Born in the quiet rural area of the Sutter Buttes, raised on a farm with a plethora of animals, Jami the cat was destined for bigger things. He lost his way one day – perhaps he jumped in the back of a hay bale delivery truck – and ended up at my parent’s ranch, looking handsome, searching for human contact. My mother immediately called me, an avid cat lover with a soft spot for adoption. In no time, Jami found his new home in San Francisco.
Some call him the mayor of Potrero Hill, always greeting neighbors and their dogs with his laidback demeanor and friendliness, joining other Wisconsin Street families as a valued member. He was free to roam, as cats sometimes do, looking both ways before lazily crossing the street, lounging in doorsteps, on the hoods of cars, on top of fences, as he watched the world go by. He brought people together with his charm and grace. He was a constant topic of conversation; “who is this cat that acts like a dog or a person?” He brought community together around him, one encounter at a time.
Now some people just can’t let a soul be free. In February, a young man, Caucasian, well kept, between five feet seven and eleven inches, with dark, short, hair, rang the doorbell of a Wisconsin Street resident asking for Jami. The resident thought he was a cat sitter; he led him to the backyard through the house, where he scooped up Jami and took him away.
Word spread quickly through Nextdoor, Facebook, and postings around Potrero Hill. People have expressed sympathy, shared photographs of their pets, provided leads of cat sightings. If a missing person’s report could be filed, with detectives following up, it’d be done; but Jami is just a cat.
It takes a village to find a cat! Once again, Jami has brought the community together; this time in common purpose to bring him home.
