The Cats of University Heights: Pepto

On the same block where lives Daniel Tiger, whom I visited with today, incidentally, resides newcomer Pepto—and, yes, that’s his real name. Within furball spitting distance, you also could encounter: Fluffy, Darth Mew, Ginger, Huck, JediMilo, and Princess Leia—or Snow and Stripe, looking out windows. The block bustles with frisky felines, and it’s a wonder they all tolerate one another so well.

I first saw two-year-old Pepto in early August 2020 and used iPhone XS to shoot a dozen portraits—none of which I would use unless compelled by lack of having anything better. Opportunity presented on September 8, when I lugged Leica Q2, seeking the orange and white for the umpteenth time. The Featured Image is a close crop. Vitals, aperture manually set: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/125 sec, 28mm; 4:54 p.m. PDT.

I snapped the (uncropped) companion photo right before Pepto turned his head towards me. Vitals are identical.

Update, May 13, 2023: My wife and I see Pepto almost every day, and we worry about how thin he has become. The newest photo (above), taken today using Leica Q2, gives sense compared to the previous portraits. Vitals, for the close-crop, aperture manually set: f/4, ISO 100, 1/500 sec, 28mm; 12:26 p.m.

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