Viviana & Mr. Whiskers, the Tripod TomCat
Cat Parent: Viviana Villarreal, Engineer & Musician
Furbaby: Mr. William Winifred Whiskers, Tripod TomCat
Homebase: California, USA
A former dog person, Viviana was shown the light that all furbabies are love by her previous roommate’s cat Winston, who has a face like Churchill and a heart like melted butter. On her first day in that apartment, Winston took it upon himself to give Vivi a proper welcome: he strode into her bedroom and ceremoniously head-butted her, the cat equivalent of a hug plus a shoulder-tap with the knighting sword. When Vivi moved to her own place during the Covid quarantine, she knew that the cat life had to continue — and catnapping Winston was, alas, not legal. Thankfully, in strode Mr. Whiskers, who graciously took over the role as Vivi’s main squeeze. Here’s Vivi with the full scoop:
Adoption Story
I began looking through the local shelter’s listings with a particular eye for older cats, as I knew they were less likely to be adopted. Also, as a certified old soul, I thought an older cat may be better able to vibe (aka lounge) from the get-go. During the adoption interview process, the shelter staff recommended Mr. Whiskers – a four-year-old, orange, tripod, TomCat with a few allergies and other medical conditions. I promptly made the classic rookie mistake and went to the shelter with the delusion “I’m just going to go and see.”
*Cue laughter from cats worldwide*
To put it modestly, Mr. Whiskers is a capital-C Charmer TomCat. He’s got TomCat swag like nobody’s business. Each time I went to visit the shelter, a different shelter staff lady was cuddling with and cooing to the WWW. When I came to bring him home, all of the ladies came to say goodbye to their favorite little playa.
Homecoming prep
As Mr. Whiskers is an amputee tripod (the shelter staff suspect he was hit by a car), and as I am an over-prepared person by nature, I went on overdrive to ensure my house was 100% catified. Due to Covid and social protests, several of my Amazon deliveries were delayed, so I was stressin’ the day I brought him home. 'Poop, eat, drink’ was my checklist mantra to make sure I had everything Whiskers would need on lock.
The preparation seem to have paid off. As soon as he came home, Whiskers began exploring. Then, to better strategize how to govern this new domain, he hid under the bed. After just a few hours, though, Whiskers climbed out, plopped himself onto the bed, and began kneading the blanket. Strategy defined: Luxuriate in home, sweet home!
Why yes, tis I, King Whiskers
About the furbaby
Being a tripod does not slow Whiskers down much. Heights, though, can be a challenge. For the first few weeks, he’d climb into the lower tier of his cat tree, content to daydream with no regard for the higher planes above. But, one day, he decided to reach higher. It took him extensive time and effort, but homeboy is a determined little guy. When he eventually triumphed in getting to the upper shelf, the #ProudMamaMoment was real.
As a capital-C Charmer, Whiskers loves company – when friends come over, he’ll tuck his head into open palms and guide the blessed human through a feline head massage. Though he’s vocal about his rights, he is mostly a mellow furbaby who likes to nose boop and cuddle. He is especially adorable when he is sleeping, because he likes to smile and sleep.
Look at that smiling sleeper!
During the day while I am working or doing chores, Whiskers does a commendable job playing alone. However, he takes his role as Chief Health Officer seriously – when I’ve been on conference calls for too long, he headbutts in with the important reminder that health comes first. Here he is, telling the conference callers what’s what:
Favorite toy & treat
Whiskers loves to play! He particularly likes wand toys, mice, and balls. One time, while deep cleaning the house, I discovered Whiskers’ treasure trove: three toy mice and a small bite of cheese. Real cheese. Was Whiskers trying to fatten up his prey or make friends? We will never know.
He’s a lover not a fighter in real life, though. Not long ago, a Bug of the Very Gross Nature wondered into the house. Whiskers immediately pointed out this intruder, then bolted under the bed, leaving me to do my job as protector of the king …
Cat parent superpower
Being “anal” – i.e. super organized, prepared, & responsible – is my superpower. It’s also in my blood! Even when I’m just running a quick errand, my mom (Whiskers’ grandmama) will pack me a bottle of water, a Tupperware of washed grapes, and snacks. In turn, I am that mom for Whiskers. When I was out of town for a weekend, I packed all of Whiskers’ gear in the Transformer of lunch bags: his meds on one side, his toys on the other, wet food plus his kibbles in an airtight container in the center – and post-it notes with hour-by-hour instructions all over that. Type A++ mom, who me?
How has being a cat parent changed you as a person? What do you wish people knew about living with cats in general?
I grew up as a dog person and as someone who believed in “dog people v. cat people.” I had the impression that cats were a bit less affectionate, especially as my dad sometimes brought home cats who were feral. Since living with cats, however, I have come to deeply appreciate them too. Much like humans, cats have their own boundaries, interests and needs, including for space. It’s a model for a healthy, non-codependent relationship.
Thank you, Viviana and Mr. Whiskers!
p.s. Many of us may feel smug about our anthem/lullaby/cat-themed song that we like to jam to with our furbaby. Viviana and Mr. Whiskers have an entire dedicated Spotify playlist! *mic drop*
The Muse, ready to inspire
