My Final Message- originally posted 10-31-2013

My Disciples,

If you are reading this, I have departed. Let us first just acknowledge the weight of that. Our journey together was not nearly as long as I hoped it would be, but please know that it has been an honor to have met so many wonderful people, furred and non-furred, and to have shared the trials and triumphs of My life with you.

It has been an honor.

I know that during My long convalescence many of you were hoping and praying for a miracle to happen that would save My life, and it may seem like that miracle didn’t happen. But I need you to understand something. That miracle did happen. It did happen, and it did save My life, but it happened at the beginning, not the end.

The miracle happened at the beginning, not the end.

The miracle that saved My life happened seven years ago when two humans looked out into their yard and saw a desperate, starving kitten looking back at them.  They didn’t know who I was or where I had come from. They didn’t know what potential lay within Me, or the cat that I could become. They only knew that I needed their help. The miracle happened when they made the choice to rescue Me.

This was the miracle.

Had the Guardians not made that one, simple choice, I might have slipped into The Shadows forever. I would not have experienced seven blissful years filled with love and happiness in their care. I would never have met The Brothers, or Thomas, or Mama Cat. You would not know Me, or even know that I ever existed. There would be no Cult of Otis because there would be no Otis. In My darkest hour I needed a miracle and I got it, and the life I lived afterward was better than I could have ever imagined.

I loved my life.

As all lives must, My life has come to an end. I know that, due to My young age, My end may seem tragically premature, but a life should be judged by its quality, not its length. I had a rich, full life, and all of you helped make it even more so. For that you have My everlasting gratitude.

Thank you all for enriching My life.

But now I must finally say it, My Disciples, the hardest word of all.

Goodbye.

Although My spirit has departed, a part of Me will remain. When you look out into the world without walls and see a cat in need looking back at you, I will be there by your side. You will feel My soft breath on your cheek and My purrs of encouragement in your ear. Listen closely, and through the purrs you will hear My final commandment come to you in a whisper.

Be the miracle.

So Sayeth Otis

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Who Saved Whom?

Disciples of Otis,

Brother Oliver here.

Disciples of The Leader Otis,

Brother Henry here.

People and fur people who are Disciples of The Leader Otis,

It’s Thomas.

And it was Mama Cat, Cookie, Nacho, Zephyr, Domino, Whisper, and so many others.

And until October 31, 2013… it was Leader Otis.

But today it’s just me. It’s Kevin, the bigger Guardian and writer of The Cult of Otis.

That’s me in the middle. I’m the one with the laptop.

Five More Join The Lost Kitty Club

Disciples of Otis,

Brother Oliver here.

The Guardians have not taken many walks in the neighborhood this summer, so they have not been bringing home as many lost cat poster photos as usual. I guess since Sir T, Brother H, and I have not been seeing the posters as often as usual we were kind of feeling like maybe there aren’t as many kitties going missing these days. We were wrong. the Guardians went for a walk in the neighborhood recently and found that the number of kitties going missing has not gone down. In fact, they came home with photos of posters that proved that at least five cats have disappeared in the recent past!

The first poster was badly weathered from recent rain. It announced that two kitties, one named Nala and the other possibly named Louie (it was hard to tell due to the water droplets obscuring the name), are missing. The fading images on the poster made us all very sad.

Nala and Louie are missing. We purr they are someplace safe.

What The Guardians Didn’t Have To Worry About

People and fur people who are Disciples of The Leader Otis,

It’s Thomas.

The Guardians had a lot to worry about as they battled cancer this summer. They had to worry about doctor appointments and test results, surgeries, time off work, and a million other things, but can you guess what they did not have to worry about?

Can you guess the one thing the Guardians did not have to worry about?

The Guardians did not have to worry about Brother Henry, Brother Oliver, and Me! They did not have to worry about us because they keep us safely confined. So when the smaller Guardian was on the couch recuperating from her surgery, She knew where Brothers Henry and Oliver were. They were not outside in the world without walls, dodging cars and crazy wiener dogs and risking their lives. They were right there with her, doing their best to help her heal!

The Guardian knew where the Brothers were because they were right there helping her heal.

And I was right there too! Well, I was kind of right there. I was near there… ummmm… making sure no wiener dogs were planning an attack from below.

I was there too… or… just below there.

So you see, of all the stressors the Guardians had to deal with, fear that their kitties were in harms way was not one of them. Even if you do not have cancer you should do yourself and your kitties a favor and keep them safely confined. It will save everyone a whole lot of stress.

Thomas out.

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Charlie Makes Himself At Home

Disciples of The Leader Otis,

Brother Henry here.

As we mentioned last week, Charlie has been visiting the Guardians a lot more in Cookie’s absence. Well, this afternoon I noticed him doing something else I rarely saw him do when Cookie was still here. He was sleeping in one of the Guardian’s little plant growing house thingies!

Charlie was sleeping in one of the Guardians’ plant growing houses!

When I saw him out there, I yowled for the Guardians so they could see what was going on. I must have yowled a little too loud because Charlie woke up and looked in my direction.

I must have yowled too loudly. I woke Charlie up!

