"But the cat himself knows, and will never confess"

"'Politicized science can undo all the benefits humanity has reaped since the Renaissance,' writes Thomas Lifson," we captioned this "ineffable effable Effanineffable" image of the Babe in our April 2006 post "To everything there is a season," adding that "Fortunately, there will still be fresh catnip, if not the dried, processed Nepeta cataria we served Baby Cakes this morning. Above, he sits in a drug-induced stupor after partaking of the weed." Lifson's words resonate in light of the growing recognition by top scientists and a handful of politicians that man-made climate change is a con.

"It isn't one of your holiday games," wrote T.S. Eliot of "The Naming of Cats," and the same could be said of the proper Photographing of Cats. Listen to Tuck's insights this evening as he sits by our side at the computer, revisiting some of Baby's greatest hits and trying to come to terms with his own deep, deep sadness at our loss:

I think Eliot's 'The Naming of Cats' speaks to the way a cat really thinks of himself, and part of the reason why there's such a big hole in our lives is because of your photography and the blog and because they show him the way he thought of himself.

He talked about the difference between our intimate, up-close photographs of the "Decisive Moments" in the everyday lives of the Chelsea Grays vs "amateur snapshots":

Amateur snapshots wouldn't have done that. They don't do the cat justice.

"Nobody takes cat shots like yours unless they work for Hallmark," he quips. "Your photographs are like Eliot's poem."

Update: "One of the reasons Baby's loss leaves such a void is that, thanks to your exceptional documentation of his life, he has been a real part of our lives … we people of the Bloggy-Sphere," writes Elisson in the comments:

Though I never met him, I can almost imagine having done so. You have given us all a great gift, a mirror of that greater gift the Creator gave us when He placed Baby on this tiny (!) spinning planet. A fine photograph captures the evanescent light of a single moment. You've captured many such moments … and for that we thank you. May those moments — frozen, now, forever in time — provide a source of happiness and comfort to you and Tuck, and to everyone else who knew the Babe by proxy.

Wow. As our sis just said in imail, "He said it just right. I hope that Tuck can hang on to that. Baby had a life well lived."

Comments

[goomp]

When it comes to photos of cats that reflect ideas of humans, Sisu excels.

[Elisson]

One of the reasons Baby's loss leaves such a void is that, thanks to your exceptional documentation of his life, he has been a real part of our lives...we people of the Bloggy-Sphere. Though I never met him, I can almost imagine having done so.

You have given us all a great gift, a mirror of that greater gift the Creator gave us when He placed Baby on this tiny (!) spinning planet.

A fine photograph captures the evanescent light of a single moment. You've captured many such moments...and for that we thank you. May those moments - frozen, now, forever in time - provide a source of happiness and comfort to you and Tuck, and to everyone else who knew the Babe by proxy.

[Mike]

Sissy,

My deepest condolences on your loss of Baby.

I've recently lost both my long-time feline companions. Miss Ella was an orange and white short haired tabby, and Max a gigantic gray and white long haired Maine Coon mix. Both were 13 when they left us.

Even with the three children that we have running around our house, my cats were still a substantial part of our lives. Your blogging makes it clear that Baby and Tiny are your immediate family, and I know that Baby's passing is in many ways like losing a child of your own.

Thanks so much for sharing the lives of your feline family with all of us online.

[Teresa]

Elisson is a wordsmith extraordinaire.

The words flow from him beautifully either speaking or with a keyboard.

I believe he has said it all.

[Account Deleted]

Sissy, I am so sorry.