What is your name and how old are you?
My name is Dr. Picasso, and in human years I am 15. This makes me 77 years of age in the feline universe.
Do you recognize which breed of cat you are or are you simply a cat?
Simply a cat? My dear, I do believe you misspoke! I am a delightful mix of tabby with a splash of Siamese. I get my unique eyes and my strong voice, as well as much of my intellect from the Siamese.
Any famous felines in your lineage?
Sadly, I am an orphan so I cannot say with any certainty. However, it is difficult to be as talented and wise as I am in only one generation, so I am likely descended from some very famous cats. And, of course, all cats are descended from royalty, and some have even been deities…
Who do you live with? Is there a favorite subject among them?
I live with my humans, Chris and Kimberlee Messina. Their favorite subject is me, of course. After that, well they have been known to discuss in great detail the issues of the day, strategic vision, and most importantly, what is for dinner.
When did you decide you wanted to be a doctor? Where did you study?
I have always believed that, like John F. Kennedy, “to whom much is given, much is expected.” Given my innate wisdom, I felt it was my duty to become a doctor and serve others by telling them what to do, and how best to do it. It is the least I can do. I have studied all over, but my doctorate is an honorary one.
What was the inspiration for “Dr. Picasso’s Corner” on your humans’ blog?
My humans are not as wise as I am, of course. However, they do know how intelligent, intuitive, insightful, and downright charming I am. Naturally, they wanted to include my own space on the blog, so that I could share my observations and thoughts.
What do you dream and philosophize about?
As you may have gathered from “Dr. Picasso’s Corner,” I dream and philosophize quite a bit. I envision a world where humans, of all backgrounds, and animals (even dogs!) can live together in peace. MLK had his dream, and it was a good one. Dr. Picasso has a dream too. My dream is that by sharing knowledge and experiences we can make this world a better place. Of course, I also dream about chicken. I really, really like chicken.
What did you think of traveling around with your humans? Did you have a favorite place that you visited?
I must say that life on the road grew on me. Like most cats I am fairly territorial and traveling from city to city, state to state, took some adjustment. However, I eventually really came to like the experiences. I got to eat grass from 40 states! You would be surprised at how different they all tasted. I (finally) trained my humans how to follow me on the leash, so that I could walk around and experience multiple sites, people, cats and dogs. As far as favorite places, that is a challenge. I really liked Niagara Falls, although my humans didn’t appreciate that I escaped into the marsh and bushes for a few hours! I truly enjoyed walking in Memphis with Elvis too.
Have you filled your passpurr (passport) and need another one or are there still a couple pages open?
I still have a few pages to fill. My paws are itching to walk through Alaska!
Were you consulted about moving to Spokane? And what are your feelings about it?
As part of our Life Is Better On The Road trip, I always knew that we would be identifying potential new homes. I wasn’t necessarily consulted, but let’s just say that if Dr. Picasso was unhappy, we would not be moving to Spokane!
When bribed, do you have a preference of any kind?
Chicken. Did I mention I like chicken?
Anything you’d like to add?
I admire your judgment and discernment in choosing to interview me. It is clear that your publication is of the highest caliber.