Remembering Grand Junction’s ‘Inky the Cat’

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

Do you remember the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel's "Inky the Cat"? Don't feel bad, neither does anyone else.

While sorting through a drawer full of negatives by Grand Junction photographer Robert Grant, I encountered dozens of shots labeled "Inky the Cat." All feature a black cat sitting on a desk. The cat appears to be posing next to a number of certificates.

The negative sleeve read "Inky the Cat 1955." Unfortunately, that is the extent of the information.

The discovery of the photos warranted a search into Inky's history and significance with the Daily Sentinel. I discovered nothing. An image search delivered the same results.

With that dead end, there was only one thing left to do. I called a couple of Grand Junction residents who were loosely affiliated with the Daily Sentinel in the mid-1950s. After a quick question-and-answer session, it was quickly learned they had no memory of Inky.

The only information to be found of an "Inky" would be the old Felix the Cat comics. Felix had two nephews, Inky and Dinky.

As you can see in the photos, Inky looks very much at home on this desk. My guess is the desk or at least the office, probably was his home. You've probably been to several Grand Junction businesses that double as homes for one or more cats. The hardware store near my house had a 24/7 resident named Smudge. He was in charge of mouse management. The Orchard Mesa Veterinary Clinic had, and probably still has a resident cat. The same used to be true of the Seibu-Kan karate studio on North Avenue.

On that note, I thought it would be fitting to drop Inky's name again. It's safe to say Inky is long, long gone. Regrettably, with the 60-plus years that have passed since his tenure at the Sentinel, it seems his 15 minutes of fame have long since expired, along with all nine of his lives.

For old times' sake, we proudly present "Inky the Cat." I can only wish there were more information available. At least we have these 66-year-old photos.