I’d called him this a couple times while petting him earlier, and was sitting here watching tv and it hit me, so I walked to his bedroom door, with Lily and Rosie next to me looking in, and said “Come here, Boss. Here, kitty kitty.” And this is what happened:
Say hello to Boss. It was meant to be.
gbear
Glad to hear it wasn’t ‘Kitty Kitty’.
Kitty, by the way, was my grandmother’s name. In contrast, my boss is an asshole. Hope your Boss works out better.
Just Some Fuckhead
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
NotMax
Silver lining of sorts: Blog infection was the impetus to finally spend a little time finishing leveling my pandaren monk up to 90.
So, thanks.
re: cat creature – looks like a Philo to me.
Desert Rat
Good name.
Redshirt
I’m calling him “Hoss” for now.
Kay (not the front-pager)
Perfect!
Manyakitty
Outstanding. May his fur fill your vacuum for many years to come.
Princess Leia
Soon to be Boss Hogg!!!!
lamh36
Cute name.
First thing to come to mind when I heard it: Bossy
NotMax
@Princess Leia
Or Boss Tweed.
Jennifer
Boss Catwright.
Princess Leia
@NotMax: Perfect!
asiangrrlMN
Might as well call him what he is, but he’ll always be Sir Sylvester Whiskerton III to me. Welcome home, sweetie!
Violet
Love it! We already knew who was Boss. Might as well make it official.
Violet
Guessing he’ll be a Springsteen fan, then?
The Dangerman
From Bugger to Boss; usually it goes the other direction.
erlking
Mazel tof. The two of you, you should be happy together.
AliceBlue
All hail Boss! Welcome!
Roger Moore
He doesn’t think “Boss” is his name; all cats think “Boss” is their title.
Violet
Does he seem to like his new home? How are the doggies adapting?
amk
How do you know that he didn’t respond to Here, kitty kitty ? You blew it.
Trentrunner
Life goes on. :)
Jean
Oh, he’s handsome! I missed all the cat news because of “malware” warnings and am now catching up. “Boss” is perfect. Do Rosie and Lily know that’s a name and not a title?
catclub
“his bedroom door,”
Bossy Boy would soon appear in the lexicon at my house. Also variants: Bossypants.
SIA
@Jennifer: purrfect
Jennifer
@amk: All pets have multiple names, don’t they? My kitty’s given name is Eartha Kitty; she also answers to Scootie, Scoots, Scoots Toots, Tootie, Kittywumps, Keywumps, Sweetie, Kitty, and a few more I’m not thinking of at the moment.
catclub
Of course, I think it was the Unix fortunes that point out that a boss is an ornamental knob.
CaseyL
Bosscat.
He does have the slightly-scowling look of a Boss. It might just be the angle of the photograph, but my kitty Jeannie has the same built-in srs-bzness expression.
It will be fun when you go running around the neighborhood calling for him.
catclub
@Jennifer: yes.
Jebediah
As it should be… I look forward to seeing what other nicknames he ends up earning himself.
Steve V
I love the name!
catclub
@Jennifer: Upset stomach: Tossy Bossy
MomSense
Like a Boss!
Those paws are fabulous! Wooo Hooo!
Redshirt
Names are weird, like now. Surely, Boss is not his real name. Nor was it Bagger or Bugger either. We don’t know what it is, but we pretend we can name things.
Is your name real? Ever had a nickname take precedence over your “real” name? Ever changed names?
Weird.
Bobby Thomson
@NotMax: Bears a certain resemblance.
Valdivia
perfect!
pat
Hey, weren’t you planning on going blog-less for a few days? And leaving us all in the lurch, checking every day to see if there was any news of you? And we were all so sorry for you in your Dutch oven of grief with your goggies, and then in less that a week here we are welcoming a new…
Boss of the Blog.
Much better.
boss bitch
I like the name. Remember that pic of Tunch when he was a year old? Can you take a pic like that of Boss? a full frontal pic?
Culture of Truth
Who’s the boss?
Yes
That’s what I’m asking – what’s the boss’ name?
Yes
Who?
The boss
Yes
That’s his name?
Yes
The boss?
Exactly
Eljai
He is his own feline to be sure. And yet, that expression. It has a certain tunchitude.
Ah, the circle of life.
