Nin the mascot cat comes off the mountain for last time

[auntAgonist]

MOUNT WASHINGTON, N.H. (AP) — Neither strong wind nor high flames bothered Nin the cat during a dozen years patrolling the Northeast’s highest peak as mascot of the Mount Washington Observatory.

It’s retirement that bums him out.

The regal ex-stray with a bright white coat and black splotches was carried off the mountain Wednesday for the last time and will live with some park rangers in the valley below due to old age and a recent infection claiming the last of his teeth.

“He’s 17 or 18 years old, so he’s getting up there. We wanted to do the most humane thing for him,” said Scot Henley, executive director of the nonprofit weather observatory.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2007/12/27/4741518-ap.html

[auntAgonist]

1. and here I thought lounge folk were cat lovers...

ah well.


aA

[mikeytherat]

2. kick

mikey_the_rat

[ThomCat]

3. Wow. He's lived in some tough conditions.

And he's lived a long life already. Good for him. That's a tough cat.

He's also a very well fed beauty. :)

I hope he adapts to retirement and enjoys a few more years. And may the next observatory cat be well loved for just as many years! :toast:

[lost-in-nj]

4. I saw a story about

Mt. Washington and the cat....

they had pictures of him with ice on his whiskers.....

he lived a long life up there....

lost

[xchrom]

5. Blessed be Nin!!!

may retirement be a joy to him.

[Flaxbee]

6. neat story - thank you for posting...

I was a little afraid to click on it, thinking perhaps Nin was on his way to being euthanized. Glad to hear he's just going into a cushy retirement!

[Blue Diadem]

7. awww..I hope he enjoys his retirement.

I bet he'll be pampered and well taken care of by those park rangers.

[China_cat]

13. He'll probably hate it. The mountain was his home.

And if he isn't kept indoors all the time, I give him 2 weeks before he goes missing...trying to get home.

[Blue Diadem]

16. Yeah I wonder about that too.

He's been King of the mountain for a long time..he might not be willing to give that territory up just yet.

[Frosty1]

8. Cool cat

My Grandparents had one that looked like him. Felix lived to be 26.

[auntAgonist]

11. oh man! 26 .. that's a LONG life.

we have 3 cats here. none of them 7 years old yet.

aA

ps. check your PM please.

[DS1]

9. Wow, I hear it's very cold up there once the sun goes down

[Fire Walk With Me]

10. I always like stories about cats who adopt a special location

and the folks who just happen to be there. :)

[judaspriestess]

12. what a cool story

:)

[SoxFan]

14. This little dude rocks

[auntAgonist]

15. Such a warm story really ...

I hope he lives comfortably for however long he lives.

aA
:hug:

[SoxFan]

17. Great quote from another article

These days, the life of a summit cat largely involves being an ambassador, greeting visitors who come up to the observatory complex and, in the summer, moseying around the state park center.

"He looked out for all the good snacks," Henley said with a laugh. "Nin had to be put on a diet at one point."

http://unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=NH%27s+top+cat+retires+from+Mt.+Washington+perch&articleId=be9fe939-a410-4aad-aaeb-d3affcfd7ad1