Silent Mylo isn’t just my brand, he’s my cat! Here’s a little background information on Mylo — and an answer to the question: Is Silent Mylo really silent?
In the late summer of 2007 I was in the market for a cat. I had lost my wonderful Chester earlier in the year and decided it was time to fill the void in my house. Jane, my 18 year old calico, didn’t exactly agree but lacked veto power. I began my search by contacting Barbara Carr, the executive director of the SPCA Serving Erie County. I told her I was specifically looking for an orange tiger kitten I planned to name Oswald. As luck had it the SPCA was having an adopt-a-thon that weekend . The shelter was bursting at the seams with cats and kitten and Barbara told me: “Come browse, but I already have your kitten picked out and his name is Mylo”. Bah, I thought, I’ll choose my own cat.
That weekend I drove to the shelter. I entered. I browsed. I met Mylo. He was not a tiger, he was not orange. He was a Mylo and could NEVER be an Oswald. Instead, he was a smokey gray tuxedo kitten with olive green eyes and a carnation pink rose. And he was fabulous!
It took Mylo about 3 seconds to adjust to his new home. He was playful, funny, smart and adorable — and tolerated by Jane. Furthermore, he was unusually quiet for a kitten. He never meowed!
While I found that odd I chalked it up to his early months. Abandoned at birth by his mother, Mylo and his litter mates were dropper fed and lovingly raised by Alex Baker, an SPCA volunteer soon headed to veterinary school. The kittens were happy and healthy but, apparently, no one had ever taught them how to meow!
Once home, Mylo started modeling almost immediately…..
…and within a year he suggested I paint rather than photograph him.
I took his advice and the paintings were a great success.
As Mylo’s fan base increased a question arose: how could I distinguish MY Mylo from the posers and other Mylo wannabes floating around on the web?
Rick Keaton, an artist friend and avid Mylo fan, considered the question one evening as we drank wine before a crackling bon fire . “I’ve got it!” he said. Rick knew that Mylo had recovered his meow by now but rarely used it. “How about Silent Mylo?”, he suggested. I liked it! It was smooth, it was classy — and it was, at least in part, based in fact.
I presented the suggestion to Mylo later that evening. He cocked his head as he considered it, smiled, and nodded his assent. Thus, Silent Mylo was born.
Since then Mylo has served as model and muse for an entire series of Silent Mylo paintings. He’s launched a line of prints and note cards, opened his own webstore, has lent his name to a variety of wines and, most recently, set up a fan page on Facebook.
It’s easy to find Silent Mylo, the real Mylo, on the web. You can find his prints and notecards at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SilentMyloStudio?ref=si_shop and LIKE him on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/SilentMyloTuxedoCat
But I’ll give you a warning! Modesty is not one of Mylo’s greatest traits. If you LIKE him on Facebook — and you should!! — you may find him to be less “silent” than you’d like 🙂
Barbara Carr and her team at the SPCA Serving Erie County work tirelessly on behalf of neglected and abused animals. Online donations to the SPCA Serving Erie County can be made here:
https://www.yourspca.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=372
or mailed to
SPCA Serving Erie County
205 Ensminger Road
Tonawanda, NY 14150