porch, enjoying a delicious brunch, with five of his seven cats, including the lovely Brooke who started it all, hanging out with us.
This day will forever remain in my heart as one of life’s special memories. The time went by much too fast, and we all reluctantly said our good-byes.
All of us continue to marvel at how all of this came about. We couldn’t come from more diverse backgrounds. Our interests vary widely. Our love for our torties brought us together.
This day will forever remain in my heart as one of life’s special memories. The time went by much too fast, and we all reluctantly said our good-byes and sent the PA contingent on their way home.
Friendships can start in the most unexpected ways if you open yourself to the possibilities. In our case, we have Brooke, Steeler, Stirfry, Kelly, Cookie, Amber, Buckley, Allegra and all the others to thank for opening our hearts, and our lives, to new friends. I, for one, will be forever grateful for these wonderful cats, and the wonderful new friends they’ve brought into my life.
Photos, top to bottom:
Amber and Buckley, photo by Ingrid King
Julie, Ingrid and Harry, photo by Bernadette Kazmarski
Bernadette Kazmarski with me, photo by Renee Austin
Jay and Bernie, photo by Bernadette Kazmarski
Hi everyone. Just a note to add an update to this wonderful gathering of Tortie friends. Out of this blog, then this fantastic book signing event among strangers who really weren’t strangers after all, much love and friendships flourished. Jay Davenport and I eventually began a relationship. Today, years later, Jay and I are a couple. Just a note of more happiness, thanks to those wonderful, unpredictable and oh so beautiful Torties and the people we met.
Wish Texas wasn’t so far away from your booksignings & get-togethers!! Maybe someday – I’d love to talk to someone about my Tasha. She is not a “typical” tortie (ie black & gold) – but everything else about her is pure tortie!!
You never know, Anita – maybe one of these days. In the meantime, feel free to join the “tortie discussion” on this post: https://ingridking.com/2009/08/17/tortitude-the-unique-personality-of-tortoiseshell-cats/
Reading this really touched me, even though I don’t serve a Tortie. I love knowing that you guys have such a bond over your kitties, and I hope it lasts a lifetime. 🙂 God Bless you all.
Suzy, being one of those who gathered for that event, I can assure you we are a tightly knit group to this day. I speak of myself, but I am sure the other attending that special two days, would agree with me. It will last a lifetime. 🙂
Ingrid,
What a wonderful story of friendship and torties! Thank you for sharing with all of us!
One of these days I hope to get to the “Stray Cat Cafe” too.
Many blessings,
Nancy
This is great, but (other than the 3500 hits) not too surprising to me. I’ve made similar online friends on 2 Dachshund lists that have been going for probably 15-20 years now. It sure makes the world a smaller and much friendlier place!
Isn’t it wonderful how animals bring people together, Debbie?
Torties are special. My mom’s Tortie who died last year at 16 taught me how idiosyncratic they are.
Idiosynchratic is a good word to describe torties, Layla!
What a fun time all of you had. I didn’t now there was a Tortie Society. I have two here, both of which are very tortie. One, I can’t touch at all and the other one is a tiny bit wild herself. But they are great cats. That was fun hearing all about all the tortie people.
And it’s not even a secret society, Marg :-)!
An excellent post. I have a Calico. Born February 2000. I picked her up from the Hong Kong SPCA in September 2000 with bent tail, bald head, malnourishment, and ear mites. She appeared in the SPCA’s A Cat A Day Calendar 2002. They gave her three days. She’s moved with us to several cities in mainland China, then Chiang Mai in Thailand, and now Hanoi in Vietnam. The next stop on her world tour, I believe, is Daddy’s house in North Carolina. She likes to travel. And to help me type.
Thanks, Michael. It sounds like your kitty has quite the exciting life,. Maybe she’ll decide to tell her story some day!
The words you use are so true. We came as strangers, with the only common thread of having a Tortie, or as I should say, being a servant to a Tortie. We left, reluctantly, as folks who had formed real friendships. There was the feeling that we had never been strangers. I am still in awe of how special this event was and how truly exceptional all the folks were. Thanks to a group of cats called Torties.
It all comes back to the torties, Bernie, doesn’t it?
Ingrid, I cannot express the feeling reading this story meant to me. There were tears in my eyes remembering all the emotions of meeting you all and sharing stories of our Black and gold cats. This has been a vacation I will always remember and I found the people were wonderful.
Hopefully I will make it to another get together and meet even more of my online friends.
Words still seem to be inadequate to capture what our get together was like, Jay, but I tried my best!
Such a wonderful story!!! I’m so happy for you!
I love torties too, sweet E.T. has left this earth three years ago (she was 17), but I’m sure she’s smiling and she is happy about so many people loving torties!!!!!!!
Thanks, Anna!
Sounds like such a great time! So sorry we missed it…but one of these days… Purrs and hugs, Shannah & Emma
Hopefully we’ll meet you one of these days, Shannah (sorry about misspelling your name – I fixed it!).