Goodbye Sushi Moto, my beloved tabby cat.

This is the best picture of Sushi Moto I have, taken at 1-2 years on a phone camera by SweetieBuilt

Mr. Moto, the dbBrad mascot of our Bellingham years, was one of the most interesting, independent and entertaining cats I've ever met. He is why I love cats so much, despite what Tater Tot, my raggedy old female cat older than dirt, might like to believe.

Beautiful sleek Mr. Moto in his prime

Moto died last Friday so I'm still very sad. He had FIV, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus which meant his body was unable to fight off infection. Over 5 times during his 8 lives (he must have lost one before I found him) a simple scratch turned into a huge cyst. It was never apparent he was hurt until a few days after an incident when his behavior would go through a radical change and we'd put on the welding gloves and check him out. (He didn't like to be touched, at all!)

Mr. Moto guarding his fleece blanket, and the whole couch for that matter!

But he was a very sweet cat. In Bellingham he used to follow me down the street three blocks to Haggens. My old roommate Shelden Sabbatini, now a successful photographer in Portland, (and I'm lucky enough to own a piece of his work), claims Mr. Moto followed him all the way into the store one day!

Mr. Moto on one of his last days. See his tongue and his swollen left jaw.

FIV didn't kill him though. It was cancer in his mouth which was effectively starving him to death that forced his weakness to become so great, he had to be put down.

Mr. Moto hunting in the grasses which he loved to do.

We tried everything, doubling up on penicillin, multiple trips to the vet and multiple exams, syringe feeding, pain killers, and lots of love, but ultimately he couldn't muster the strength to go on. But Mr. Moto lived a happy life, one he wasn't promised from the get go when I found him wondering around outside in the middle of the night in the middle of the road, but had nevertheless.

Mr. Moto had very hansom whiskers.

Mr. Moto had no children, had all his shots, was fixed, and then at age 3-4, tangled with a raccoon and lost. This is where he probably contracted FIV. He wasnt' the biggest cat on the block, but he was 2nd and he had style, and charisma. More than one time I saw Sushi walk straight between two cats in a standoff and sit down, saying, "Hey you guys, knock it off and look at what a nice day it is."

Mr. Moto sprawled out on his FOC (fleece of choice)

His favorite thing to do was to eat and his favorite place to be was on fleece, but particularly a piece of red fleece folded several times, but not too small as he liked to stretch out. His favorite thing to do outside was to hunt when he was younger and to walk the creek and ponds of FrEdLey in his later year.


I love you Mr. Moto, I'm sorry about Tater Tot, who was always a bit mean to you. Rest in Peace!