A special memorial was held on Sunday in Montreal’s Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (NDG) neighborhood to honor a beloved local cat, Humbert, who passed away in January after being hit by a car.
Known also as the “Bodega Cat,” Humbert moved to the area in 2013 after being adopted by John Jordan from the SPCA. The two-year-old stray quickly became a cherished part of the community. Sunday marked the 12th anniversary of Humbert’s adoption.
To celebrate, a cappella group performed a cat-themed repertoire, drawing a crowd of residents who gathered to remember Humbert and share stories. Jordan, who referred to himself as Humbert’s “roommate,” recalled how the cat quickly became a neighborhood favorite. “He was super affectionate with everyone and really got into people’s hearts,” Jordan said. “He was just a man of the people… friendly, outgoing, social, and an ambassador of feline friendship.”
Humbert, a tiger tabby, became particularly well-known for his frequent visits to a dépanneur (convenience store) located beneath an apartment building on the corner of Harvard Avenue and Sherbrooke Street West. Michelle Jetté, a neighborhood resident, recalled Humbert waiting by the door for someone to open it for him. “He’d be in and out of the dep and wait for you to actually open it for him,” she said.
“Humbert was like the chillest cat,” Jetté continued. “He was so unbothered by life. I wish I could live my life like that cat.”
Humbert’s fame reached new heights in 2015 when he “ran” for MP in the federal election as part of a joke campaign, though he was not officially on the ballot. The cat’s legacy even includes an outdoor art gallery dedicated to him, located near the dépanneur.
Jenny Jonasson, another resident, fondly remembered how Humbert seemed to own the neighborhood. “He acted like he owned the place,” she said. “I think he actually did own this whole block. He was NDG.”
While it’s impossible to know exactly how many lives Humbert touched, it’s clear that his memory will live on in the hearts of those who knew him.
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