Finn, forever | Neighbors remember a one-of-a-kind cat

Whenever the Prendergast family sat down to watch a movie, play a game of Scrabble, or tackle a jigsaw puzzle, they made room for Finn. This might not sound so unusual except for one thing: Finn was a cat.

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Finn’s endearing, human-like interests, and off-the-scale cuteness factor which he expertly used to charm everyone he came in contact with, made this orange Tabbby something of a legend not just in the Prendergast home but in many homes up and down Lakeview Avenue. Finn’s regular but unscheduled appearances at back doors and kitchen windowsills during his daily neighborhood walkabouts built him a dedicated fan base, making him a rare feline celebrity in this town where dogs rule. 

Neighbors Marco and Rosemary Scanu, then just days away from adopting their Golden Retriever, named Annie, remember Finn as an impromptu visitor who stopped in to play in Annie’s empty crate, scale the boughs of the Christmas tree in their living room, pose for a photo and then play with their young daughter, Brooke.

Others were smitten, too. “I think the whole neighborhood loved seeing him stroll up to say hi” said Connie McComb, whose backyard is separated from the Prendergasts by a leafy alley called Poplar Way. Connie found herself opening her door to Finn and giving him the run of the house. She remembers Finn making a beeline to the lap of her husband Mark, who was not the biggest cat person, and then enjoying the show as Mark’s defenses melted. On another occasion Connie snapped a photo of Finn plopped down on her sofa watching a movie with her family. Said Connie; “He was one in a million.”

Finn’s story began five years ago at the Pleasanton Humane Society when the Prendergasts’ daughter Charlotte chose him because of his irresistible “little baby face” and orange coloring that reminded her of Finn’s late predecessor, Max. 

Once home Charlotte noticed that Finn was more than just a typically aloof cat. In fact, he was exquisitely tuned into people’s moods. “He was kind of more like a dog. He had an effortless ability to make others feel comfortable, and he had no problem making himself comfortable with strangers.”  Finn had a deep love of people, Charlotte said, and he also loved to be loved by people. Resistance to his charms was futile.

When Charlotte went off to college, she remembers “Finn and my mom became best buddies. My mom would send me photos of the two of them having brunch outside or watching a movie. Truth be told, my Dad would get a little jealous sometimes about how much time my mom spent with Finn!”  But dad Pat soon fell for Finn, too.  

Finn’s story came to an unfortunate end when walking on Mountain Avenue recently he was struck by a car in a hit and run. Finn’s passing triggered an outpouring of sympathy from the neighborhood where he loved to roam. Robert Bostick’s home on Mountain Avenue was one of Finn’s regular stops. “My heart is broken,” Robert said. “I loved him dearly. He’d come by for a neck scratch and to see that I was ok, and then he’d continue on. He didn’t come for food. He was some kind of spiritual being.”

Charlotte Prendergast said what she’ll always remember Finn is “he was the best source of comfort during the hardest times, bringing me ease when I needed it most. He brought so much joy into our lives that it feels that we have lost a member of our family. Finn will be missed deeply.”