In October 2002, Baby Panther Price won Peppermille's Halloween Black Cat Contest. The following is a transcript of Baby Panther's interview by Peppermille Le'Purr.
Pepper Mille: Concatulations on winning the Black cat poll. How does it feel to win?
Baby: Gee, it feels wonderfur to win, Pepper Mille!! When I first found out that I won, I was so happy that I was walking on clouds singing "Oh what a happy cat am I, a happy cat, happy cat, happy cat, happy cat, happy cat am I! I am also extremely proud and furry furry grateful.
Pepper Mille: Wif all the hoomans thinking Black cats are scary do mew think being all black is unlucky? Are mew scared of anything?
Baby: Personally, I don't know any hoomans who actually think black cats are scary or unlucky. Actually, we are quite a good looking lot. Am I scared of anything? Hmmmmm, yes, of course. Effurycat is scared of something. I am scared that my food plate will be empty with no fresh fancy feast on it, and, on a more serious note, I am afraid of somehow losing my meowmie. That really terrifies me.
PepperMille: Me too. Meowmies are da best mew can always depend on them! Are mew an adopted kitty?
Baby: Yes, I am adopted. My meowmie adopted me 11-1/2 years ago from the Humane Society. I was eleven months old then, and weighed ten pounds.
PepperMille:How old are mew?
Baby:I was born on St. Catrick's day 1990, so that makes me 12-1/2 years young.
Pepper Mille: Do mew live wif offur kitties?
Baby: Oh yes, I most certainly do. I live wif my wedwink, the beautifur Caroline, the princess. Mew might know her through her column on older kitties that appears in the CLAW Zine every issue. I am furry proud of her.
Pepper Mille: Do mew haf a website? Do mew belong to any kitty clubs?
Baby: Yes, Caroline and I each have a little website of our own and then together we haf a furry big website. We both are members of Fat is Fun, CLAW, Fuzzy Kitties, Cats Worldwide, Friends of CLAW Theater, Poetry in Motion, Roly Poly Rawers and many more. I believe that we live longer and healthier lives, if we stay active.
Pepper Mille: I see mew like to stretch out on the table too. My mom lets me as long as it isn't the kitchen table, tee hee. Do mew haf anoffur favorite sleeping place?
Baby: My apartment is my castle. I do have a large, deep beautifur white couch that I call my room. Meowmie puts clean sheets on it every time she does the laundry. I also haf my needlepoint pillow that grandmeowmie made that I rest my tired little head on. In front of that is my fossil stone and glass coffee table that is like my own personal deck, with the fan blowing nicely on me. It is furry comfortable.
Pepper Mille: Purrsonally I'm strictly a fish eater what are mewr favorite foods?
Baby: I adore fancy feast minced turkey in the red label can, shrimpies and I have been known to love a lobster or two. Meowmie is on a new diet where she grills fishies almost effury night. We had grilled salmon the other night and tonight or tomorrow we are having catfish. Can miew imagine that, a fish that thinks it is a cat. What will they think of next?
Pepper Mille: Where do mew live? Do mew go outside or just haf a favorite window fer bird watching?
Baby: We lif in South Florida, about eight block from the beach. I would nefer go outside. My neighbor and friend, Gloria, was hit by a car and killed. When I was younger, I would try to sneak out and actually did fur several hours. Meowmie called the police and had them help look fur me. I came home in the middle of the night, knocked on the door (which meowmie had open,) and mewed "Hi Mom, I'm home." When I saw her laying there crying, I knew, then and there, that I had better not go out again. We haf floor level jalousey windows, and a jalousey door, so I see the world through them, and I am much safer, as well. It is not safe in most places for kitties to be outside.
Pepper Mille: Oh mew. Iz didn't know mew were a Florida cat. We'ze almost neighbors! Iz in central Florida. Iz shur going to miss mew in the polls now that mew haf won. Is dere anything else mew would like to say?
Baby: I am really looking forward to retiring, but I will surely miss miewr contests, Pepper Mille. Now is the proper time fur me to relax and my sweet Caroline to shine. I do want to thank my aunt Candy fur running my campaign so well, Caroline fur putting up with me, and of course, my meowmie. I also want to thank effuryone and effury kitty who voted fur me. Miewr the best!! Many thanks from a happy cat, yes, indeed, a happy cat am I!!!
