Freddie Mercury was not only the incredible lead singer and music sensation of the world renowned band “Queen,” but Freddie was also a full time dad.. just not to children.. to cats!! Freddie’s fur children included: Tom and Jerry (given to him by his lifetime friend, “common law wife,“ as he liked to call her and one time lover Mary Austin), Lily, Miko, Oscar, Dorothy, Romeo and Goliath (Goliath was apparently named for his physical stature). There was also “Tiffany” (the only purebred in the group) and “Delilah”.. Freddie’s favorite! (She was a temperamental moody number). Freddie had 10 kitties in All. Most of this brood was picked up from shelters and rescue groups like the Blue Cross (a U.K. Animal Welfare Charity), and only “Tiffany” (who was also given to him by Mary Austin), was a long-haired blue point purebred. The rest were mutts! So this was the “other side” of Freddie, the star.. the music sensation. Freddie was the Original Cat Daddy!! His kitties were his spoiled babies. And he was not only ahead of his time with his music, but also his tremendous devotion to cats as “pets”. Interesting to note, that “pets” have grown into a 75 Billion dollar industry since Freddie fell in love with his first furry child. Each of Freddie’s former little orphans was spoiled, spoiled, spoiled as perhaps only Freddie knew how to do in grand style. Each kitty had their own Christmas stocking filled with little kitty treats, toys and other edibles during the holiday season. The fur kids each had their own bedroom, not that any stayed put in them. Each was “Daddy’s baby” as Mercury would literally call his kitty children from the road frequently. The humans (whether it was Mary, or whoever the cat sitter of the household would be during said trip) would put each kitty on the phone. They were given a tiny squeeze so Freddie could hear the little “meow” and “keep in touch.” He was so enamored with his “fur-baby collection,” that he even included tributes to them in his music. The first time I heard the song “Delilah,” I was taken aback because I thought it was about a woman .. “You make me so very happy when you cuddle up and go to sleep beside me and then you make me slightly mad when you .. try to pick up my phone and .. ‘pee’ all over my Chippendale suite!” What?! “Pee”.. I realized how “off course” I was.. He was not talking about a woman but his adored kitty!!
(I’ve included the words to his tribute song about his favorite “cat baby” Delilah in this story!!) “Delilah”was written and performed by Freddie on his last album with Queen in 1991. Especially when the song ends with multiple “Meows”!! You realize that the woman he is singing about is wearing a fur coat! Her own! Yes, Freddie was ahead of his time in every sense, musical and driven. He took piano lessons at 7 and by 8 he was studying at “St. Peters” (a British style school) in Panchgani, near Mumbai, India! By 12, he had started a band called “The Hectics,” imitating Little Richard one of his favorite musicians. “Last known Portrait of Freddie Mercury.” Freddie is wearing a favorite colorful vest displaying his beloved cats. This waistcoat was a present from a friend who had the gift hand painted to order. Photo by Richard Gray (the band’s art director), who shot the photo during the filming of “These are the Days of Our Lives,” in 1991, their final video.
61
Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease