Morris Fragoso

September 2009 - March 12, 2022

Our beloved baby boy, Morris. Morris came into our lives when me and my wife were two years into our relationship. We adopted him as a two-month-old kitten from East Valley shelter in Van Nuys. He came into a warm and loving family. Whether we were coming from school or work, we rushed home to be with our cute cuddly creature. Over time our Morris acquired many endearing nicknames: Morrichio, Match, Matchooich, Piglet, Punkerbutt, Meeskoo, Big Boy, and The King. This last nickname is most deserving considering he once saved our lives. One night my wife and I decided to take a leisurely drive through Studio City and we wanted to take Morris along with us. Of course, he was reluctant, but we took him nonetheless. He was fussing and fighting as I carried him to the car. As we were riding north, along Cahuenga Blvd. East, approaching Barham, we waited for the red light to turn green. When the light turned green, for some weird reason, Morris went berserk by wailing, sprinting, and climbing all over the car furniture, causing my wife to keep her foot on the brakes while we calmed Morris down. No sooner then when my wife decided to slowly push on the accelerator, a car going west on Barham came speeding past the intersection. We saw the driver flying by and we were in complete shock. We would have been crushed by this lunatic driver. As the passenger, I for sure would have been killed. We instantly praised Morris and gave him a loving embrace. I will never forget Morris for saving our lives and I thank the Lord for His Godsend.
As you might guess, we truly considered and treated our baby boy Morris as a rightful king. We gave him only the best food. I cooked and fed him boiled chicken with broth, boiled turkey drumsticks with broth, organic sardines in water (no salt), and his favorite, organic tuna in water (no salt). We cut his nails, brushed him almost daily, took him a bath at least once a year, brushed his teeth, and was given a professional teeth cleaning every four years when he needed it. He was well taken care of and profoundly loved.
You might be thinking if Morris was alone. Not at all. We adopted an adult cat named Coco when Morris was about two. She too, was treated with so much love (she passed away on November 21, 2020; she is also on Guardian’s Gallery of Love). Morris loved her with all his heart. He even helped take care of two of her kittens before we gave them to a friendly family. When one of her other kittens, Eddy, needed to be baby sat for a few months, Morris embraced him as a brother. He also welcomed the dogs from the neighborhood. He was such a friendly cat.
Although he was always a friendly cat, there was one time where his predator instincts kicked in. During the winters, on rare occasions, we had to deal with rats in our apartment complex. Since we were on the first floor, Morris was the first one to recognize trouble. Coco didn’t seem to mind them. But since Morris was The King, he felt it was his responsibility. He would wait patiently in the kitchen for days and/or nights where he would spy them out. One night while my wife and I were in the bedroom reading, she heard some raucous in the kitchen. My wife decided to get up and see what was going on; I stood in the bedroom not thinking much of it. As my wife entered a dark living room, and as she flipped the light switch, she saw a rat squeezed between Morris’ jaws and yelled a terrible scream that made me jump out of bed with the worst of fears—I thought one or both of my cats may have been dead. To my grateful relief, Morris and Coco were still alive. I saw Coco crouching and curiously observing the whole thing, while Morris was still excited for his successful hunt. My wife released the rat outside; we didn’t have the heart to kill it. That night Morris acquired a new nickname: Hunter!
Aside from moonlighting as a rat hunter, Morris lived a peaceful and happy life. Most days and nights were routine. He was an early riser and commanded a hot and hearty breakfast. By noon, he could be seen tanning his well-groomed coat. By night, he might be found on the bedroom windowsill chatting away with the neighbors and their dogs. As he got older, he was content with taking short walks outside while greeting anyone who passed by. He eventually became wise to the mysteries of the “UFOs” flashing around in the house. During earthquakes, he was the first one who raised a tail and gave an assuring meow to signal to everyone in the home that everything was going to be okay.
Our beloved baby boy, Morris. Since the beginning, you brought us so much happiness and love. You kept our happy home safe and secure. You saved our lives from a potentially deadly car accident. You allowed me to realize that I could be a good parent and a better person. You inspired me to be the artist that I am becoming. The words that I have written cannot fully express the love and gratitude we have for you, or the honor and meaning you brought to our family. We will forever be thankful for the life you shared with us. We will forever think of you and love you, my baby boy. Until we all meet again, Morris, we love you.