Vinnie died on October 8, 2013 after being hit by a car in the Butler-Tarkington neighborhood of Indianapolis. His full name was Vincent Van Gogh Rattray Vogt, and he was born on September 6, 2002 near Culver City California. He was eleven years old, which is about 60 in human years. The most extensive set of images that include Vinnie are located a blog especially made for him and his brother Wassily: The Lost Boys of Placita Vergel (http://vinnie-wassie.blogspot.com/). Vinnie’s many nicknames included Vinnie Voosheen, B & W, Kobe, Vinnie Patrol, and a several others.
Vinnie liked to drape his
body over the human he was sleeping with, and would befriend anyone who was
quiet and calm. He went through various stages of being shy and more social,
but for most of his life he was on the shy side. Vinnie loved snuggling with
his family more than anything in the world. He also enjoyed catching birds and mice,
especially in Tucson where he liked to roam around and search for hummingbirds.
Vinnie lived in
several cities: Santa Monica, San Francisco, Tucson, and Indianapolis. He
traveled by airplane and car across the United States. In fact, his three-day journey by car and in motels from Tucson to Indianapolis may have been his biggest challenge. He was first adopted at a pet store from a nonprofit adoption agency in Culver City, and his first home was on Hollister Street in the Ocean Park neighborhood of Santa Monica. From the beginning, Vinnie was a
sociable cat who was on the vocal side. He grew into an older cat that liked to sleep in closets, under beds, and in secluded places but would always be around when it was time to snuggle on the couch or bed.
We’ll miss how Vinnie
would be magnetized to us when we were sitting or sleeping, and his funny
personality – a little high strung but very loveable once you got to know him. Many
people cared for Vinnie, including those who lived at 3723 Placita Vergel, and
few who met him could forget his quirks. He will be sorely missed by his
brother from another father, Wassily, who has been with him from the very
beginning. While Vinnie and Wassie grew apart in some ways over the years, they
have also been through many changes together. Sookie, who is many years
younger, will also miss playing with her often cantankerous older black and
white brother. Sookie actually brought Vinnie a whole new appreciation for life. Iris likewise brought Vinnie and whole new set of experiences being around a baby, and the hard part is that they were just starting to spend more time together. 
For me personally, Vinnie came with me when I moved from San
Francisco to Tucson and beyond, and has been a constant companion and source of
support and unconditional love. While I’m sad that he has passed away, I’m also
happy that he got to enjoy many full years of care, love, and exploring the
world inside and out.
Nick
