Longing For Nairobi: Longing For Nairobi

Nairobi "Na-Na" Bossert

April 2007- February 24, 2013

The worst part about losing someone is that you're going to miss them...because you have to exist without them, and they've been occupying this space with you, and now there's a void in that space.

Nairobi Bossert was killed on Sunday evening around 7:40pm by a hit and run driver on Folly Beach, SC where he resided for nearly two years with his family who relocated to Charleston due to a job transfer. Nairobi was survived by Seth and Ife Bossert (Homo sapien companions), Winnow Bossert (fellow feline), and Harvey Bossert (canine companion).

Folly Beach is a very cat and dog friendly community where many cats are inside/outside cats. Most caretakers of cats on the beach find it difficult to deprive their cats of the right to enjoy the tropical environment of Folly Beach. However, the tropical environment is also attractive to tourists and the young party crowd who are unaware of the animal sanctuary that our small island community is.

Having lived in Georgia (where he was born in Decatur City), New York, Maine, North Carolina and then South Carolina, Nairobi was a well traveled, and experienced cat; he often accompanied us on walks with our dog, Harvey, and was great about avoiding traffic. Although, I cannot prove who was at fault, I find it difficult to believe that he was the cause of the accident (due to the tire marks that I noticed on the grass near the house where his body was found). The new neighbors who moved into the vacation rental have about 3 to 4 cars parked on the lawn, and I think they might not have realized that he was in the grass. They have the right to park how they want on their property, but I didn't realize they had even moved over there until it happened. I think they moved in the night it took place, and they have a lot of people living over there and therefore a great deal of traffic. I actually expected our other cat, Winnow, to be hit because a few days before Nairobi died, Winnow kept running into the street during our walks with the dog. On that Saturday before Nairobi was killed, Winnow ran directly in front of a Folly Beach PD vehicle, and frightened both myself and the officer. I began to consider confining him to the studio apartment that we reside in, but I thought it wouldn't be fair to him because I didn't plan to do that to Nairobi. I was confident that he would never run into the street. I had never witnessed him do that before, but that doesn't mean that he never did when I wasn't looking. I can't prove what exactly happened or who was at fault, but it doesn't matter because he's already gone. I'm just trying to handle my grief, and I'm feeling a bit guilty because I should have protected him better. However, when you have an inside/outside cat, it's always a risk when you open the front door to let them out.

My Husband, Seth, and me (Ife), getting ready to go boogie boarding on our porch that Narobi loved. The house behind
us belongs to our cat friendly landlady, her home has catdoors installed...Nairobi would go into her home via the catdoors and eat her cats' food! He was very greedy.

Na Na on the porch after a long night

Nairobi sleeping in the window...he loved the outside, but he loved to come in and crash after being out all night

Harvey and Nairobi were best friends. Seth likes to say that Harvey thought Na Na was his son; when he was a baby and Seth found him at the body shop he worked at, he called me right away to come and pick him up. So, I drove from home one minute to his job and picked Na Na up. I put him on the porch, and crushed up some of Winnow's cat food (to his dismay), and I put it in front of Nairobi, and he immediately began to eat, growling ferociously at anyone who came near him. Harvey was consumed with excitement, and as soon as he had the opportunity, he picked Na Na up by the scruff of his neck and put him inside the house. Even though the porch was screened in, Harvey did not want Na Na outside of the house.

Winnow and Nairobi (a recent shot) used to be very close when Nairobi was a baby and was more

submissive. However, Na Na had become the dominant/alpha male (he always was really) in the

recent years, and Winnow had never properly adjusted to it. In this picture, Winnow is not too thrilled that Na Na

is on the bed. I just wanted a snapshot of them together again.

Nairobi was the baby, we called him "dachi small Na Na" (that's our small Na Na)
Winnow is about a year or two older than he is, and although they weren't as close as they
started out, I think he misses him a little

Nairobi had a lot of favorite resting spots. I liked to snap photos of him taking his cat knaps...he often would be curled up in a cute, but weird position.

Most of the time, I drove him crazy with my antics. I tied my scarf around his neck because I thought he would look good with an ascot.

He was very tolerant. He would never scratch you or bite you...he would just let you torture him with your love, but you'd have to let him out as soon as you were finished. The funny thing is that the neighbors didn't see him as anti social, they would tell me how he'd come to visit them, and hang out at their apartments.

FOOD NAIROBI LOVED

Nairobi eating blueberry pie to my husband's surprise! He also enjoyed Smartfood, white cheddar popcorn.

Note the empty food bowl- I left the open bag, and when I came back, this is what I saw...I had to grab my camera! He loved his Kit & Kaboodle.

He Also loved walks on the beach, I feel bad because he missed the last walk we took Harvey on to the beach. Winnow didn't miss it, though, but I remember the look of betrayal that he had on his face when we came home smelling of the beach. Unfortunately, he chose to stay inside and eat when he saw us leaving.