Elie
You did good. May both of you find the connection we so yearn. He is a brown tabby so I feel very good that Boss will be great…
Culture of Truth
Boss rules this house.
or if he doesn’t, he soon will.
joel hanes
Going to get me a Boss cat
One gonna treat me right
Work hard in the daytime
Sure get stoned at night
Big Boss cat
Can’t you hear me when I call ?
forked tongue
Paid the cost to be the Boss.
Culture of Truth
“You know, just because you’re named ‘Boss’ doesn’t mean…
awwww.. screw it…”
Jay C
Congratulations, John: we all need a Boss we can look up to……
forked tongue
But given how much Cole got bossed around by a cat named Tunch, I look forward with a somewhat depraved interest to seeing how much he’ll become the bitch of a cat named Boss.
Kazanir
Good for you, John. :)
A Ghost To Most
I think we have a case where your name for him is the same as his name for him.
Michele C.
@Bobby Thomson: indeed!
JWL
Weird. Honest to God, seconds prior to surfing once again into Balloon Juice, I clicked onto a recording of E Street’s Pink Cadillac. I’m listening to it now, as I type.
Weird, huh?
khead
All cats should be named Boss because, well, they are the boss.
forked tongue
Such is the state of meritocracy in America. A completely unknown, unproven cat moves in and is immediately awarded the perks of a Boss.
Scotty
Boss already? Why are you always subordinate to your cats?
MacKenna
Aw, he’s a sweet kitty kat… How about Baby for a middle name: Boss Baby Cole.
Sparky
Boss, huh?
Culture of Truth
Speaking of boss, it’s 105 degress but Tiger wants the windows open, so… no AC.
I may die tonight because of this formerly stray homeless kitten.
Suzanne
Huzzah!
I like the name.
My mom named her cat similarly. She couldn’t think of a name, so a few hours after bringing kitty home, she said (in her best Hannibal Lecter voice), “Hello, Clarice”. We instantly recognized that Clarice was The Name. Of course, now she’s also Reese, Reese-A-Roni, Sassypants, and many others.
Emerald
Can’t wait to learn how he bosses the doggies around.
Because he’s a Maine Coon cat. He will.
trollhattan
Needed to be one syllable. “Boss” works. Come to think of it, Boss lounges, big pink thing works.
Perfect.
And, congrats!
ranchandsyrup
You’ve been embossed.
Leslie
Hey there, Boss; you are a fine-lookin’ feline. My best-beloved kitty Chaucer, who left me last December, was a tabby, and it’s my personal prejudiced opinion that they are a special kind of cat. You look like you have a little of his attitude.
Leslie
Oh, also, I don’t know if there’s some way we’re supposed to report these things, but there are a couple of broken images on earlier posts — the one of Tunch on the Insane MARC update thread, and the one of Sasha climbing the cat tree.
condorcet runner up
awesome!
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
Bosskitteh!!
eemom
[feeble lawyer joke about generic trademarks]
Face
So you have a boss all day at work, and now have a “Boss” at home, too? And you’re not even married?
MaryJane
Hello there Boss! You are a handsome and lucky fella.
Pika
Beautiful: cat, act, man.
maya
And when Lily and Rosie do something they should do they can now blame it on the Boss-a-nova.
Punchy
Can we get a British Open thread?
MaryJane
@maya:
Lol
master c
so glad for you John.
Johannes
Congrats and many happy years of being bossed around!
The prophet Nostradumbass
I still say you should have named him Kaepernick.
Karen in GA (who really needs a better name)
Gorgeous. And perfect name.
SIA
@JWL: I was listening to Asbury Park while working today. One of the best shows ever, Springsteen in a smallish auditorium in Kansas City MO, circa 1976-77 IIRC. YAY BOSS!
melissaD
I do like the nickname of BossyPants, he has, as a commenter noted, a Tunchitude look in that pix
Repsac3
Let us know when Boss has chosen his name for you. 8>)
Mike E
Heh. That was the name of our female cat back before Miss E came on the scene; Miller (a la Repo Man) was the other furball. Good’ern.
He has, I’m sure, already adopted the house name for you: Staff.
Redshirt
Sure thing, Boss.
Comin’ right up, Boss.
Repsac3
Now all that remains is to let us know when Boss has chosen his name for you.
kideni
Well, to cats we are merely the staff, so it’s only appropriate that you acknowledge his title.
angelfoot
@Leslie: Tabbies are the best. Good choice, Mr. Cole.
Gex
Perfect. Next one will be named King or Your Highness.
Jebediah
@Redshirt:
Pretty weird stuff, indeed. My bong and I must converse about it.
