Sooty was the family’s first cat, and despite the name, he was jet black, from nose to tail. We got him while living on the base in Trenton, Ontario, back in the mid-60s.

He was lucky, because our back yard opened to a large expanse of undeveloped land, including a massive hill, and on top of it, an abandoned apple orchard. Sooty would disappear for days, to the point we sometimes feared we had lost him, then he would turn up, often bringing us gifts, lol. One time, he brought a turtle, which he had somehow batted down the hill with his front paws, back to the house. We laughed for years about that one.

When Dad retired from the service in 1966, the family moved to a small town, called Arnprior, about an hour’s drive west of Ottawa. Both parents were born and raised in Ottawa, and it was good to be closer to family again.

Sooty moved with us. Back in those days, family pets were allowed to roam free, and Arnprior was no different, even more so, being small, with lots of wild areas, in and around town. Not sure about cities, but pet population control had yet to become the issue it is today. Sooty was never neutered, and I know of at least one case where he knocked up a female cat on the next street; her owners were not very happy with Sooty.

One time, he even tangled with a German Shepherd, and won! A more detailed account of that incident can be found in the vignette, Depending On How You Look At It, in Steel Clouds.

After a couple of years in Arnprior, brother, Mark, developed an allergy, and Sooty would have to go. We were heartbroken, and I even suggested giving up Mark, instead. Don’t think he ever forgave me for that, but years later, after moving to Ottawa, I developed the same allergy, so there’s Karma for you. I ended up getting shots for years, and fortunately with them...and age, I outgrew my cat allergy.

As for Sooty, we ended up giving him to strangers, who lived on a farm, outside of town. Last we heard, he had tangled with a fox, and his nine lives had run out.

Apology for the poor condition of the photo below. It’s the only one of Sooty that I’ve come across so far in my parents’ memorabilia; dated January 1966.







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09/24/2023

Posted on 09/24/2023
Copyright © 2024 Chris Sorrenti