Welcome to OnMeowaukee Cat Week, a meowsome bunch of articles, photos, videos and an Instagram contest celebrating all aspects of Milwaukee cats. Sponsored by Bark N' Scratch Outpost, these seven days are dedicated to those creatures with nine lives who make our lives more paw-sitive.
In this series, we peep into the private life of Elmo, a long-haired orange tabby cat who has a penchant for journaling.
Dear Diary,
The last I wrote, Zoe and I were contemplating the strange smells and sounds emanating from the family room… and wondering who had invaded our space. Well, the mystery has since been solved. And we are not amused.
Turns out our masters have decided that we needed companions… something about keeping us active in our old age… yeah, yeah, whatever. If we had known what they had in mind, we would have requested a trampoline for Christmas. But instead, they got us kittens. Yeah. Kittens. Plural. TWO of the little suckers. And, as if it couldn’t get worse, they’re CALICOS.
Although, calicos are thought to be a good luck charm in many parts of the world (in England and Ireland, they’re often called "money cats" – and they’re symbols of good fortune in Japan), good old fashioned personality genetics tells us that they’ll be ornery, aloof, and generally irritating… which they are.
Izzie is a little she-devil – always jumping out from behind things and generally being a pest. She even manages to annoy Zoe, which is a feat in and of itself. I think it’s her energy levels that exhaust us all. But she also has a habit of squealing, like a little stuck pig, when she’s excited. And that has got to stop.
Yoyo is about as ditzy as her name implies. She’s a persistent little imp, who I believe is just too dense to understand that she’s simply not wanted here. She insists upon trying to snuggle with us on every occasion possible, and she’s constantly "making cute" in front of the humans. The fact that she’s beautiful does not help matters – for she takes advantage of everyone’s good graces as often as she can.
Indeed – the two of them are quite infuriating – even to my docile, Red Tabby personality. Now – before you judge me too harshly, I need to make it clear that I am TRYING. I recognize that Judaism teaches me to be tolerant of my fellow felines.
So, I am working on coming to terms with both Izzie and Yoyo. I have begun to tolerate Izzie (who I find is the least annoying of the two) – and have even given in to a bit of snuggling on occasion.
After all, Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein teaches on the importance of hearing a variety of opinions, using an example from the world of music: the symphony is composed of various sounds and only in their blending and unification can the pleasant sound of the concert come alive.
Yours Until Next Time,
ELMO
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
