Comments on: RIP Fup. Store Cat.

RIP Fup. Store Cat.

peep — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:01:58 -0800

RIP Fup. Store cat. The longtime Powell's Bookstore resident died peacefully surrounded by her co-workers on October 25th. She was 19. Photo album. Those not familiar with Fup can catch up with more than 150 newsletter entries.

By: Caduceus

Caduceus — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:06:28 -0800

Aw, Fup. You will be missed.

By: Artw

Artw — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:10:06 -0800

>.< (those are whiskers) Powell's Technical Books, just down the road from the totally awesome main Powells store, is in itself pretty damn awesome.

By: dakotadusk

dakotadusk — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:13:21 -0800

Feline bibliophiles are the best. Looks like Fup lived well and bit even better. On a closely-related note, let's not forget about the wonderful and sneezy world of library cats.

By: Artw

Artw — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:15:07 -0800

IIRC Powells was the first online bookstore as well, making their first sale in 1994 (a year before Amazon) and cementing the link between cats, books and the internet.

By: mrzarquon

mrzarquon — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:19:13 -0800

. I had a chance to meet fup on a few occasions while I was in Portland. I was never bit. Every bookstore should have a cat. It adds some literary street cred.

By: XQUZYPHYR

XQUZYPHYR — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:28:14 -0800

Every building should have a cat. It adds some awesome.

By: joseph_elmhurst

joseph_elmhurst — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:29:40 -0800

I have rare occasions to go to Powell's Technical Books, but when I worked a couple of blocks away, I made a point of visiting Fup on my lunch break at least once a month. A charming fellow if there ever was one. .

By: mumkin

mumkin — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:34:53 -0800

. Fup never bit me, either. A solid cat, with an excellent name, was Fup.

By: brundlefly

brundlefly — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:37:20 -0800

Never heard of the fellow, but the loss of any cat, much less a book store cat, is always a tragedy. .

By: tepidmonkey

tepidmonkey — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:39:23 -0800

Aw. Kitty. Awww. .

By: hob

hob — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:50:26 -0800

I worked at Powell's Tech for two years in my early twenties. Fup was an aloof snob of a cat, but with occasional bursts of affection that were rare and brief like sunshowers. My favorite Fup story is the Sunday afternoon Joe Pince brought his ferret in and it and Fup stalked each other through the store. On several occasions some helpful staff member "aided" Fup in getting up atop the shelves, where she could wander around and look down on everyone literally instead of just figuratively... Anyway. RIP Fup.

By: washburn

washburn — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:52:48 -0800

While my sympathies go out to Fup and her extended family, duty constrains me to point out that these individuals inhabit one of those Portland "Powells" that, large as they may grow, will never be quite enormous enough to become the real thing.

By: Skorgu

Skorgu — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:54:24 -0800

By: nasreddin

nasreddin — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 10:01:35 -0800

For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry. For he is the servant of the Living God duly and daily serving him. For at the first glance of the glory of God in the East he worships in his way. For this is done by wreathing his body seven times round with elegant quickness. For then he leaps up to catch the musk, which is the blessing of God upon his prayer. For he rolls upon prank to work it in. For having done duty and received blessing he begins to consider himself. For this he performs in ten degrees. For first he looks upon his forepaws to see if they are clean. For secondly he kicks up behind to clear away there. For thirdly he works it upon stretch with the forepaws extended. For fourthly he sharpens his paws by wood. For fifthly he washes himself. For sixthly he rolls upon wash. For seventhly he fleas himself, that he may not be interrupted upon the beat. For eighthly he rubs himself against a post. For ninthly he looks up for his instructions. For tenthly he goes in quest of food. For having consider'd God and himself he will consider his neighbour. For if he meets another cat he will kiss her in kindness. [etc..] - Christopher Smart, 1760 (written while in an insane asylum)

By: Faint of Butt

Faint of Butt — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 10:03:10 -0800

A store that sells books is nothing but a store that sells books. When a cat moves in, only then does it become a bookstore. .

By: tommasz

tommasz — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 10:33:31 -0800

Crud. I always read Fup's little story at the bottom of the Powell's newsletter before anything else. RIP.

By: peep

peep — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 10:34:08 -0800

hob, thanks for posting that. I saw her several times - I went to the technical bookstore every year or so to buy my brother his birthday or Christmas present. I'm a cat person from way back, and cats love me! But I could never get within 20 feet of Fup. Aloof indeed.

By: everichon

everichon — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 10:36:26 -0800

[this is sad]

By: Artw

Artw — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 10:36:32 -0800

nasreddin - awesome crazy cat person poem.

By: afflatus

afflatus — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 10:43:47 -0800

. I've never done this in a thread before, but I love bookstore cats and I always liked fup. Aloof, but hey, its a technical bookstore.

By: desjardins

desjardins — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 10:43:51 -0800

And here I thought that all cats were anti-literacy, because my two seem to like to prevent reading at all costs.

By: Dr. Twist

Dr. Twist — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 10:51:07 -0800

. I'll miss you Fup, god speed

By: Artw

Artw — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 10:57:44 -0800

And here I thought that all cats were anti-literacy, because my two seem to like to prevent reading at all costs. Most likely they have terrible spelling and grammar as well.

By: mazola

mazola — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:08:20 -0800

No cheeseburger for you. RIP. .

By: sleepy pete

sleepy pete — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:09:35 -0800

Ahh, Fup. This makes me almost as sad as when Cayenne had to be put down at the Love Garden in Lawrence.

