Remembering Sheleata Kanatuna
Earlier this evening, Sheleata Kanatuna, Tiger Prince of Barnes Place and then Morgan Terrace, peacefully succumbed to feline fibrosarcoma, an invasive cancer in the connective tissue. He was nearly twelve.
Mr. Kanatuna was diagnosed in August and underwent an exorcism to remove the demon tumor that had appeared in the roof of his mouth
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There was a chemotherapy and radiation treatment option, and his medical team suggested an air lift to Purdue University where he could have been attached to a machine.
Always noble and not one for travel, Mr. Kanatuna opted for the less-invasive home hospice care. On his last evening, he dined on chicken liver, surrounded by family and the books he so loved, purring loudly as he gazed from his perch one last time.
Not one to follow another agenda, Mr. Kanatuna scratched at the face of death in his final moments before crossing over to a place of peace.
Pretty Sheleata Kitty: The Early Years
After being rescued from the Atlanta Humane Society, Mr. Kanatuna arrived at Barnes Place, home of Anthony Dornacher and Timothy State, on December 8, 1996. Dornacher returned home late from a business trip to find State in bed with the young Mr. Kanatuna sleeping across his neck.
"I got you a fur for our anniversary," said State.
State had selected another cat at the Humane Society earlier that day. But when he opened the cage, Mr. Kanatuna made an attempt to run for it, while the cat State had selected sat with a glazed-over Ritalin stare. As Mr. Kanatuna took one giant leap toward freedom, State caught him, placing him safely on the floor. Mr. Kanatuna sprinted around the ring of the room, returning to rub against State's shin, proclaiming ownership.
In the spring of 1997, Sheleata Kanatuna was presented formally to Atlanta society, coming out at his debutant ball as a gender-free kitty. He had just been fixed. Precursor to a tenuous relationship, a young Long John had arrived on the scene, only to steal the show from Mr. Kanatuna.
The two would coexist in reluctant peace for the remainder of Mr. Kanatuna's life, with Mr. Kanatuna eventually warming up to Long John. During those years, Mr. Kanatuna took to the basement of Barnes Place, where he spent days and evenings working on projects in dog-free isolation, the stairs too steep for a wiener dog to negotiate.
During a dinner party one evening, Mr. Kanatuna came upstairs from a hard day of work, presenting a half-dead gardner snake he had every intention of sharing with the party.
Sheleata Kanatuna: Adventurer
While the exterior of Barnes Place was being painted, Mr. Kanatuna would have nothing to do with the project even though custom colors had been mixed: Barnes Place Bisque and Sheleata Kana-tan. In a Houdini move, he escaped from the bedroom, and walked out the front door, which had been propped open to dry. The cat-bomb diving Long John failed to receive the direction, "Find the cat," and Mr. Kanatuna went missing for three days.
His urban instincts sharp, he remained elusive, avoiding search parties. When he was eventually found, he was drug back to Barnes Place kicking and screaming. To demonstrate his disapproval, he threw things off the kitchen counter, pissed in the laundry, and retreated to sleep for a week in the basement, his snoring audible through the floor.
Sheleata Tiger Prince: Master Communicator
Mr. Kanatuna was an advocate for environmentally friendly kitty waste disposal techniques, generally preferring the tub for the most frequent occasions and leaving the litter for more substantial affairs. Over his lifetime, he tested a number of different products before finally settling on Swheat Scoop.
In 2003, Dornacher and State took Long John to an animal communicator. When asked about his feelings toward Mr. Kanatuna, Long John quickly replied, "Tony's cat rules the house."
Mr. Kanatuna ruled the house effectively, even after the arrival of Buster Highmen later in 2003. Buster, also saved from the street, had an adverse relationship with Mr. Kanatuna. As Buster dealt with his own personal demons, Mr. Kanatuna had no problem helping him to keep them in their place, all too quick to threaten sinking his teeth into Buster's juicy neck before backing off, but not without first swatting him across the face.
Remembering Mr. Kanatuna
Mr. Kanatuna is survived by Director of Catering and Guest Relations Anthony Dornacher, Director of Ambiance and Entertainment Timothy State, Long John, and Buster Highmen.
In lieu of flowers, fans of Mr. Kanatuna are encouraged to make a donation in his memory to the Atlanta Humane Society, or Chicago's Anti-Cruelty Society.
Dornacher and State will be hosting a wake for Mr. Kanatuna on a date in March, still to be set. More information on Sheleata Kanatuna's wake will be available at www.MorganTerrace.net.
