Local Spotlight: Meet Curtis B., A Most Unusual Cat

Black cats are typically considered bad luck, but it was a lucky day for Mt. Washington resident Jennifer Sullivan and her cat, Curtis B., when their paths crossed.

“I never thought I would own a black cat because of all the superstition around it,” Jennifer says. “But he’s handsome. When the light hits him a certain way, you can see how handsome he is, and his eyes really pop because of his black color. I call him my permanent Halloween decoration,” she laughs.

Jennifer and Curtis B. met when Jennifer, a cat lover, was looking to adopt a cat, and in particular, a declawed cat. “A declawed cat requires a smaller deposit at my apartment community,” Jennifer explains. “And, as my daughter said, declawed cats need love, too!”

But it wasn’t quite a case of love at first sight. Jennifer went to meet Curtis B. at his foster home and recalls that he growled every time he walked around. His foster said that he had been dumped on the doorstep of OAR (Ohio Alleycat Rescue), and left there in a cardboard box with a tiny hole in the top. This understandably, might have caused some issues for Curtis B., and when he continued growling all the way to his forever home, Jennifer wondered what she’d gotten herself into. Once he was home, Jennifer confined him to one area at first so he would feel more secure, and for a while, he just hid under the bed. Eventually he started to explore a little farther afield and adventured to the walk-in bedroom closet. “When I saw him lay down in there and roll around on the carpet, I knew it was a good thing. And it was good from then on,” Jennifer recalls.

Potentially contributing to Curtis B.’s difficulties is something that every cat owner should know about.

Declawing a cat can set them up for a more challenging life. They’re aware that their claws are missing and this creates a sense of vulnerability because they’ve lost one of their major defenses against the world. Also, if the surgery was not done properly, there can be chronic problems and anxieties. Declawed cats also experience more stress than cats who can keep their claws. Jennifer mentions that it took Curtis B. four years to warm up to her, but now, he’s a playful, interesting, and interactive little black cat who is 10 years old but acts like he’s four years old.

But is interesting exactly the right word to describe Curtis B? “He’s weird.” Jennifer laughs. “He’s unusual. I’ve never had a cat who tries to engage me in play with him. He actually plays peekaboo and wants me to come and find him. He’s gotten vocal, and he’s just learning to use his voice, which is great because I think he had to be very quiet in his former home. He’s a treat diva and very routine oriented, and he’s very aware of when I’m away. I can see him on my Ring camera, and I can see that he’s wondering what’s going on. Other cats I’ve had haven’t cared at all. He’s much more noticeable and present, more so than my other cats.”

She adds that she’s never seen a cat find so many different places to sleep but then stay with the same sleep spot for a long period of time. “He’s the most unusual cat I’ve ever had, and I’ve had three cats,” she says. “It could just be the way his life was, but I’m not sure.”

But Curtis B.’s life has improved to the extent that he can now serve as an impromptu role model and source of inspiration for Jennifer. “He’s inspired me to just chill out,” she shares. “And slow down. His nature is very calm, and he has a way of sauntering down the hall, like hey, it’s no big deal. When he wants to lay down across my legs, the only way he can do that is if I chill out. He really gets me to slow down and not be moving and grooving all the time.” In this hectic world, that’s not a bad thing!

And what, you may be wondering, does the B. stand for in Curtis B.’s unusual name? No one knows exactly, and Curtis B. isn’t telling!