Jebediah
@A Ghost To Most:
Speaking of names… is your nym related to the DBT song?
Perfect Tommy
Congrats John
Also too – Someone should update the Tunch entry in the lexicon and such
Keith
I had a co-worker call a new employee that once a few weeks ago, and now the new guy keeps calling him ‘Boss” in every conversation. Drives me up a wall.
Jebediah
@eemom:
[polite chuckle]
lojasmo
I think his name is “kitty kitty”
lojasmo
There is a wonderful african fellow who calls all us charge nurses “boss”. It drives me nuts.
Redshirt
@Jebediah: Yeah, man. I mean, ya ever really look at your ears? Or at cat ears? Or think about ears, in general? Weird shit, man.
Steeplejack
Welcome to the “Big Boss Man”!
wasabi gasp
Boss Anova
Redshirt
@lojasmo: Me too, since I’m sure there’s been quite a few people at various times and places who said to him “Here, Kitty Kitty”. I bet most cats think their name is Here Kitty Kitty.
Beckya57
Perfect! So glad for you! I’m sure Tunch is watching from above….
Beckya57
@Jean: Whaddya mean that’s not a title???
Spaghetti Lee
Is he sweating it out on the streets of a runaway American dream?
Belafon (formerly anonevent)
@Redshirt: Walter John Williams wrote a book about that, our need to name things. The book was meh (beyond the awesome concept of have two simultaneous personas so one could be in the virtual world), but the idea that we have to name something to control it has stuck with me.
Jebediah
@Redshirt:
aw hell, now you’ve done it…. come here Juno…
YellowJournalism
First name “The,” right?
Mnemosyne
@Sparky:
I love Jack Benny.
Jack Benny was the kind of boss who insisted on hiring a black man to be on his radio show in the 19-freakin’-30s when radio executives were sure the Southern states would boycott the show if they knew there was a real live black man talking and not a white man pretending to be black. And he continued working with Eddie Anderson for the next 30 years.
That’s the kind of boss Benny was.
kc
Pics of Tunch in previous posts are not showing up. Something to do with the malware?
Wayne t
I was half expecting his name might be Malware.
To memorize his monumental arrival.
This is as exciting as the royal baby.
boss has arrived.
Genine
Congrats, John!
VodkaGoGo
Cute Kitty. A bit shaggier but he reminds me of my cat Dinzo who I lost last year.
Mary G
Congratulations to the four of you. Did he come right up to the foggiest or hang back a bit?
Wrye
Very glad to see this! And if anyone is confused about why you went and got him so soon, just refer to Boss as a “therapy cat” and that should shut them up.
TaMara (BHF)
Baby we were born to run. Welcome Boss. Congrats John. And Tunchitude needs to be an official BJ word from this point forward. I suggest we agree we cannot cast a vote for any candidate unless he or she possesses the appropriate Tunchitude.
Redshirt
@Wayne t: Hmm, now that you mention it, the Malware attack can be seen as some Karmic Lightning, and Thunder.
NanerSalad
You the Boss, and so it begins. Had a polydactyl named Lover and he was my manager for 20 years.
Mararama
Welcome, Boss Cat. May you live long and boss all you survey!
mai naem
His paws are the cat equivalent of Wembley’s. Good lord. Huuuge!
Gustopher
That’s a good looking cat. Good name too, clearly named after Springsteen. I was just listening to “We Take Care Of Our Own” a little earlier.
Steeplejack
@Valdivia:
Saw your message the other night. I think I read The Girl by the Lake (Karin Fossum?), but I haven’t seen the movie. I had it on the DVR for a while, but I didn’t get around to it before it got bumped for other stuff. I’ll look for it again.
p.a.
Well done. Welcome Boss. Best wishes to John and the Cole-ettes.
Violet
@kc: Yes, see this post: https://balloon-juice.com/2013/07/17/and-were-back-2/
Steeplejack
@Leslie:
There was a note earlier that they lost some images in the effort to fix the malware problem. I hope they can get them back.
Alison
Yay blog is finally back for me!! Also HI NEW KITTY, you are super cute :) :)
rudderpedals
Look at the jowls on the boss. Good looking kitteh. I bet he’s a drooler. ++congrats
Quicksand
Boss Tonstrong
What?
dance around in your bones
Well, he sure looks bossy – right up your alley John Cole.
I have a feeling you two are going to be very happy together. Congratulations on your new cat! I’m sure the doggies will adjust fine.
kc
@Violet:
Ah, thanks. I missed the bit about the images. Shoot.
