Metal Meredith

March 17, 1991 - November 5, 2004

What can I say? Griffon took up so much space, physically and with his personality, its hard to believe he is gone. I don’t think one person ever entered my home and didn’t immediately gasp at his size. For those of you who were never as lucky, here is his story.

Griffon was a 14 year old tabby. At his largest, he was 24 pounds. He was huge with big ears, a very long, wiry tail and big feet. His backside rose off the floor about 3 inches higher than his front, so he looked like he has a hunchbutt.  He has always slept on his back, back legs spread eagle and front legs tucked up like a T Rex. He was never vain enough to groom himself on a regular basis and he LOVED to poop.

I found Griffon in a pet store in a mall in Maryland. He was 12 weeks old and bigger than most kittens. He was on sale for $29.99. I like to think I saved him from imminent death. He owed me from day one. I liked him best because he was laying on his side with his head resting on his food dish, eating. That’s my kind of animal, too lazy to raise his head even for food.

He had often times been threatened with becoming an instant outdoor cat. His nickname was “The Asshole” in the house. He terrorized the other cats by stalking them or hiding quietly behind corners waiting for them to approach. Then he would pounce and toss them to the ground. There was many a furball picked up in my home from cat attacks.

Griffon had a huge presence, and not just because of this size. He was my greeter, much like Wal-Mart’s. He would come from his resting place just to say hello to anyone entering the house. Few guests escaped my home without a layer of Griffon hair. His meow wasn’t as impressive as his size. His mouth would open, he would exhale and then a small sound would emerge. Its was quite pitiful for such a hefty cat. But it was Griffon.

Phil and I have many a funny story to share about him. One of our favorites was from when we had first started dating. I locked my keys in my car and couldn’t get into the apartment to get my spare. Phil took it upon himself to jump up and crawl through the window. Unfortunately, he surprised Griffon so much that I had to pull him out of the closet. He was so scared, he put up a fight to stay in. After that point, Griffon was frightened of any loud noises. In his old age, he would hide under the bed if it rained. Thunder ruined his whole week.

My favorite memories of Griffon were all the things that drove me nuts when he was here. When I came home with groceries, Griffon would race me to the kitchen. In my tiny 10x10 ft space, Griffon would eat and generally be underfoot while I tried to put away my recent purchases. After, he would pick a bag to get in. Being the size he was, half his butt would hang out. If there were plastic bags, one became an instant resting place for the remainder of the day.

Tonight, after a month long illness, Griffon left his burden of a fat cat body at 7:20pm. He was very peaceful and quiet. If I hadn’t known, I would think he was simply taking another nap. I hung his collar and tag on the front door so he knows where we are in case he wants to come to visit. I am sure where ever he is, there is a great big litter box, a bottomless bowl of food, and someone petting him as he eats.

Thanks buddy, for 13 really cool years. Phil and I are gonna miss the hell out of you.
Love,
Meredith, Phil and Vivienne