Romeo

• First encounter 1992–1993
• The beginning
• Inspiration for every black cat that follows
• Originally belongs to a neighbor
• Bonded with Basti, a neighboring tomcat
• Visits become frequent
• The neighbor does not intervene
• A new home forms
• Fear of children at first
• Over time, trust settles in
• Favorite places: above mother’s head in bed, the couch, on the roof of the wooden shelter
• Tolerates everything, including Gage's relentless playfulness
• Only one tooth left