Birth of a Bookstore Cat by Judith Teitelman

Birth of a Bookstore Cat by Judith Teitelman

A truly successful bookstore is one with a cat. Having a cat means the booksellers care about the place and the people who walk through their doors. That’s why Skylight Books is a success and a chain bookstore is just a business. - Kerry Slattery, Skylight’s founding General Manager / co-owner Writers and cats go hand-in-hand. They are practically synonymous. The same is true of bookstores and cats, most especially independents that are, so fortunately, on the rise again. These are typically the bookstores with personality, perspective, verve, and—a cat.

My relationship with independent bookstores runs deep. Just three months after graduating from UCLA with a degree in Art History, I was hired by Ace Gallery to open and manage Art and Architecture Books of the Twentieth Century, at the time Los Angeles’ second bookstore devoted exclusively to the arts. Although I had worked in a chain bookstore for a few years while in school, this was my first professional experience with an independent.

My relationship with cats began around the same time and remains sacrosanct. And while I no longer run a bookstore, my connection to both are fused. This is especially true of my bond with Skylight Books in Los Angeles’ Los Feliz neighborhood.

My husband, Aaron, and I moved to Los Feliz twenty years ago and were immediately drawn to this bookstore—the anchor of a few short streets of shops, a movie theater, and restaurants. It is our urban oasis. We regularly head down the hill for a bite to eat or to see a film and always end up wandering through Skylight’s aisles in search of the new and compelling and inspiring or whatever else is to be found.

Skylight takes its role as a committed, enthusiastic neighbor seriously. It is a true gathering place with an energetic, wide-ranging program of author events, book clubs, reading groups, and other happenings. These, combined with friendly, informed staff, guarantees that it’s inviting and comfortable to walk through the doors.

And, of course, for many years, there was Lucy, the beloved bookstore cat. With her passing in 2007 we felt the staff’s grief, most especially that of Kerry Slattery, Skylight General Manager, and experienced the emptiness of the store without its feline soul.

That void became ever more acute when, two years later, our adored cats—an 18-year-old brother and sister duo— died within four months of each other, Sid in August and Ubud in November. Our house felt incomplete. The holidays were bleak that year. We counted the days until “Kitten Season.” (Who even knew there was such a thing?) But, we learned quickly that it was, indeed, real and waited anxiously for spring. Unlike Skylight Books who hadn’t adopted another—still too painful—we were desperate for four-legged energy to make our house a home once more.

We wanted kittens and siblings again. We had so loved watching them grow up, our relationship deepening at every stage. Where to look wasn’t an issue: our longtime veterinarian had a small shelter, and we were confident the kittens we were seeking would find their way there. Once the first buds began to appear in our garden, we began calling regularly.

In early March, on a Tuesday, we were told that they didn’t yet have any kittens, however just that morning someone had brought in a pregnant teen found in Hollywood in the parking lot behind the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. We arranged to meet the little mama that Saturday, anticipating that two of her kittens would be ours.

What we never imagined was that, when we first looked at her, a beautiful tortoise-shell creature—and she at us, with the deepest, most soulful eyes—she would own our hearts. She began to purr, loudly, as if to say, “What took you so long?” Within an hour she was in our car and then—home.

We named her Chouchote, but always called her Mama.

Neither of us knew anything about birthing babies, animals or otherwise, so we sought advice from our vet and friends. The suggestions were wide-ranging with one common theme: cats require a space to themselves when giving birth. They don’t want anyone around.

So we dutifully made a cozy “cave” in Aaron’s closet, leaving the door ajar and frequently bringing her in to show off this private space. Mama would sniff around a bit and then head straight back to our bed and settle in.

The number of babies she carried was a mystery, although the vet assumed at least four. We would keep two and Mama, unquestionably, and started to explore possible homes for the others. Gingerly, I approached Kerry Slattery. It had been a couple of years since Lucy’s passing and I wanted to see if she was ready to embrace a new cat into the Skylight fold.

Kerry was hesitant, but open. She was drawn to Mama’s gorgeous face, but asked to wait to decide until the kittens arrived.

Fast forward to 15 April. I had fallen asleep with Mama lying on my stomach; my mother’s hand knit afghan between us. At 3:30 a.m. a wail instantly roused us with Aaron shouting, “She’s hurt, she’s hurt!” I turned and said, “Honey, she’s having her babies.” Her announcement that the first kitten had arrived. This one was a carbon copy of Mama.

She birthed the other three over the next two hours, still on top of me, but now unwaveringly looking straight in my eyes. As if to say, these are your babies too!

Kerry and Skylight staffers came to visit the kittens over the next month and unanimously agreed to adopt the firstborn that looked just like Mama. Franny, named by the staff, became Skylight Books’ mascot in 2009 and has, ever since, been featured on their advertising, totes, bookmarks, and blog posts. We remain incredibly proud to be her human “birth parents” and are forever bonded to Skylight.

Aaron and I are sure that Franny was the first one out because she had to get to work!