Bands With Cats – Steve Gendron with Anise

– by Cheena Jean Normandin

Name: Steve Gendron

Bands: Version Three, Dancing on Glass, Irish Misty Rose

Roles: Singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer, record label owner (Castle Donnington Records)
Dancing on Glass was on Spinner Records now on his own label.
Version Three was on W3G Records now on his own label.

What’s your cat’s given name? My cat’s name is Anise (nick name is Neecey). I sometimes call her Princess as well.

What’s your cat’s origin story?

We went to the Coquitlam Animal Shelter to look for a cat since my last one (Cooper) had died of kidney disease. My other cat was called Magic. She was sick and very old so I wanted company for Magic. At the shelter, this little limping cat circled my feet and almost tripped me. She had the biggest green eyes. She had been neglected and left for dead in a garbage bin and her head had been injured by some type of blunt instrument. She was recovering and almost all healed. I saw her and picked her up and she crawled on to my shoulder and just stayed there. That was all it took.

We brought her home and she immediately went up to Magic and made friends. She was still a little sick and I remember her crying when she went to the washroom. So I always held her, but she was still a little shaken from the whole situation.

Magic was getting sicker and the treatments weren’t helping, so Anise would lie beside Magic with her head on her back and purr. This made Magic smile. (We ended up called her “Nurse Necey”). Magic died about a year later, but Anise seemed to understand and would comfort us.

Recently Anise got sick and wouldn’t eat, so I took her to the vet. He said she needed a gallbladder operation and it was very dangerous and she would just die either way. I didn’t want to see Anise in pain and decided to use my Reiki techniques on her that I had learned as a child from my grandmother.

I had to force feed Anise with a syringe, and get water and meds in her any way possible. I was so distraught at seeing my best friend dying I remember pulling the car over and just losing it. So I sang to her while applying Reiki (hands on color and vibrational touch). You ground yourself spiritually, and focus your inner Chakra vibrations into the palms of your hand and run them over the fur but not touching. You can actually feel where the disease was through cold spots on her body.

I then advanced the heat with my hands (through meditation) and focused on the area that was cold. She would purr and lay with me. One day I found her at her water dish drinking and eating like nothing had happened. No more feeding her by syringe and she was at the door ready to play outside again. She loved going out in the yard and was always at the door scratching and looking back at me. She always made sure she caught my gaze with her eyes. The vet said it was a miracle she was alive and there was no way with all the stones in her that she should be.

What does Anise like to eat? 

Gail and I both feed Anise. She loves Fancy Feast and can never get enough. We call it “kitty crack.” She also eats Iams hard food as well (loves the chicken/salmon).

What do you think your cat’s theme song is? 

I have a theme song I wrote for Anise and sing it to her and she always bonks her head against mine and purrs when I sing it. Lyrics are: “Baby Neecey, baby Neecey, queen of the wild frontier…” sung to old movie theme-style music.

What is the last incredible feat that Anise executed?   

Anise jumped and took a humming bird right out of the air. She is unbelievably fast but squirrels always outrun her.

If Anise sees a giant spider, what is her mode of attack?

She stares at it, and leaves it alone. Anything flying though is fair game in the house.

What is the last inconvenient spot that Anise fell asleep in?

The most inconvenient spot Anise has fallen as on was on top of my recording console. She had the faders going everywhere.

What do you think Anise’s favorite song is?

Anise likes my Version Three and Celtic music, but as soon I put on the punk stuff she’s outta there. Her favorite band is Slash. The singer’s (Myles Kennedy) voice is very lyrical and melodic and she seems to dig it.

Slash, Apocalyptic Love (full album):

If Anise threw a raging party, what do you think would be on the playlist?

I think she would play at her party:

1. “It’s So Easy” (Guns N Roses)

2. “No. 1 Crush” (Garbage)

3. “Soma” (Smashing Pumpkins)

4. “Blue Tattoo” (Hard Core Logo)

5. “Karma Police” (RadioHead)

6. “Let The Bodies Hit The Floor” (Drowning Pool cover)

7. “Purple Rain” (Prince)

8. “Take Me To the Top” (Motley Crue)

9. “Timber” (Ke$ha)

10. “Ring of Fire” (Johnny Cash)

If you are your cat wake up in a weird Freaky Friday situation, what is the first course of action?

Go lie in the sun on the piano like she does. I always wanted to do that but kept falling off.

Here Steve’s music at  reverbnation.com/versionthree and reverbnation.com/irishmistyrose.