Gunther

"in apparent healthy cat"

- Statement by Gunther's vet. Gunther is male Turkish Angora cat who was adopted in 2021. He is one of two current pets, along with Max.

Gunther is characterized by his curiosity, his persistent and obnoxious communication style, and his high-pitched, youthful meows. His relationship with fellow cat Max was slightly strained upon their first meeting in May 2021, but the two have since learned to co-habitate relatively peacefully.

Adoption
Gunther, then named Palmer, was pet up for adoption online by his then-owner, who went through a divorce and could not longer care for him. Palmer was brought home on May 29, 2021. Veterinary records suggest that he was born in early 2016, putting him at five years old upon his adoption.

Naming
Gunther's naming process was relatively long and divisive, similar to the naming of Jinx in 2017. Many potential names were proposed, including Butterball and Skwak. "Grimsby" was proposed and officially selected on May 31, 2021. It was a reference to the Canadian town of Grimsby, Ontario. After Grimsby "failed to take," the cat was renamed Gunther on June 1.

Relationship with Max
Gunther and Max were kept separate from each other for the first two days of Gunther's ownership. Upon meeting for the first time, they hissed at each other. They continued to live mostly apart, and would occasionally make aggresive noises when encountering each other. By August 2021, the pair seemed to have grown tolerant of each other. Gunther is more frequently the irritator in their interactions, and has been seen playfully annyoing Max in many ways.

2021 Boxing Day incident
Over the 2021 Christmas holiday, Gunther and Max were left home alone for three days, from December 23 to 26. On Boxing Day, Gunther was discovered trapped in a bedroom, meowing desperately. It was unknown how or when he became trapped. After being freed, concerns were raised that Gunther may have gone without food and water for the entirety of the three-day vacation. An emergency veterinary check-up was scheduled for late Boxing Day, but was later cancelled when Gunther showed no signs of dehydration and otherwise "seemed fine". Notably, no urine or waste was discovered in the room where he was trapped, indicating that he had not been confined for more than a day. One theory suggests that Gunther had entered the open room after being left alone at the house and later inadvertently latched the door while attempting to exit, due in part to the restricted geometry of the doorway. This is accepted as the most plausible theory. Another hypothesis argues that the door was originally latched, but Gunther or possibly Max opened it by pawing at the handle.

Trivia

 * Gunther was adopted one day short of the the fourth anniversary of Jinx's adoption (May 30, 2017).
 * Gunther is the latest-born pet ever owned and the first pet to be born in the 2010s decade.
 * Gunther was the first cat to be adopted while another cat (Max) was already owned. This makes Max and Gunther the first same-species cohabitating pair since Lila and Tess in 2014 (both dogs).

Names
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