As far as my memory is concerned, Laddy was my first cat. Although we had a fleeting association with another feline, who remained nameless, at our home on John Glenn Road, I have no memory of any cat before Laddy. We’re not quite sure who named Laddy, but I suspect it was my Dad. He was a stray cat that initially hung out across the street at the Ferrenberg’s house, but one he started roaming over to our neck of the woods, we offered him some food, and Brenda Ferrenberg offered him to us.
My best guess is that he first came around during the Fall of 1974. He would have been my first real introduction to cats and he obviously had a very docile personality as my love of cats began here and goes on until the present day. You can see actual footage of me with Laddy in the home movie Brad’s Magic as seen here.
Laddy – with odd eye. Not sure if this was part of the accident that Laddy had, but this was only temporary
Laddy tolerates the kid
The fate of Laddy is unknown. My parents professed that he ‘ran away’ so this was what I always thought happened to Laddy. It was only in more recent years that my Mom told me how Laddy had either been hit by a car or was kicked by someone so badly at one point that the veterinarian said that his ‘insides were all rearragned’. My parents spent an ungodly amount of money to have him healed. Mom thinks it was in the neighborhood of $800, which I find hard to believe, considering the 1974 dollar.
Laddy hangs out in our driveway with Mom
Just two pals hanging out on a sunny Spring day in 1975
But sometime between 1975 and 1976, Laddy ‘ran away’. Or obviously died in some fashion. Laddy will always hold a very significant role in my history and my heart as my first kitty.
1974 will continue…
I remember this cat, but I don’t remember the name Laddy. I loved our 3 cats very much, so much that once they were gone I wasn’t ever able to get another one because I didn’t want to feel that hurt again when they pass on.
Bev
February 13th, 2010
I have owned a lot of cats. Most were dumped off at my house. I love cats. I have one now. Just had my 30 year old cat, Katrina put to sleep and my black kitty, Spooky was killed by a coyote. I keep my cats in the house but Spooky got out one day and i couldn’t catch him. I miss him. Now i just have Tucker. He’s afraid to go outside and i’m glad. I wouldn’t let him outside anyway. We live 800ft off the road on 32 acres of land so we have a lot of woods around us. Deer are out there now to. Their beautiful. No hunting on our land. I enjoyed the story about Laddy. Sad when they pass on. I also had a cat named Niki. He came wondering in our yard. He looked exactly like this Niki here in the picture. Carolyn
Carolyn R. Baylies
November 17th, 2020