WSB contributing reporter Keri DeTore asked us the seemingly harmless question: “What do you think about featuring some of West Seattle’s ‘shop cats’?” We almost fell all over ourselves yelling YES! Here’s Keri’s introduction, followed by the first profile:
Keeping the books warm and the mice away; drinking from fountains, greeting customers and saving other cat lives by being blood donors. West Seattle has a number of businesses featuring these furry co-workers who help with rodent control and even have their own fan clubs. We’ll be sharing the stories of these feline friends from time to time.
By Keri DeTore
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
West Seattle Nursery’s shop cat is Seth: “Everything’s for sale but the cat.”
![](https://westseattleblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/sethlead.jpg)
(photo courtesy West Seattle Nursery)
As he lounges in his nest at the West Seattle Nursery counter, you’d be forgiven for questioning the “feisty” description many of the folks who work with Seth have given him; but reach out a hand and look what happens — you might be delicately hooked by a slender claw and brought closer for inspection:
![](https://westseattleblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/sethingrid.jpg)
He’s probably just making sure there’s enough dirt under your fingernails.
As many cat owners know, we don’t choose cats, they choose us—which is exactly what happened seven years ago at the Nursery. General Manager Marcia Bruno recalls the day she was out pricing cat statuary, only to find a skinny kitten curled up among them in the sun. She liked the irony of a real cat among the sculptures and took a photo. The kitten stayed. After three days, Nursery employees posted flyers in the neighborhood and took the cat to the vet to try to identify him. With no response to their flyers, employees asked owner Mark Smith if they could keep him. The kitten immediately began earning his keep by being a good mouser; since his arrival, mice no longer forage in the rootstock in the back room.
Seth got his name from a former Nursery staffer who wanted an Egyptian-sounding name to reflect the Abyssinian-looking markings in his fur. “Set” was an Egyptian god said to rule storms, darkness and chaos—sort of like our weather. And so, “Seth” came to rule his domain at West Seattle Nursery.
![](https://westseattleblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/sethbasket.jpg)
Staffer Ingrid Nokes is known as Seth’s “Momma.” She feeds and waters him, and when she’s gone on vacation he looks for her, walking around and mewing. She says: “He’s our little boy. It’s so nice to have someone waiting for you when come in and open the door in the morning.”
Seth has his own schedule and duties: meet morning staffer at door, go out. Monitor grounds until noonish, return for afternoon nap—all afternoon.
![](https://westseattleblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/sethsleeping.jpg)
Wake up, pull off some pricing labels with teeth and drop them on the floor. Back outside to assist with projects, pose elegantly next to statuary, then return for the night at closing time. (This last bit gets confusing when seasonal closing times change.)
Seth also has his fan club who come by for regular visits—especially the Growing Gardeners kids club who read stories about Seth written by staffer Linda Hornberg in their newsletter. Like the story about the time Seth opened a twist-off lidded jar to get to the doggie treats inside. Linda says: “If you have an animal, people love coming to see them—the kids love him.”
And when customers ask whether a particular display or potted plant is available the staffers all respond: “Everything’s for sale but the cat.”
Next West Seattle Shop Cat coming up later this week. Yes, we’ll get around to West Seattle Shop Dogs too. Want to make sure we know about your shop mascot? E-mail us – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!
| 39 COMMENTS