By: quin

quin — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:11:07 -0800

Curious. I've never really thought about this before, but it's actually pretty common to see cats in bookstores, isn't it? While this is awesome, I wonder if it serves a specific purpose? I know that there is a bird-store in my area that has three cats. I thought this was a bit ironic (they don't sell birds, just supplies) and the owner explained that the cats keep mice out of the bird seed. I wonder if this is their purpose in book stores as well, to keep paper chewing pests at bay.

By: desjardins

desjardins — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:23:23 -0800

quin, I thought it was just that smart people like cats.

By: drezdn

drezdn — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:35:54 -0800

And here I thought that all cats were anti-literacy, because my two seem to like to prevent reading at all costs. My theory is that cats some how see sitting on paper as better than sitting on anything else. If any of my cats have a choice between laying on a piece of paper on the couch, or just laying on the couch, they'll always choose the paper. quin, which bird-store? As for bookstores having cats, I really wish ours did.

By: blucevalo

blucevalo — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:38:47 -0800

Went to Powell's once, never knew about Fup. Regret not having known about her. Looks (and from the description of her personality sounds) like she was a Maine coon, which is what my cat Joseph is.

By: CitrusFreak12

CitrusFreak12 — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:42:34 -0800

Aw. That cat was only two months younger than me. Is there such a thing as "cat years," and if so, how old was Fup in said years?

By: MrGuilt

MrGuilt — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:52:20 -0800

. A cat bonds with a house, and becomes its visible soul. Probably true of bookstores. IIRC Powells was the first online bookstore as well, making their first sale in 1994 (a year before Amazon) and cementing the link between cats, books and the internet. I read their note regarding their anniversery as an online bookseller. Somehow, their inventory list was on an open FTP server. Someone found it, looked for an item he was looking for, and ordered the book. This was 1993--the web had barely left Tim's NeXT server. Aw. That cat was only two months younger than me. Is there such a thing as "cat years," and if so, how old was Fup in said years? I believe that makes her almost 100, in human years. Certainly in her nineties. Kinda depressing--my older cat is around 15.

By: quin

quin — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:01:16 -0800

drezdn: Wild Birds Unlimited.

By: Casuistry

Casuistry — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:09:19 -0800

I got to meet her a few times, and she was a very nice ol' cat. .

By: luriete

luriete — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:23:48 -0800

I was petting this cat once. She seemed to enjoy it. Then I made the mistake of getting close - eye level - to give her a little kiss, as I kiss my cat. I was promptly bitten right on the nose. I gave her space after that.

By: stefanie

stefanie — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:30:00 -0800

They made a t-shirt every year to celebrate Fup's birthday. If you wear one, you have to spend a lot of time explaining that the giant FUP on your back is not something dirty, but is just a cool store cat. Then you get to explain what a store cat is. RIP, Fup. I hope you had a good time here.

By: Kadin2048

Kadin2048 — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 13:00:01 -0800

And here I thought that all cats were anti-literacy, because my two seem to like to prevent reading at all costs. Well just because they don't want you to read the books, doesn't mean they're against books -- they seem to enjoy sitting on them. It sounds like Fup lived long and well. We could all aspire to that. .

By: supercres

supercres — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 13:17:43 -0800

Marina Czapszys says: October 29th, 2007 at 6:04 pm Haiku for Fup: Quintessential cat You guarded all the tech books, And our hearts, from rats. I'm not even a cat person, and that one made me smile.

By: jquinby

jquinby — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 13:20:34 -0800

Powell's Tech Books is one of the greatest stores I've ever been in. .

By: jgaiser

jgaiser — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 13:36:21 -0800

Cat years... My vet gave me a simple formula he uses. 21 for the first year, 4 for each additional year. That would make Fup 89. My oldest made it to 17 (85) Fup.. May your heaven be full of mice and cat-nip...

By: jgaiser

jgaiser — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 13:38:57 -0800

Doh.. Missed a year. Fup was 93..

By: ZachsMind

ZachsMind — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 14:02:57 -0800

"Over the years Fup acquired a well-earned reputation for biting employees who intruded on her time for more than about 30 seconds" *blink* I am supposed to offer up a dot for a cat that bites patrons at a bookstore you have got to be kidding me no way this cat gets no punctuation from me

By: ZachsMind

ZachsMind — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 14:07:30 -0800

ok not patrons employees still same thing ouch dang

By: divabat

divabat — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 16:04:48 -0800

Aww kitty. .

By: eccnineten

eccnineten — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 16:06:32 -0800

Fup via flickr. Fup's business card. Rest in peace.

By: Joey Michaels

Joey Michaels — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 16:20:21 -0800

>.<

By: Rosie M. Banks

Rosie M. Banks — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:26:09 -0800

>.< Sounds like Fup lived a long and happy life. I hope wherever she is in the afterlife includes lots of tuna, catnip, and books. My older kitty is 18, and I hope she makes it to at least 19.

By: billder

billder — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 22:31:57 -0800

. Sad to hear this earlier. Went to visit the store at lunch to offer my condolences. And since this is my favorite bookstore, of course I had to buy a book.

By: baker dave

baker dave — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 04:28:00 -0800

is it true it was called fup (fuck u pussy) .

By: JHarris

JHarris — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 07:23:39 -0800

I am supposed to offer up a dot for a cat that bites patrons at a bookstore you have got to be kidding me no way this cat gets no punctuation from me Let us never forget that there exists a world outside the perspective of human beings.

By: you're a kitty!

you're a kitty! — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 16:12:57 -0800

>.<