Editor’s note: Jock Lauterer’s recent column about George “Cat Baby†Cannada garnered quite a response. The article was passed around via email to locals and ex-pats alike. Following are some of the responses from here and points elsewhere.
 Jim Greenlee
Appreciated so much the Cat-Baby article! As a member of Carrboro Baptist Church in those days, I remember Cat being the unofficial “greeter†on Sunday mornings. He would stand holding the door open and with a big cigar in his mouth, would welcome all to church! He had Sunday School Perfect Attendance pins hanging from his suit lapel indicating decades of perfect attendance. I once went to his house on Center Street to teach him the Sunday School lesson when he was ill, so he could keep his streak going. I also participated in his funeral and burial at Old Chapel Hill cemetery in 1993.
Graham Burch
What great memories….Cat is just one of the many characters that made growing up in Chapel Hill in the 60’s magical.
Eddie Sparrow
I hope that readers and “catbabyphiles†like myself will find it heartening to note that the spirited and altruistic influences of George “Cat Baby†Cannada were happily embraced and absorbed by generations of Chapel Hill/Carrboro-ians extending far beyond those lucky enough to have “served†with him amidst the hallowed halls of Chapel Hill High.
Having not entered the world of the living until 1961, I was nevertheless greatly enthralled in my early years by the sound of those words: “whatdaya say caaat†bellowing forcefully, yet at the same time warmly and invitingly from the mouth of Cat Baby whenever I found myself anywhere in the vicinity of downtown Chapel Hill or Carrboro.
Though to our benefit he was relegated to the local community, I was convinced that he must be omnipresent. It simply seemed like no matter where I went, there he was.
As the youngest of six boys, I knew that I was merely another in a long line of locals struck by the bolt of charm, humor, exuberance and vivacity that was Cat Baby.
It’s articles like this that in some ways make me feel old (though not remorsefully), and in other ways actually make me feel young (happily)! However, his presence was felt among many much younger than myself. I got such a kick out of seeing some young buck UNC freshman holler “whatdaya say cat?!†to Cat Baby around University Square on his way to Granville Towers. And I feel secure in the belief that George Cannada’s legacy will prevail over generations of university classmen to come. In my opinion, the local, lovable character that was Cat Baby helped to bridge town and gown.
Failingly, throughout my twenties and into my thirties Cat Baby made his voice heard. I’ll never forget the day I sat down next to him on the wall bordering campus across Franklin Street from the old post office and just talked to him about everything; and about nothing at all. The bellowing voice I had heard seemingly every day of my life took on a new tone that day. And it was then that I realized there was much more to George Cannada than just Cat Baby. It occurred to me that I was speaking to a true part of the very heart and history of Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
Usually a person is lionized due to his charitable donations or his success in business or because he is socially influencial. It warms my heart to know that a man can be venerated merely on the basis of his kindness to others and his boundless spirit amongst his breathren. Few if any have achieved this level of posterity in our community as George Cannada.
And he did it all without having to buy his name on a building.
Long live Cat Baby.