Category: Living

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The Cats of University Heights: Rosie

When walking down Monroe from Maryland towards Arch, on Feb. 26, 2019, I spotted a pretty kitty close to where the Siamese Twins presented 11 days earlier. The owner carried in groceries, while her sister and I chatted. There’s a sad story to tell about one of the ladies, sometime later after I ask and if permission is granted.

I used Fujifilm GFX 50R and Fujinon GF63mmF2.8 R WR lens to capture the Featured Image and first companion. Vitals, aperture manually set: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/600 sec, 63mm; 1:25 p.m. PST. Other is the same except 1/450 sec.

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The Cats of University Heights: Swirl

While I walked along Madison between Delaware and Maryland, on March 7, 2019, a silky-fur feline mosied around a driveway, going back and forth to porch stairs meowing to be let in. A woman eventually obliged the kitty, but she didn’t know what he is called. For now, nickname Swirl will do. Hey, I got to choose something.

I captured the Featured Image and its companion using Fujifilm GFX 50R and Fujinon GF63mmF2.8 R WR lens. Vitals, aperture manually set: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/640 sec, 63mm; 10:47 a.m. PST. The other is same, but one minute later and 1/600 sec.

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The Cats of University Heights: Giotto

The Alabama parade continues with the third kitty presented consecutively—following Peanut and Rocky—and the thirty-sixth sighted on the street between boundaries Adams and Lincoln since the series started in October 2016. That works out to a stunning 14 percent of profiled felines.

Meet nine-month-old Giotto, whose owners moved into the neighborhood about a quarter-of-a-year ago. I spotted the striking Savannah on March 1, 2019, looking out a bay-style window—making him thirty-ninth captured behind glass or screen. I returned the next day and was lucky enough to greet his caretakers as they left for a Caturday afternoon walk. The couple gladly gave permission to take photos of the magnificent beast, which I did using Fujifilm GFX 50R and Fujinon GF63mmF2.8 R WR lens.

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The Cats of University Heights: Peanut

The thirty-fifth feline from Alabama Street—between neighborhood boundaries Adams and Lincoln—is also the third in an impromptu series of harnessed beasties (Jake and Rocky are the others). Peanut is house companion to Rocky, and both shared owner with Monkey, who passed away about 12 months ago. Next door lived Smokey, who disappeared weeks later. In another house down resides Precious. Also on the same block: Alley, Harley, Holiday, Mitsie, and Sly.

Drama of the day was Laramie and Lupe, who lived across the road from Peanut and Rocky and were removed in the late afternoon. Three weeks ago, L&L were abandoned by their owner. This evening, they are being fostered in a Pacific Beach residence by a kind woman whose beloved pet recently died. The rescue group assures me that wherever Laramie and Lupe are adopted, the bonded pair will stay together.

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The Cats of University Heights: Rocky

Our second feline, following Jake, in the impromptu harnessed series is Rocky. I had heard about the Tortoiseshell and her house companion more than a year ago. But the 18-month- old rescues were indoor kitties. Yesterday, the owner brought out both for some supervised front lawn romping while wearing harnesses; it’s training for when leashes follow. BTW, unbelievably, Rocky is our thirty-fourth feline from Alabama Street, between neighborhood boundaries Adams and Lincoln.

You will meet Rocky’s buddy Peanut in the next profile. Both are rescue cats, and their adopted mom went with the intention of taking home one (Peanut) but couldn’t leave behind the other when learning that they had bonded while living at the shelter.

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The Cats of University Heights: Jake

For our last Caturday on Standard Time, before clocks jump (grumble, grumble) one hour ahead, we start an impromptu series of three harnessed felines. Two of them will lead us back to Alabama, where, for reasons that defy logic, more furballs have been seen than on any other street. But first we turn North—not the direction, but the avenue—between Madison and Monroe.

On March 7, 2019, while walking by where once lived Charlie and The Colonel, across the street I saw someone walking a handsome beastie. Of course, such sighting demanded investigation. I introduced myself to the friendly gent and met his beloved pet Jake. The kitty usually gets some out-in-the-yard supervised time; the harness and leash are the new thing, and Jake showed some resistance but not overt unwillingness to being outdoors this way.

