I drove to the Oregon Humane Society one winter’s day back in 2004. I was 22. I was looking for a new pet – a kitten. OHS had a kitten room, but there were only larger cats in it. Defeated, I walked out of the building. As I was leaving, I overheard a woman state that a “bunch of kittens” were just brought in. So I walked back in and waited to confirm the truth.
The name Hooligan came from the moment that I first saw him.
At 3 months old, he was already so feisty and dominating. He was in the kitten room with his other tiny siblings and a bunch of random and much larger cats. The first thing I saw him do was run around that little room and pounce on each of the larger cats. He was a little hooligan.
The name that they gave him was William. An hour or so later, he became my Hooligan.
Hooligan and I had been inseparable ever since. We lived in terribly dark apartments and lived off of the cheapest foods that one can basically steal. We grew up together, became adults together.
We also introduced a few new family members into our strange and grumpy little world: Lindsay, Lucile, and Donovan.
Hooligan may have acted like he never accepted them in his life, but you could tell that he loved them all.
Young cats get old. Old cats get sick. I’m not delusional about any of that. But he was my buddy. He was my reason to come home and work hard for the years when it was just him and me.
Homes got nicer, food got better in quality, and life was sunnier, overall.
Today is rumored to be one of, if not the hottest, days to ever hit Portland. Being the grump that he was, Hooligan just didn’t want to experience that type of history. He told me he was done with his eyes, his actions, and his adorable, broken tail.
Every string cheese wrapper, q-tip, cheez-it, and can of tuna will forever be yours.
I’m going to miss you forever. You changed my life. You were far more than a pet – you were my friend.
Keep pouncing, biting, and being an overall hooligan.
I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life and you were never one of them. I’m sorry that it had to end but the story was memorable and perfect. I’d recommend it to anyone.
I’ll miss you forever.
I love you, Hooligan.
Sean Boggs, Portland, OR
