Katarina Bennicoff Yundt, Fitz & Sriracha
Left to right: Katarina, Sriracha, and Fitz.
Growing up I can’t recall there ever being a time when our family didn’t have multiple cats. As a kid I used to push my childhood cat Figaro around the house in a baby doll stroller, buckled in and all. When I moved away to college it was the first time in my life that I didn't have a cat and I deeply missed having a furry presence to come home to every day. I promised myself that I would wait until I graduated to adopt a cat, but the universe had other plans for me.
Fitz and I first met during my freshman year of college, when I accompanied my then-boyfriend to his dog’s vet appointment. Fitz was sitting in a cage in the lobby and I couldn’t help but go over to say hello (what can I say, I’m a sucker for a tuxedo cat). The receptionist at the front desk told me he was a rescue and encouraged me to open the cage and give him a pet. As soon as I did—and I swear I am not exaggerating—Fitz put his paws around my neck and hugged me. I completely melted inside and adopted him on the spot. Since then, Fitz has lived with me in three different cities and multiple apartments. He’s been my companion on flights, road trips, and countless other adventures.
About three years ago I started thinking about adopting another cat as Fitz was experiencing a lot of separation anxiety while I was away at work. I started browsing adoption websites and stumbled across a Russian blue look-alike kitten named Sriracha. His profile captured my heart and I swore to myself that I would just go and meet him at the adoption fair the following week. When I spoke with the adoption rep she told me that Sriracha had experienced some trauma and would take a lot of work to socialize. She put him in my lap, where he proceeded to lay purring for the next 30 minutes. I fell for him immediately and brought him home a few weeks later.
Fitz was suspicious of his baby brother at first, but the two eventually bonded and Fitz brought Sriracha out of his shell. Sriracha now fully lives up to his name with his mischievous antics. He is spicy and he knows it. Together Fitz and Sriracha make a delightfully quirky pair and I am so lucky to call them mine. Sriracha has embraced his role as an attention-seeking little brother while Fitz has proven to be a dapper and wise older brother. Whenever I catch them canoodling or playing together, my heart actually hurts because I adore them so much.
“Last year my mom passed away very suddenly, and I miss her every single day. It might sound weird, but Fitz and Sriracha help me continue to feel connected to her. ”
A couple years ago Fitz began to drastically lose weight and wasn’t acting like himself. I knew something was wrong but I felt so helpless. I remember desperately emailing my vet in the middle of the night and begging her to fit him in for an appointment the next day. Thankfully my vet is an absolute angel and quickly diagnosed him with a nasty viral infection in his mouth. A couple days later he went into surgery to have all of his teeth removed. His recovery took some time but his demeanor bounced back as soon as the pain meds wore off. His lack of teeth hasn’t slowed him down a bit and against all odds he loves dry food more than ever now. Sometimes when he’s extra happy or sleeping his little tongue hangs out of his mouth and it makes me giggle every time I catch him doing it.
Sriracha has the absolute worst spatial awareness for a cat and is constantly lounging half-off of furniture (which he then usually falls off of). He jumps at the slightest noise or quick movement and can usually be found laying in the most inconvenient spot possible in the apartment. He’s also never quite grown into his meow, which still sounds just as high-pitched as it did when he was a kitten. He loves to curl up next to me and rest his head on my legs or to jump up on my lap and tuck his head into the nook of my elbow.
It's been almost ten years since I adopted Fitz and three and a half years since I adopted Sriracha. So much has changed since then, but the boys have remained a constant in my life. I’ve had countless random roommates, fallen in and out of love, and had multiple different jobs. I’ve also started (and nearly finished!) graduate school and have just moved into my first studio apartment. Last year my mom passed away very suddenly, and I miss her every single day. It might sound weird, but Fitz and Sriracha help me continue to feel connected to her. There’s something so unconditional about a pet’s love for their owner that reflects the unconditional love that my mom had for my brother and me. During a very difficult year of grieving, social distancing, and grad-school stress Fitz and Sriracha have been a consistent loving presence. They've been with me through thick and thin, and I’m so, so grateful to have them in my life.
Katarina Bennicoff Yundt is a dance/movement therapist, photographer, and writer by day, and a Brooklyn babe, dancing queen, and cat lady by night. You can find out more about her work at http://www.hellokby.co/.