Angelica Photography
Portland OR

 


Ghostly Kitty

The Story of Little Joe, the Ghost Kitty
Little Joe’s Spirit
"The photographs you are looking at contain pictures of a cat’s spirit. I have been a professional photographer since 1981, and I can unequivocally attest that neither the print nor the negative, nor the image on your screen has been retouched. There is no double exposure, trick photography, or computer wizardry of any kind.

The gray and white cat in the very center of the pictures died
before the photographs were taken.

Here is the story.

A few years ago, my friends, Joe and Anita, created a sanctuary on their Milwaukee, Oregon property to shelter a colony of feral cats. Joe built miniature cedar houses, and Anita planted special trees and shrubbery for the cats to play in and hide. All the cats know this tranquil place is their home. Over time, Joe and Anita have spayed and neutered the cats, named each one, and become familiar with all their different personalities.

One in particular, named “Little Joe,” stood out among these ferals, not only for his playful ways, but because he was the only one who would let Joe and Anita touch him. The others trust their caretakers, but never come within petting distance.

In May, 1999 Anita discovered Little Joe by the side of the road. He had been hit
by a car and killed instantly. After they buried him, Joe and Anita realized how few photos they had, not only of Little Joe, but of all their feral colony.  Recognizing how meaningful pictures are, they picked up some film, and over the next few days they photographed their remaining cats.

That weekend they dropped the film off for processing, and came back an hour later. Excitedly, they started going through the prints before they even left the store.   When Anita saw this picture, she thought she was dreaming.

“Isn’t this Little Joe?” she asked her husband.

“Couldn’t be,” he answered, reaching for the photo.

They both were speechless as they stared at the incontrovertible evidence that Little Joe’s spirit was alive and well and visitingthem.

When my cat, Lenny, passed away on April 21, 2000, Joe and Anita graciously gave me copies of this very special picture to help me through my sorrow. Looking at it has helped to lessen my sadness. For everyone who has ever lost a beloved pet, a dear friend or family member, I offer this picture to comfort you. Know without a doubt that it is this world that is
temporary.

The spirit is immortal."

                   © Copyright 2001 Irene Mills