The bigger Guardian responded to my yowl and when he saw Charlie he went outside to say hello. Charlie walked over to the entrance to the plant house and stepped out.

When the Guardian went out to say hi to Charlie, Charlie walked over to the plant house entrance and stepped out.

I thought that maybe Charlie had suddenly reverted to his old ways and he was about to make a run for it, but when he heard the Guardian talking to him he did something I didn’t expect.

This is what Charlie did when the Guardian talked to him.

Yes! Charlie stopped and gave the Guardian Kitty Kissy Eyes! I heard the Guardian say, “Awww… thanks Charlie. You can sleep in there anytime you want.” And I hope Charlie will take the Guardian up on that offer. Even though the plant growing house is not a proper cat enclosure, it still provides Charlie with more protection than he would have sleeping out in the open or under a bush. Plus, if he’s sleeping in the plant house he won’t be running around in the street where cars could hit him or on the sidewalk where unleashed operatives of the Long-feared Dog Uprising might get ahold of him. Best of all, if he sticks close by he will be able to enjoy more love and attention from the Guardians. That’s something that is sorely lacking in the lives of most Limbo Kitties.

So Says Brother Henry

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Charlie Gets Bolder In Cookie’s Absence

Disciples of The Leader Otis,

Brother Henry here.

During the week or two that Cookie has been absent, I have noticed a change in Charlie from across the street. With the exception of one peaceful moment witnessed by Brother Oliver, Charlie used to always be on edge when he came into our yard. Since Cookie left though, it’s like he’s a whole new cat.

Charlie has changed in Cookie’s absence.

Many Posters, One Cat

Disciples of The Leader Otis,

Brother Henry here.

The Guardians have been out and about in the neighborhood again and have discovered three new lost cat posters. At first, when Brother Oliver, Sir Thomas, and I heard this we thought “Oh no! Three more cats have gone missing!” As it turns out though, there were three different posters, but all for the same cat. The first poster simply said “Lost Cat!” and it had a photo of a Bengal kitty and a phone number to call if you have seen him.

The first poster just said “lost cat!” and had a photo and a number.

Thomas Is Changing

Disciples of Otis,

Brother Oliver here.

I walked into the living room a few days ago and Brother Henry called me over to him. He motioned to the couch and said, “Brother O! Check this out!” When I looked in the direction Brother Henry had indicated, I saw Thomas sitting on the ottoman at the end of the couch. He was sitting just a few inches away from the smaller Guardian and he was staring at her!

Sir Thomas was sitting right next to one of the Guardians, and he was staring at her.

A Peaceful Moment For Charlie

Disciples of Otis,

Brother Oliver here.

I know everyone has been worried about Stanley since Brother Henry’s post a few days ago. As Brother Henry reported, Big Stan had been fighting with Charlie, the cat formerly known as Minerva. I actually still really like the name “Minerva” but the Guardians talked to “Minerva’s” guardians once and then suddenly started calling him Charlie, so I guess that’s his real name. But I’ve gotten off track a little here. What I wanted to tell you is that I think Stan is OK. I know the Guardians found Stanley’s collar and a clump of white fur, but this morning I saw Charlie sitting on the table in our backyard, and I’m pretty sure I can safely say that the clump of fur came from him instead of Stanley.

I’m pretty sure it was a clump of Charlie’s fur that the Guardian’s found. I mean… look at all that fur!

What Has Become Of The Mighty Stanley?

Disciples of The Leader Otis,

Brother Henry here.

Last night, at about 2 am, we were all woken up by the sound of very angry kitties growling and yowling in our yard. The noise escalated to full-blown cat fight levels and one of the Guardians went to the door. As he opened it, he saw Charlie (formerly know as Minerva) scurrying back across the street to his house. After Charlie left, all was quiet, so we all went back to sleep. The next morning though, the Guardians made a disturbing discovery in the yard. A collar belonging to The Mighty Stanley was laying on the ground surrounded by a big pile of white fur!

The Guardians found Stanley’s collar sitting in a big pile of white fur!

Clearly, Stanley had been the other kitty involved in the late night cat fight. It must have been a nasty fight too, considering all the fur that was left behind. Plus, even though Stanley’s collar was a so called “safety” breakaway collar, it had not broken away as designed. Instead, that plastic had actually broken during the kitty altercation. It must have been quite a fight.

Stanley had a “breakaway” collar, but it actually broke instead of breaking away as designed.

The Guardians called Stanley’s guardians to inform them of what had happened, but they have not heard back from them yet. Charlie looked to be uninjured when the Guardian saw him, but he did not see Stanley. We all hope he made it home and is not too badly injured. Beyond the physical injuries they may cause, cat fights are also the best way to transmit diseases like the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and Feline Leukemia between cats. Even minor skirmishes can result in transmission when a cat bites another cat. Why anyone would find it acceptable to put their kitty at such risk is beyond my ability to understand. After all, I’m just a cat, but I am very thankful I am both well-loved, and safely confined. Brother Oliver, Sir Thomas, and I wish all cats could be so lucky.

So Says Brother Henry

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