So, this is a little disturbing.

[radhardened]

I'm a longtime reader and fan of PostSecret, a site that every Sunday publishes anonymous secrets mailed in on homemade postcards. I just got around to reading the batch posted this past Sunday, and I was surprised to see that someone had made a postcard using a photograph I or my then-partner—I don't remember which—had taken of Tornado Kitty staring down a General Patton action figure around eight years ago. The fact that someone used this photo I'd posted online isn't what bothers me. What bothers me is the abhorrent secret they superimposed over the photo of my beloved cat, who died four months ago of natural causes.

I'm not especially interested in those kinds of revelations being censored. But I do wonder about the motivation of that contributor in revealing his or her wrongdoing, and about how I can honor Tornado Kitty's memory in the face of that offense.

Comments

[puzzlement]

That secret is disgusting and I'm really sorry Tornado Kitty's photo got used for it.

A potential thought about honouring your Kitty that's probably already occurred to you: giving money to a shelter or similar. Especially if there's anywhere that allows "virtual" adoption, that is, directing money at a particular cat (I know there are places that do this for dogs and horses). You could then choose one that resembles Tornado Kitty in a way that speaks to you, or which has suffered abuse of some kind like the cat in the secret.

[radhardened]

That had occurred to me, but I appreciate your encouraging it, and I hadn't known about "virtual" adoption before. Sometimes a monetary donation feels like an abstract way to help, but I can't deny that it would have a concrete impact. I think I'll donate to the cat-care organization through which I adopted Tornado Kitty (and my two new cats).