Kayley Graham & Mitzi
I adopted Mitzi the first night I moved out of my parents’ house after graduating college. I was going from a suburb in New Jersey to Brooklyn and I knew that the best way to acclimate myself to my new life and surroundings was to have the comfort of a cat by my side. After I unpacked all my belongings from the U-haul I took an Uber to Bushwick to meet a little short-legged, flat-faced 6-year-old cat named Mitzi that someone had posted about online. Wonky looks aside, my main criteria was that the cat liked to be held since this is something I enjoyed doing and my parents’ current cat would not tolerate it. When I first met Mitzi she was on the other side of the apartment. I called to her and she briskly waddled over to me as if we were already best friends. When I proceeded to pick her up she was pretty happy about it, and that was that! Everyone else in the room seemed surprised that she was being so nice to me, but maybe she just really wanted to get out of there. Shortly after I brought her home I noticed she had quite a sassy side, was territorial, and didn't fear anything or anyone. Looking back I can understand now how I became her third owner. She had a funny temperament, but she was mine and that was all that mattered. I’ve grown to respect that she knows what she wants and stands up for herself. She is definitely not a scaredy cat!
“It was funny to celebrate the birthday of a cat, but once they get to a certain age every year is a blessing.”
About a year after I got Mitzi I started online dating and made sure to include a picture of her and me in my profile so that everyone knew we were a package deal. One day a message from a cute Australian student popped up, and his opening line was “I’m very impressed that your cat knows to look directly into the camera.” The rest is history! I’ve been with Josh (the Australian) for eight years now and Mitzi thinks he’s her husband too. She loves to make him hold her while he’s working at home from his desk and sit on his chest in bed at night. Mitzi doesn’t like it when we are alone without her and will yowl at the other side of the door if we try to have some privacy. In her own little weird mind, she’s part of a throuple.
Mitzi was about to turn 16 this year, and a friend suggested I throw her a Sweet 16 party. I got her some kitty ice cream (frozen bonito flakes mixed with water), some cat wine (salmon oil in what looked like a champagne bottle), and a little party hat for the gathering. Josh made a Sweet 16 poster with photos I sent him from throughout our time together and friends brought toys and treats for her as presents. She was surprisingly into it! It was funny to celebrate the birthday of a cat, but once they get to a certain age every year is a blessing.
I found out that Mitzi has kidney disease during a routine checkup in October this year and it has made me appreciate the time I have left with her even more. Josh and I were giving her liquid antibiotics by mouth for three weeks and now we give her 100ml of fluid under the skin by IV every other night at home. The week I found out she was ill I had a work dinner, and after a bit of wine confided in a coworker about her condition. She gave me the idea to have a photoshoot and a few days later I saw that GATC had a few openings. It was fate!
The anniversary of my first meeting with Mitzi was 10 years ago to the day these photos were taken. I guess you could say this was an anniversary photoshoot! We’ve lived in 6 apartments and 3 states together and made two cross-country moves. Between living arrangements, jobs, and my love life Mitzi has been the one constant I can count on. Thank you for helping to capture images of my sweet old lady baby while she is still around! I’m not sure how much time she has left, but as long as she is happy and enjoying her life I want to be right there with her.
Kayley works in supply chain for a skincare company. In her free time you can catch her going to a concert, watching a movie at Nitehawk, or taking her daily walk around the park!