This is Winky. She passed away this past weekend after almost 17 years. Though most people don't know her, she is the reason this subreddit exists, and was the subject of the first post in r/PirateKitties .

Winky came us in the summer of 2009, having been rescued off the streets by a friend. As a kitten, Winky had an eye infection which required removal, so our friend told the vet, "Do what you need to, just make her look beautiful." He most certainly succeeded.

Winky was smart and energetic. She loved chasing after feather wands, and would play fetch with silicone bracelets. Her favorite toy was a pink stuffed satin heart, and she would dig it out of the bottom of the toy basket to bring it to humans as a token of her affection. She was the best supervisor, and made sure I did my best on many home improvement projects.

As she grew older, she delegated her daily chores to her adopted siblings. She delighted in boxes, but ultimately Winky found enlightenment in a puddle-like zen state she could perform anywhere. Afterwards, shared her discovery in countless purring lap-sessions of melted bliss.

She was an indoor cat, but loved the sunshine. She also liked spaghetti sauce, and would have drunken her body weight in tuna juice if given the opportunity. She went by many names, including Winkers, Winkilobinkums, Puddle Cat, and around Halloween was known as the Witten.

Because of Winky I discovered that pirate kitties were a thing, so I founded this subreddit. In the just 8 years the sub has grown to a community of 81,000 subscribers and we've been introduced to pirate kitties around the globe. Winky was the first, though, and worked quietly behind the scenes to keep a watchful eye over the sub through the years.

Winky taught me that all cats are beautiful, even if they're different from the norm. They thrive on our love, so give your pirates a hug today, along with a few extra treats in honor of Winky, the OG pirate kitty.

img