Callie

This may cause some of you to scoff, “Valerie, you need to get out more.” Scoff if you will, but this clearly illustrates the amazing power of the Internet’s social networks.

Throughout the ages man has been able to stir emotions through the use of various media. It would seem impossible to compare emotion caused by “art” to that caused by life. Nevertheless, the protagonist portrayed in novel or film suffers a loss, we feel that loss. He experiences triumph; we too bask in the glory and success. Every emotion is possible to evoke by word, photo, painting, music, etc. We never discredit the emotion as fake, but applaud the artist for the skill to capture our heart and soul, for bringing us along on the escape, an escape that brings us right back to the reality of human experience, an emotional connection to our world and others. (Aren’t we all going to cry when the last episode of Lost airs?) Friendships borne on the Internet suffer no loss in the ability to tap into a connection of human experience.

For the last year I have been on Twitter communicating with those who responded to the insane, poignant and humorous musing of my cat Diablo, known as Southbound Cat. My twittering cat is not novel. Millions of others do the same. For Southbound twittering was the next step in the evolution of expression. Diablo and her—yes Diablo’s online persona is a male, an often confusing point for others when I discuss my cat—companion, Phoenix, have blogged since my book tour in 2006.

There were only so many observations the cat could make in the confines of the house, and since my imagine lacks at times, I allowed Diablo to escape and begin a four month journey across the country. Ultimately, she would end up in Hawaii just about the time I would leave.

Along the way Diablo has brought with her a pile of followers, mostly other felines, the occasional airport, marketing firm and a few XXX’ers. I can’t explain it. She kept her reciprocal following to a minimum to filter out the drivel and concentrate on a special few who regularly have something entertaining to say. I am socially challenged and can not keep track of much more than a couple hundred others. Diablo’s cadre of followers is now over 1000. By the way, my own twitter account has only 23 followers.

She has developed some unique friendships with equally feisty if not wittier felines, cats with cat-titudes suffering the embarrassment of living with humans just because they can’t operate a can opener. It is an opposable thumb, not a lack of intelligences issue. Of equal attachment she has a community of humans with a fondness for the felines.

Diablo conspired to take over the world with the help of a few other felines. They have developed The Code, and have weaseled enough Tuna out of their humans to put Charlie the Tuna out of business. Diablo has been invited to stay with numerous feline and human friends and even a hedgehog during her transcontinental traipse. While most communication has been banter from a cat’s perspective behind the scene real life occurs. And that is were the connections rest.

Diablo shared in the joys of new kitties and loveable adoptions. "He" laughed out loud at hilarious antics and comments. "He" especially enjoyed taking stabs at foibles. Diablo shared the pains of illness and death, which included Boots, my mother’s cat. Some cats twitter the daily tribulations of their battles with disease and sickness. We watch, listen and pray. Others never mention their woes. Humans share their experiences in the similar fashion. Diablo offered sympathy to those whose pets have crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. In Direct Messages Diablo has come out of character to extend prayer to a friend whose father-in-law is gravely ill. While the adventures and tales of the Twitter characters are unreal (come on, a typing cat?), their personas, created by the person behind the keyboard are no less real.

Of this group, Diablo’s best friend and partner in crime has been a cat named TooncesCat. Toonces helped develop Diablo’s bad ass yet, loveable male character. As Diablo morphed on Twitter a connection to other fellow Twitterers, both cat and human grew. You may say virtually, but that does not diminish the resulting friendships.

I acknowledge all the emotions I have experienced on Diablo's behalf, yet I was caught off guard this morning, when I received a message that one of Toonces’ sibling house kitties passed away with kidney failure. Sadness met my heart and filled my eyes with tears. A real loss. I so felt the loss of a cat I had never met, never twittered to, and rarely discussed. But this cat belonged to Toonces’ owner. My heart goes out to The Human of Toonces on the loss of Callie, a beautiful 15 year old calico, the sister of Toonces, the friend of Diablo.

Weird yes, but that little bit of me that hurts is no less real.