NEWSFLASH: Sid is featured in
Real Change Profile March 8, 2002

Sid the Cat Executive Officer of the Real Change.

In 1996, a vendor came in with a kitten. He talked about how there was this old lady who always bummed cigarettes from him, and one day he said, "You don' never pay me back nothin'; I ain't gon' give you no mo' cig'rettes." And the next day, she came up to him with this kitten, and says, "Here. You can have the cat." So he says to Tim Harris The Editor God, "Here. YOU can have the cat. I don' have no place t' keep no cat!"

So Sid took over the office. It used to be, when a vendor walked through the door, their first words were "I want 40 papers", or whatever number. Now, everybody's first words are, "Where's Sid?"

How Sid got his name.

We ran a Name That Cat Contest, and got a whole range of suggestions, from "Small Change" to "Meat". But the most dynamic personality in the Real Change office at that time was a young woman named Ozula Sioux, and Ozula decided his name was Sid. For Sid Vicious. So, within about 20 minutes, all of Seattle knew his name was Sid. I hold out to this extent - I insist his name stands for El Cid, the Conqueror. Although I do spell it El Sid.

Whether we're anxious, lonely, discouraged, hyper, fuming or just plain bored, Sid will play with us, or sit in our laps and be petted, or just let us watch him, and we feel better. Or if we start feeling too self-important, like beginning to think we run this place, he can take care of that too.

I have known a lot of part and pure Siamese in my life. All are capable, when they deem it necessary, of putting out a yowl that will sandpaper the ceiling. None of them go around yowling indiscriminately. Sid maintains complete dignified silence most of the time. He does not have to speak to make his wishes known. He will occasionally voice a muted 'wrrp' or 'now', or other high-toned cat comment. The only time I have heard him voice the true Siamese yowl was when a passing dog attempted to come through the window, and he informed the little beast of what he was going to do to each individual part of him if he tried.

Things Sid does to liven things up:

He tries to eat every dog that goes by. Ever since he was small enough to be held in the palm of a large hand he has attempted to eat every dog who comes in sight, no matter the size. Or he melts backward in Tim's arms until the whole office stops to just watch in dumb amazement that his back doesn't crack. (Have you noticed that both cats and small children can totally relax in positions that would cripple most of us?)

And he walks across the keyboard when you're typing.