"i Want Me This Cat I Found" - Life Imitates Art

[doomsdave]

Once in a while, a little line in a movie you only see once resonates long after you forget the details of the movie.

Such was the case with the movie, "JT" with a link to youtube below.

It was about a young kid in the "ghetto" of New York City, around 1969, and the kid finds a cat that's hurt and nurses it back to health, and grows deeply attached to it.

While it wasn't a Christmas movie, it was set near the holiday season, and, when asked by his mother what he wants for Christmas, JT says "I want me this cat I found."

It's been the better part of 50 years and I still remember.


In 1969 I was a kid, and my conscience about things was a bit shallow. I remember thinking how much it must suck to be so poor that all you'd want for Christmas was a stray cat you'd found.

In 1977, years later, I found a kitty cat, and took him home in the fall, and asked to keep him in the family home, pretty much like JT did. Mom was reluctant, but she agreed. (Dad and younger brother weren't reluctant.) Alas, no pictures of the actual kitty survive that I can find (I've badgered my brother to look) but he looked almost identical to a more recent kitty pictured below.

And so, my career as a cat person began.

Maybe others of you might have a similar tale to share?

Mods, if you think this belongs elsewhere, no problem. I couldn't think of any place better to put this.

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[doomsdave]

Wow, no one's seen this?

This is like THE cat movie. For me, anyway.

So much more vivid in color. In B & W the kitty didn't look so sad.

 

[Kat0121]

I've never heard of that movie.

When I was a Kid, there was a strip mall with a grocery store (King Kullen) as it's anchor at the bottom of the street I lived on. My friend and I were sitting on the sidewalk behind the store once and there was a grassy area with some bushes across the back exit to the parking lot. As we were sitting there, I heard a faint crying sound. She didn't hear it. I heard it again. This time I said, "here, kitty!" A black kitten came running over to me. She was so small and cute. I brought her home (I was about 9 at the time- this was late 1970's). Mom took one look at her and told me she could not stay.

Mom hates cats.

She says that they are "sneaky". I prefer "graceful"

I threw a fit. Of course, the cat was not allowed to stay. It turned out OK. My sister's friend's family had just lost their old cat to illness and they ended up keeping her. She lived a long, happy life - just not with me.

 

[surya]

I watched some of the movie. But when the car ran over the cat, I couldn't watch any more.

 

[doomsdave]

I've never heard of that movie.

When I was a Kid, there was a strip mall with a grocery store (King Kullen) as it's anchor at the bottom of the street I lived on. My friend and I were sitting on the sidewalk behind the store once and there was a grassy area with some bushes across the back exit to the parking lot. As we were sitting there, I heard a faint crying sound. She didn't hear it. I heard it again. This time I said, "here, kitty!" A black kitten came running over to me. She was so small and cute. I brought her home (I was about 9 at the time- this was late 1970's). Mom took one look at her and told me she could not stay.

Mom hates cats.

She says that they are "sneaky". I prefer "graceful"

I threw a fit. Of course, the cat was not allowed to stay. It turned out OK. My sister's friend's family had just lost their old cat to illness and they ended up keeping her. She lived a long, happy life - just not with me.

My mom at first got along reasonably well with The Panintheass, as we called the kitty.

But then she took a college class in parasitology and the kitty was suddenly the vector for every horrible disease known.

Dad, younger brother and I didn't care.