We need one more Tunch post then, with lots of pics.
SectionH
YESYESYES! I know none of you cynical fuckers will believe me, but srsly I thought of Springsteen as his name this afternoon. Do not ask why, but I did.
His real names will be revealed to John in time, and,possibly not shared, but that’s cool.
Go Boss!
Now I’ll back,and read comments. (I Always read comments before I post, which is why I don’t post that much.)
Gemina13
Oh, what a handsome boy. :) Good for you, John. I hope you two have a long and enduring friendship.
MikeInSewickley
That is a good looking cat. And from your other posting – I love all animals but a cat provides a special mix of independence and devotion that only semi-domesticated animals can provide. They need you but on their terms.
Best of luck to a new start. Tunch approves I’m sure.
Villago Delenda Est
And, John, never forget…
He IS the boss of you.
Cookie Monster
Random trivia from the mists of time and half a world away…
Boss Cat was the name “Top Cat” (the Hanna-Barbera cartoon) was known by from the mid-60s thru the mid-80s in the UK, because “Top Cat” was a brand of cat food, and the BBC — who showed the cartoon at that time — had (and probably still has — I’ve not lived there for a while) a ban on advertising/endorsing products.
The theme and dialog remained the same, but it did have a rather crudely substituted title card, and the TV listings referred to the alternate moniker. Even as a kid, I was all “wtf…?”
–CM
Pogonip
@Redshirt: You’ve been into the Boss’s nip again, haven’t you?
Rosalita
Rosalita thinks the Boss name is rockin’
p
purrfect
whenever you think “who’s the boss?”, you’ll know it’s not you.
of course tunch sent him to you.
a paw in your face reaching through time and space, fat man.
skyweaver
Welcome, Boss! John, you’ve got a big ol’ heart. And yeah, Tunch sent him. I can’t wait to read more Boss stories. What do the girls think?
wormtown
Haven’t had time to read the whole thread, so maybe some one else mentioned this…..that is pretty close to how we used to call the cows at the end of the day to get them back to the barn: Come-buss; come-buss. Well, that’s how we did it in Western Mass, anyway….
ET
“met the new Boss, same as the old boss”
TAGinMO
@forked tongue: @wormtown: Wow. Just had a flashback to my childhood with that one. “Come-boss” was our standard cattle call, too.
schrodinger's cat
The original boss cataka Yogi approves.
tejanarusa
Mostly visit here and lurk, but the news about Tunch was so stunning, I’ve been coming back to see how John was doing. So pleased that the new Boss is helping him heal.
Naming is hard. when I found myself with five newborn kittens I just ran out of names, and called one lovely girl “Miss Orange” for the duration of her life. She seemed not to mind.
Her little sister, who is equally orange, but whose name was obviously “Squeaky,” is here on the window seat a few feet away.
Bless you John (and I mean that in the most non-denominational, non-specific religious sense possible), and Tunch for helping you find your new Boss.
RSA
Welcome to the BJ community, Boss.
Our Maine Coon mix looks a lot like Boss. Lessons we learned about the breed (though I may be over-generalizing):
They are large and affectionate.
They can be loud and demanding.
They can climb. I’ve seen our cat climb ten or twelve feet up a tree, chasing a squirrel.
They are not fast enough to catch squirrels.
They are fast enough to catch lizards, voles, bats, and birds.
They like to share their catches with us, often alive.
Mnemosyne
@RSA:
When your cat presents you with live prey, they’re trying to teach you how to hunt, because you obviously can’t take care of yourself, what with eating all of that food out of cans and boxes.
virginia
Boss reminds me of the heart-stopping, jaw-dropping, ball-busting Sawyer from “Lost.” Same far away Hoss/Boss stare. Good for you, John Cole.
Not to throw a bummer note into the mix, but I lost my most beloved dog many many decades ago to an automobile. And was never able to again commit to another pet fully because the heartbreak devastated me. I still cringe, wince, and shrink into myself when I think about what happened.
I applaud you for forging ahead and honoring your beloved by loving again and anew. Very good looking individual and a big hug from me. I was late to the news and so felt your pain. Makes me happy, given another horrid week in USA news, to see this take place.
Ms. D. Ranged in AZ
Wonderful! I used to have a cat that had similar markings around the eyes (named Freddy). Welcome to the newest member of the Cole household.
SamInMpls
http://www.freeimagehosting.net/newuploads/b18zz.gif