Remembering Don Gato - 20th birthday

The 28th is a popular date for family celebrations. May 28th is Megan's birthday, June 28th is Marah's birthday, December 28th is Meg & Jon's anniversary, and July 28th is Don Gato's birthday (Bethany missed by a day with a Feb. 27th birthday).


Don Gato joined the family in 1989 when we lived in Escondido, CA. Our friends, the Dawsons, invited the girls, Megan (4) & Kenna (2), to come see their new kittens. We knew it was a dangerous invitation, but the girls were so sad after saying goodbye to their Carnahan grandparents that we used the kittens as a distraction. You can guess the rest of the story...
Dongo was the runt of the litter and the mellowest. The girls tried to name him "Fluffy", but Russell said the name was embarrassing and took it upon himself to give the kitten a more dignified name - Don Gato. Sir Cat is the English translation. Kenna's attempts to say his name sounded more like "Dongo Gato", and the nickname Dongo was born. He had many other nicknames added through the years (we are a nickname obsessed family). Gondo, Fat Cat, King Cat, El Rey are a few of his other nicknames. This was his Christmas debut in our 1989 family picture (love those 80s maternity tents...)
Did I mention that Dongo was the runt? At his prime adult weight, he was 22 lbs. The vet was certain there was Maine Coon in his ancestry. Though a huge cat, he was a klutz! We'd often see him hanging the top of the fence by his front claws, and frantically clawing with his hind legs to get up and over.


Don Gato and Kenna had a love/hate relationship. He still loved her after dress-up, strangle holds and being thrown off the 2nd floor landing. Kenna was only 20 lbs. at age two so how did she get a cat that size cat up and over the stairway ledge?

When Bethany started walking, Dongo learned to run. She would throw herself on top of him - full body slam! It wasn't until his last years that he stopped running from her! Beth had stopped the body slams years before, but he wasn't going to chance it!

Gondo used to stalk both Kenna and Marah, but especially Marah (He was leery of Kenna after the balcony incident). He loved to pounce on them from behind, attacking their curls. He loved Sundays because usually there was a ribbon to pounce on - generally knocking over the dress wearer.

Caught in the act... I think besides Marah, I'm the only person bitten by Don Gato - and that was because I stepped into the middle of a cat fight to pick him up... And his final act was to bite me, but in his defense, he was getting an IV stuck in his arm.

Don Gato thought he fit into any box or bag. Many of our game boxes are split from him squeezing his 22 lb. body into the lid.

Dongo loved to rub, sniff, and lay on shoes - especially flip flops. When we moved to AZ, he had to become a full-time housecat (boring). Shoe scents were his link to the outside world.

Christmas was the best time of the year. Dongo loved bows. Not a single present had a ribbon still attached by Christmas Day.

Meg and Kenna came home for 2006 Mother's Day. As they were leaving, they stopped to pet Don Gato and made him promise to be around for their next visit at Christmas. Sadly, his seizures started soon afterward. We will always be grateful to our friend Doreen who graciously helped Dongo spend his last days at home.
Love you buddy! We hope cat heaven has lots of bows and pancakes (his favorite).