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Working Felines: Shop Cats 1

Fup, of Portland, Oregon

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Fup was the well-loved tabby cat at Powell's Technical Books shop in Portland, Oregon, in the west of the USA. She was born around the end of June 1988 at an animal shelter. She had sisters named Clara and Ro, but it was Fup that was adopted by the shop's first manager. Her unusual name probably came from a book of the same name by Jim Dodge (about a duck!) published in 1983 — although it has been said that the manager's sister had a cat called Puff and the name was just reversed.

Whatever the truth, Fup joined the shop as a kitten and moved with it to new premises in 1990, where she stayed and became an institution and undisputed ruler of her realm until her death — apart from a six-week period in 1997 when the store was being renovated and she found temporary accommodation with one of Powell's employees. Apparently she was never all that interested in the world outside the shop, apart from watching birds and falling leaves through the windows. Fup took her duties seriously and didn't seem to care much for toys.

In her younger days she liked to climb ladders and sit on top of bookshelves, from where she could look down on her domain (and her humans). She wasn't very patient with her employee co-workers and had a reputation for biting anyone who took more than about 30 seconds of her time; but in later years she mellowed — especially towards anyone who shared their lunch! (Canned tuna, chicken and cold meats were particularly appreciated.) And she was always waiting to greet whoever came to open the shop in the morning and give her breakfast.

Fup seemed to appreciate visitors to the shop and was more patient with them; she had many fans and received plenty of gifts, cards and e-mail messages. Powell's produces an online newsletter every two weeks, and for years the quarter of a million subscribers could follow Fup's adventures and comments via her own column in it. The nearly 200 entries, right from the first in 1999, can be seen there.

Failing health caught up with Fup in October 2007 at the age of 19, and on the 25th her lifelong vet came to the store to gently put her to sleep, with several of her co-workers present. Donations in her name were requested for the Oregon Humane Society, and it was said that a memorial may be placed at a later date. At the time of writing in June 2009 almost 400 messages of condolence have been posted, the latest as recently as March.

Powell's have a photo album where there are a few more photos of Fup and there are more here. Her image remains on the store's gift cards and T-shirts.

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Our featured feline at the head of the page is Socks, pictured in 2003 surveying his 'estate' in the early morning sunshine. Affectionately known as Soxy, he blossomed from a thin and hungry stray into a substantial and handsome cat who loved life and company, and his gentle ways endeared him to many friends. He is now no longer with us, but you can read more from his human companion here.

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