What a beautiful and fun thing it is to get to document as many aspects of a beloved cat’s delightful personality as possible in a short afternoon. Aki greeted me with a cheerful high five and dutifully obliged whenever another was requested of him. His presence was so calm, confident, and sweetly playful and I immediately loved him so much. I can only imagine how that love would multiply over 13 years with him, like Suzanne had. They share such an incredible bond- it was just magical to see them playing together, snuggling, and kissing each other while she told me stories of their life together. This guy could turn even the most staunchly anti-cat person into a cat lover in just a few minutes, I swear! He was SO charming. She was talking about how he does this one hilarious thing with his tongue sometimes and she hadn’t ever been able to get it on camera, and as if on cue, Aki blepped his lil’ tongue out and held it out for a full amusing minute. Talk about perfect timing!
All throughout our session inside, there was the cutest little bird who came to the window often, demanding treats, and Suzanne would feed him out of her hands. He definitely provided a lot of entertainment for Aki, who loved to sit in his basket next to the window and watch all the bird activity. Aki was also super comfortable outside, and we took him on a little adventure at nearby Shevlin Park in Bend with his harness on. He didn’t even seem to need it though, as he was interested to explore, but really just wanted to be near Suzanne. I always make sure cats are on a leash outdoors though, just in case.
It was such a beautiful experience with these two on this afternoon, one that made a lasting imprint on me. This gorgeous cat lived up to the meaning of his name in every way: “shining prince.” Sadly this sweet boy crossed the rainbow bridge just days after this, which makes me incredibly grateful to have gotten to document their connection together when we did so Suzanne could have these photos to immerse in every little detail of his physical form to go with her thousands of amazing memories of their time together. It’s never enough time, but the mark he left on her is indelible and endlessly meaningful.
