September 1998 – July 2011

Kazon was the baby of the house and was likely the sweetest cat I have ever seen in my life.

Difficult childhood aside, Kazon could not survive without people — more specifically, he would have had a very difficult time surviving without me.

He was comfortable sleeping on me when I was watching TV, cuddling with me under the covers when it was time to go to bed, and curling around my neck on my shoulders to walk around, snuggle, or just to get attention.

He simply had to be with me at all times.  Derek always called him my puppy because Kazon followed me around everywhere.

Unfortunately, Kazon was as equally uneducated as he was sweet.  Although I hate to admit it, he was one of those dirty family secrets and probably didn’t have a single synaptic spark occurring upstairs.

Things were always new to him, which could be entertaining, but he was also impossible to discipline because he had no idea why you were scolding him or what he had done wrong — he simply didn’t remember.

Kazon had the most pathetic speaking habits known, as most of his meows were broken in such a way so as to infer an unbelievably pitiful existence (despite the fact that he was spoiled rotten).  He cried in the middle of the night, only to run back to bed the moment I called out to him, eager to slip under the covers and snuggle up next to me.

Kazon was always the first to figure out doors, and I mean all doors — cabinets, refrigerators, drawers (of any kind), ovens, and any other door which didn’t require an opposing thumb and advanced mechanical skills to open.  You can see a video of him opening a door (a regular door) via the link above, and you can see he even understood what the doorknob was for.  Thankfully he couldn’t open latches of any kind (knobs, handles, etc.), so there was at least that respite from his autistic savant gift.  Sadly, he taught this skill to some of the other cats, so you can imagine the opportunities for trouble.

In early summer 2011, Kazon began showing signs of illness.  He had always been healthy, so this was troubling.  The vet confirmed what I suspected: acute renal failure.  Kazon did not respond to treatment, so after a few weeks I chose to end his suffering before it became worse.

Pronunciation: KAY zahn

Namesake: Kazon, a race of aliens on Star Trek: Voyager; so named because he and his sister, Kako, were virtual twins when they were young (they still are to a lesser degree now) and I wanted their names to be similar while remaining individual

Relationship: Kako’s brother

Nicknames: Mr. Man; Baby; The Baby (pronounced da baby); Baby Boy; Puppy; Panther Kitty; Hook-Tail Kitty

Breed: Domestic Short Hair (DSH)

Color: Black with a few randomly placed white hairs

Gender: Male

Birthdate: September 1, 1998

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Photo Highlights:

That’s the look I came to know and love — and expect from Kazon at all times.  It was blank and without direction.  He was terribly sweet, but there were few sparks burning upstairs.

 

“Are you taking my picture?  Let me pose.”

 

Kazon loved to sleep on my shoulders.

 

Could you say no to someone who ever so gently touched your face to let you know he cared?