Berkeley, and Panda.
I decided during the Covidopalypse that I must find a new pair of kittens. After some research and tips from friends, I met a marvelous foster-kitten-fosterer who was herself pregnant with a hooman baby. She had two bonded pairs of catboys – a stripey tiger and a sleek noir panther, plus a rambunctious somersaulting holstein-kitten and a subtle grey silvery feline of mystery. Instantly I loved them all, of course, as one does. Sat myself down in their kitty-rumpus-room right on the floor to get amongst them, on their level. The tiny panther, just six weeks old or so, saunters over, climbs onto my outstretched legs and.. falls asleep. I had been chosen, clearly, and I was about to ask – which of the others is in this bonded pair? The tiger answered by investigating and scrutinizing me, as his brother snoozed utterly unconcerned and blissful in the way kittens do. Promptly I committed and signed adoption papers (these do exist for kittens). The lads were too young to take home yet, and they hadn’t been neutered yet, and I had travel plans, so off I went and four weeks later, gleefully collected the now larger and more bouncy felines.
Playful doesn’t begin to describe the ball of energy that is a happy young kitten or puppy. One is reminded of this when confronted by such a whirlwind of enthusiasm and curtain-climbing. The lads roughhouse roughly in the house, occasionally to the point where we think they’re fighting – only to stop abruptly and groom each other and themselves ever so gracefully, and spontaneously nap intertwined in that kittenly way.
They needed names. I as their hooman needed to name them, for their vet records and kitty-chips, as one does. I didn’t think long. Berkeley, and Panda. The tiger is Berkeley, the panther is Panda. Berkeley being my hometown and Berkeley Cat Records being my record label, naturally the tiger is Berkeley. Panda, this also came to me quickly, as I work for Pandora Radio and SiriusXM, and my esteemed Pandora music-head colleagues refer to themselves and each other as Pandas. This nickname had been established well before I started at Pandora as a contractor in 2017, and when I was eventually hired full-time, I embraced my Panda-ness and of course, named Berkeley tiger’s panther-brother, Panda. He’s also just sort of a panda. I mean, he’s ridiculously cute and playful and cuddly as one hopes a kitten or a panda would be.
So it came to pass, Berkeley and Panda are the executive leadership team of Berkeley Cat Records. Here’s an earlier photo of them in discussions about creative direction:
Note the antiquated 1980s stereo gear. We at Berkeley Cat Records kick it old school. There’s even a song in which we claim 1983 as our permanent residence. Cameo appearances here by Berkeley Cat himself and yours truly:
