Today is Louie’s 7th purrthday! To celebrate, I looked deep into his magestic blue eyes that hold the secrets of the galaxies and asked him some purrsonal questions.

KATNISS: Furst of all, Happy purrthday, Louie! This really is a meowmentous occasion because when you were a kitten, it’s wasn’t fur certain you’d make it to your furst purrthday.

LOUIE: Yes, but I survived, thanks to my Humom who believed I had value when others didn’t. My wish is that all cats, despite any disability they may have, be recognized as having worth. My other wish is that I get extra Dreamies today because it’s my purrthday!

KATNISS: Recently, you received some unkind comments on the Internet – some purrson called you “scary.” How is that pawsible? You’re stunning!

LOUIE: Thank mew. Sadly, part of being on social media is that sometimes you get hate. I think the more people are exposed to special needs cats like me, the less diffurent we’ll seem.

KATNISS: Integrrration, not segrrregation, is the best way for people to see that we’re all more alike than diffurent.

LOUIE: One pawsitive thing is the way the wonky cat community has really suppurted me and my family. I’ve become furiends with other special needs cats like Maleficent the Magnificent, Sister Tippy and Toby and Quinton. There’s been a love of love to counter the hate.

KATNISS: I hope you get even more love fur your purrthday. Love and crinkle balls. So, when you chase balls, do you rely mostly on your sense of hearing?

LOUIE: Yes – I hear the crinkle of the paper ball and know it’s time to attack! MOL!

KATNISS: It’s surpurrising how you are able to jump up on your cat tower and leap off the bed after a crinkle ball like a sighted cat.

LOUIE: I rely a lot on meowmory. If my cat perch were moved, I might jump and fail. And if someone were to “fake meowt” by suddenly throwing the ball in a diffurent direction, I’d run in the direction I originally heard the sound pointed at.

KATNISS: You have a keen sense of hearing. Wait – it looks like you just heard something.