One Year

Hi everybody.

Today is the one year anniversary of my friend Karen's death. The days that have gone by that I have not thought of her have surely been in the single digits. I continue to miss her...I miss her intelligence, her kind heart, her quick wit, her creativity, her laugh, the sound of her voice, and her hugs.

But I can at least celebrate the fact that all four of her cats, whom she loved so much, are in good homes. Carolyn & Marie-Lynn visited the girls in Midland this summer and reported that they are happy, well-adjusted, and well-loved. I saw the boys when I visited Sheila in Barrie August and can attest that they too are loved liked crazy.

I want to thank everyone who expressed their sympathy about Karen, their concern for her cats, and who helped put word out when they needed new homes. I want to thank everyone who has emailed me periodically to check on the cats, and I especially want to thank everyone who donated to the Black Kitty. You ensured that the girls were sprung from Toronto Animal Services -- who deserve their own heartfelt thanks for doing the highly unusual and fostering the girls for the first three weeks after Karen's death -- and that Marie-Lynn (our superhero of kitties everywhere)could afford to foster them for another two months until a home was found. The fund is largely intact in a Scotiabank account. I'm happy to report that the cats are healthy and no one has drawn on the fund since everyone was adopted, but I'm grateful for all your donations so that the money is there if it's needed.

Tied with TAS and all of our generous, angelic donors for my thanks are:

Dawn, for setting up and handling all the initial administration for the Black Kitty.
Val, for taking public transit and visiting the cats at TAS several times a week to make sure they got love and attention in a busy shelter environment.
Carolyn, for having the genius idea that led to the girls' adoption.
To the lovely Marie-Lynn, who so kindly fostered Bwai and Gril for two whole months and truly saved them from death row.
Heidi, for adopting Handsome immediately and giving him so much love -- even though her existing cat hated him and in the end it didn't work out.
Sheila, for adopting Peabo just a week and a half after Karen's death...and then taking Handsome as well two months later.
Norma & Larry, for being the extraordinary people who stepped up to adopt two nine-year-old girls, one of whom was a known problem child with a bad tooth. For you and Sheila, my gratitude is endless, because it's Karen's gratitude as well.

Thank you all for honouring Karen by helping her cats, who meant nothing short of the world to her. You people are wonderful and amazing.

Long overdue update!

Hello everyone,

This is just a brief update...I've let everyone on the EAC listserv know how the cats are, but thought I'd better post here, too.

Handsome and Peabo were reunited some months ago. The wonderful home we found for Handsome wasn't working out very well -- the existing cat was inexplicably terrified of him (the big, mellow lug! imagine!) and underwent a wholesale personality change. We gave it a good two months or more, but there was no improvement. Sheila and family, who took Peabo in December, also happily agreed to take Handsome at that point. (My friend's very upset cat returned to her old self almost immediately.) After a rocky first few weeks -- the boys had lost their bond and weren't too sure what to make of one another -- Handsome and Peabo became friends again. I am told they are both happy, healthy, and much loved, sleeping on beds, wrestling, and generally being endearing.

The Black Kitty Committee has had a recent update from the couple who took the girls (now renamed Sky and Girly). They too are healthy, happy and well-loved. A visit later in the summer to see them is in the works.

Thank you so much for your interest and support. While thankfully none of the cats has had any health issues, Bwai's tooth will still need to be seen to at some point, and of course they're getting older -- the girls will be 10 this year. (Handsome and Peabo are going are about four now.) The funds that so many of you generously donated are safely tucked away with Scotiabank.

Hopefully I'll be able to post some new pictures of the cats this summer!

Bwai & Gril Still Need a Home!

Karen Black was a Toronto writer and editor who died November 8, 2009, orphaning her four beloved cats.We are still searching for a nurturing, indoor home for two of them. Raised together, Gril and Bwai are both nine years old — not that old for cats, and we’ve set up a fund (see "The Black Kitty" at right) to help with certain non-routine expenses for them as they age.

Gril is a sweetheart and a champion lap cat! Affectionate and easygoing, she likes to be close to her human. She enjoys playtime, too, and is fond of a game of tag.

Bwai needs some time to adjust to new things, but she’s a happy girl whose goofy antics will make you laugh. She loves to be petted and will reward you with her funny deep purrs. Sensitive Bwai is quite attached to Gril, so we’d like to keep them together; they’ve been through enough without losing each other.

Please click here for more information about their adoption. If you can offer a donation to The Black Kitty, however small, that helps too and we thank you. If you are unable to adopt the girls or make a donation for their continued care, please help us by sharing the link to this page with other people you know.

Thank you for reading.


– The Black Kitty Committee

A Bit of History...

Bwai and Gril are two beautiful black cats whose lives were changed forever when their “owner,” our friend Karen, died unexpectedly on November 8th. Together since they were kittens (they may in fact be litter mates), they are quite bonded and would like nothing more than to go home together with someone who will love them and provide a safe and quiet environment where they can adjust to their new circumstances, settle in, and ultimately be happy cats again.

Both girls are nine years old with up-to-date vaccinations. They are both spayed and primarily healthy, though Gril has a tooth that may need to come out. (Please see info about The Black Kitty at right.)

Toronto Animal Services very kindly fostered the girls for three weeks when Karen died, while we looked for a home for them. On December 2nd they moved to a proper foster home where both girls are now doing very well. Gril is the more outgoing of the two and adjusted quite quickly; Bwai is not quite as confident and took a while to come around, but both have now settled in. Unfortunately, a foster home is just that: it's temporary. If you or someone you know is interested in adopting Bwai and Gril, we would love to hear from you.

Please click here for more information about their adoption. If you can help with a donation to The Black Kitty, that helps too and we thank you. If neither is a possibility for you, please help us by sharing the link to this page with other people you know.

Thanks for reading.


-The Black Kitty Committee