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The Cats of University Heights: Sphynx

Break out the sunscreen! Before someone is burned! On February 28, 2019, while walking up Monroe Avenue—somewhere between Cleveland and Park—I spotted a hairless kitty, which is nicknamed for its breed. The putty-tat is the thirty-eighth to appear in the series behind glass (or screen).

I used Fujifilm GFX 50R and Fujinon GF63mmF2.8 R WR lens to capture the Featured Image and its companion; sun burst from behind a cloud for the second. Vitals, aperture manually set: f/5.6, ISO 500, 1/4000 sec, 63mm; 1:47 p.m. PST. The other is same, except ISO 640 and one minute later. While I walked, the shutter speed dial changed from Auto—probably from the camera rubbing against my hip.

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The Cats of University Heights: Luna

Along a stretch of Mission Avenue not far from the temporarily closed Valero gas station, on Feb. 26, 2019, I spotted a black-and-white that waited nobly statuesque along a door step. The kitty stayed still for several portraits, including the Featured Image and its companion—both taken using Fujifilm GFX 50R and Fujinon GF63mmF2.8 R WR lens. Vitals for the first, aperture manually set: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/200 sec, 63mm; 10:43 a.m. PST.

Spring foliage is lush all around San Diego because of ongoing heavy rains. The second photo is cropped to capture a different moment—of untypically brash green growth that elsewhere in the county could in autumn become dry tinder that feeds ravaging wildfires. Vitals are same, except 1/170 sec.

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Lupe’s Last Day

This afternoon, a real estate agent trapped Lupe, who was featured—along with companion Laramie—in my “Cats of University Heights” series (December 2017). Two weeks ago today, the animals’ owner left the pair behind, when he moved out of state. The gent rented the property that the three shared, along with two dogs, for 17 years. To her credit, the agent selling the place stepped up to assure the outdoor kitties would find a new home. (The guy also left behind goldfish, which a fourth grade school teacher adopted for her class.)

My feelings are deeply mixed about trapping and removing Laramie and Lupe. While walking down Alabama Street this morning, I spoke with neighbors worried about the abandons. One asked about adopting them. Another and I discussed the realistic possibility about caring for the pair as community cats—fed and kept in familiar territory. That would be my preference, although it is likely unrealistic. In my conversations with the realtor, who has been in contact with rescue groups, the animals’ future is tenuous if deemed to be unadoptable. They might not be put down, so to speak, but they could be put away in a feral colony. Neither belongs there, and I don’t believe Lupe would fare well.

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The Cats of University Heights: Alley

We end the second month of 2019 with what is questionably the thirty-third feline featured from Alabama. I first spotted this kitty more than four months ago—and several times since—before finally capturing a satisfactory portrait on February 12. The tabby occasionally hangs out between two buildings on Alabama and when approached always goes into the alley behind and across the way—hence the nickname (think alley cat) and use of questionably, since the beastie could live somewhere on Mississippi. That said, I have never seen Alley anywhere else. Interestingly, the cat repeatedly goes to the same spot to sit and stare at a wooden structure with no discernable openings to indicate something—such as another furball—is on the other side. Are there ghosts, perhaps? 😉

The Featured Image, which is close-cropped, comes from Fujifilm GFX 50R with Fujinon GF63mmF2.8 R WR lens attached. Vitals, aperture manually set: f/8, ISO 100, 1/120 sec, 63mm; 1:51 p.m. PST.

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The Cats of University Heights: Sly

Dare I present another Alabama Street cat? The thirty-second? Recently, I have expanded my feline photo walks into rarely traversed parts of the neighborhood—like the many dead-end roadways—desperately searching for someplace that can match Alabama’s kitty sightings. Nowhere comes close, and I still cannot explain why.

That said, today’s beastie, whom I nickname Sly, was long sought after—and perhaps only a saddening situation could reveal him (or her). Late-summer 2018, I caught a brief look at the animal as it slinked down apartment complex stairs next door to where live Laramie and Lupe. While presenting glimpses a couple more times, the Siamese proved to be too skittish and quick-moving for my camera. Until yesterday.