Aaron Landry

(Post originally from Minnesota Meow)

Names: Nico (L) and June (R)
Nicknames: Nico: Nicipoo, NicNic, Bratsky; June: JuneJune, Junnipurr, Bugger, June Shady
Born: Nico: July 30th, 2002, June: July 14th, 1999
Lives in: Columbia Park, Minneapolis
Lives with: Steve and Robin Marty

June was purchased with her brother Henry at a now defunct pet store in Uptown, Minneapolis on Halloween, 1999. When purchasing black cats on Halloween, you are apparently asked to sign a waiver to state you are not buying animals to sacrifice. Henry was not sacrificed but instead given away a few months later as a therapy cat to a client of a social worker friend. Nico was forced upon Steve and Robin three years later on Valentine’s Day from a landlord trying to get rid of her because a tenant was allergic and couldn’t keep her. Robin says, “all cats should come your way via the holidays.”

June is the dominant cat and likes to hiss when she’s unhappy. Hisses will be directed at everyone, including those who feed her or those she is sleeping with if you move around too much. She also may hiss in her sleep, although she is much more likely to snore. She also tries to climb Robin’s back to eat her hair when it’s wet from the shower.

Nico prefers to clean June, run into rooms and howl until you call for her, or bring things to you when she is lonely — most often socks. Nico also has the ability to “rattletail” when excited; shaking the base of her tail while pawing at the ground with her back two legs. She is also is known as “cuppy,” short for “cat-puppy” because of her ability to fetch and the fact that she barks in the morning when she’s trying to sleep with you. She has a weird little cat bark instead of a meow.

Nico also chews plastic bags — can’t get enough of them. She’ll sneak around looking for plastic to chew on. But they both hate cat toys. They have no toys.

Both cats will jump in your lap if you whistle “Pop Goes the Weasel,” but they really only do that when they feel like it.

Steve and Robin are expecting their first child any day. Steve works as an IP Legal Assistant for Carlson Companies, and Robin works at home recruiting for news sites run by the Center for Independent Media, including the local site Minnesota Monitor. Together they run The Power Liberal, as well as host Drinking Liberally, Minneapolis.