Cat McAuliffe
Not long after I published our feature on Sally, a beautiful black and white chimera cat with vitiligo, Jean, mom to Gatsby, another black and white cat with vitiligo, reached out to us via Instagram to let us know how much she enjoyed the feature. After checking out Gatsby’s posts, I knew we had to do an article and a video on him as well, and Jean graciously agreed to share his story with us!
We learned how a tragedy brought Gatsby and his sister Daisy into Jean’s life, as well as the unlikely friend who helped bring these two out of their shells. We also discovered how the gradual appearance of Gatsby’s vitiligo patches, which are known as macules, coincided with the beginning of a major transformation in Jean’s life! We really enjoyed learning Gatsby’s remarkable story, and we hope you will too!
Meow As Fluff: How did you meet Gatsby?
Jean: I rescued Gatsby and his sister, Daisy, from a man who unfortunately lost his battle with substance abuse and died. His mother was my neighbor and she asked me to take them, as she was not able to care for them.
From the moment I saw them, I knew that what I was missing in my life, were cats. They were both very shy and a little underweight. I had a pet rat called Oliver at the time, and he was instrumental in bringing them out of their shells.
MAF: When did you realize Gatsby had vitiligo?
J: Gatsby did not have his markings (his stars) until he was about six months old. He was a beautiful little tuxie, but I had no inkling that he was going to develop these amazing markings. I had taken him to the vet for his initial shots, and to be neutered, and there was no indication that he had vitiligo.
MAF: Can you tell me a bit about vitiligo and how it affects Gatsby specifically?
J: Vitiligo is a very rare genetic pigmentation condition. It affects about 1% of humans worldwide, and even fewer animals.
I know dogs and horses can get it, as well as cats. It affects Siamese and Burmese kitties more than other breeds, but it is seen in black cats, too. To see it in a tuxedo cat is especially rare. Lucky me! Gatsby suffers no ill effects from this condition. It is purely cosmetic. He is a happy and healthy boy.
MAF: What are some of the biggest misconceptions you think people have about cats with vitiligo?
J: I think the biggest misconception is that it hurts him in some way. Or that his mom was really sick when she was pregnant with him and that his coat is a “fever coat.”
I, of course, have checked with my veterinarian on the health and well-being of all my cats, so I’d like people to understand that he is not “sick.”
MAF: What are some of the challenges — if any — you and Gatsby have faced as a result of his vitiligo?
J: When he got his first star, it was on his face. And I tried to scrub it off for a while!!
He probably found that pretty challenging. Honestly, it has been so humbling and beautiful the way people from all over the world have responded to him. I still cannot quite believe it! I especially love when people with vitiligo reach out to me and thank me for showing the beauty and uniqueness of this condition.
MAF: What do you wish more people knew about cats with vitiligo?
J: Again, it is my fervent wish that Gatsby can help create acceptance and acknowledgment of the beauty in vitiligo and all things that make us different and unique. Both in animals, and in their humans.
MAF: What are some of Gatsby’s favorite activities?
J: Gatsby loves, loves, loves the outdoors. I have wrestled with the decision to let my kitties outside since I got them. I live in a very small, rural town in Iowa. My cats are fixed, vaccinated, and regularly treated for fleas/ticks/ear mites. Gatsby and his five brothers and sisters have a cat door and a catio (sort of).
I truly believe it makes them happier and healthier cats. I know plenty of people disagree with that, and I respect their opinion. I just hope that they trust that I know what is best for my cats.
MAF: Can you tell me the story behind his name?
J: His name was a no-brainer for me. The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite novels, and he was such a perfect little tuxie, and his sister was such a feisty femme fatale, that Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan were almost pre-ordained. When he started developing his stars and they continued to expand and spread like the galaxy, his nickname, Galaxy Kitty, was also written in the stars. Pun intended!
MAF: What does he mean to you?
J: All of my cats (Gatsby, Daisy, Stitch, Motley, Boo Radley, and Goblin) are so important to me. Gatsby has always had a very special place in my heart, because I was also struggling with my own substance use disorder when I adopted him.
I got sober about a year later and as his fur started to transform, so did my life. I have worked very hard and am four years clean, but I will always draw a correlation between the changing beauty of his coat and the peace and beauty in my life.
To learn more about this handsome cat, you can follow Gatsby on Instagram.
