Tabs

Tabs wasn’t simply content being a seafood lover. He loved fish so much that he wanted to know everything about it. He wanted to know everything there was to know about fish because he loved it so much.

In fact, among his many careers, he was a sushi chef, a professional bass fisherman and bass fishing lure designer, a marine biologist, and he also starred, of course, in the hit Hollywood superhero movie Aquacat.

While studying for his dual degrees in fashion design and marine biology at the University of Novato, Tabs developed the world’s first SCUBCC (self-contained underwater breathing cat collar), but it hasn’t seen the light of day (yet) because there was some drama with the estate of Jacques Cousteau…

Hopefully we get it worked out one of these days because it’ll revolutionize undersea kitty exploration as we know it. 😊

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

You know how the notion of balance is big these days? Balance at work, balance at home, work-life balance, balancing life, love, career? Well, Tabs was big into balance way before it was en vogue.

In fact, one of his first jobs was working in the Marin County Circus. It was there he learned to tune out distractions, focus his chi, and achieve the perfect poise and balance that propelled him to the top of the kitty modeling world.

He only left because he wanted more from life than the circus could offer… Mostly he wanted to wear better clothes and have a bigger closet.

So, one day he just packed up and left…

I’m glad he did, because the time he spent traveling and seeing the world shaped him into the great cat he was.
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It’s official; we’re in the dog days of summer, which reminds me… Tabs was always down with the canines, even though it wasn’t always kosher within the feline community.

A lot of people didn’t know this, but Tabs had a secret canine BFF. His name was Chorizo, and they lost touch when Tabs moved to France to attend Le Cordon Bleu culinary academy.

Tabs also invested in several canine companies and held a majority ownership stake in KONG, makers of the classic dog toy.

Also, to unwind after a rigorous day of kitty modeling, sometimes Tabs would have me drive him to a local dog park, where he would play fetch, share fashion tips and discuss the news of the day.
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A lot of people don’t know that Tabs was considered a ballet prodigy, among his many other extraordinary skills and accomplishments, and rose to stardom despite not starting ballet until the age of 3.

But two years later, he won the Novato Music Center Spotlight Award as the best dancer in Novato, California. Shortly thereafter, he became the first American Shorthair to be promoted to principal dancer in the Novato Ballet Theater’s 12-year history.

As if that weren’t impressive enough, he also served as Head Pastry Chef at Le Chat, Novato’s premier eatery for cats, and was named The World’s Best Catnip Pastry Chef in 2015.

On top of all that, between kitty modeling stints and his years as a chef and professional feline football player, he was also an award-winning feline fisherman.

Sure, most people know about his kitty modeling feats, but Tabs was so much more than that. It’s truly amazing just how remarkable he was at so many different things. ❤️😊

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any hotter… HA HA!

Tabs always knew how to heat things up on set, whether it be with a smoldering look, a cheeky turn of his bum, or a playful paw placement. His summer kitty modeling campaigns were some of his favorites, and during the peak of his career, we were traveling. A lot. Tuscany one week and NYC the next.

It was some of the most challenging and satisfying work of my pet assisting career.

I miss the private jet, especially…

Here’s a few more of the most iconic summer modeling campaigns from Tabs.

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