Owner: John Wabeck, executive chef and sommelier at Firefly (1310 New Hampshire Ave. NW, 202-861-1310, www.firefly-dc.com)
Cat: Ben Casey, 6 years old
Residence: Dupont Circle
How did you name your cat?
There’s an old “Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. at the Sands” CD that I’ve had for a long time. There’s one part where they’re making fun of someone in the crowd, Ben Casey, he was a doctor apparently on a show on TV from the ’60s. It’s funny and it works.
He’s fat?
I got him when he was 18 pounds. He ballooned up to 19 and he’s been on a diet for like two years, he’s finally showing that he lost some weight.
Does he eat a lot?
No, I don’t know where all the weight comes from. He eats low calorie Iams cat food.
Does he get any treats?
No, he doesn’t deserve any treats. He’s a nice cat but he’s aggressive and antagonistic. He’s not a gentle-playing cat. He was always like that.
How did you choose your cat?
I got him from some local cat adoption agency. I went to see some purebred cat, and I didn’t like it. Ben was just a big cat, he started swinging at me and playing aggressive.
Does your cat have a favorite toy?
Either the wine corks or the wine capsules that always end up on the floor. Anything that isn’t nailed down.
Wheredoes your cat sleep?
Wherever he wants. He has a winebox with a blanket in it by the window. He’s a cat so he picks a place for a month and then he’ll switch for no reason.
What is the worst thing your cat has ever done?
I keep all my wine glasses above the fridge because I didn’t think he’d get in there but I left a door open, and he jumps on top of the fridge and sticks his head in there, he knocks a bunch of glasses and they break. I was envisioning he would jump down and cut all his feet and run all around with bloody feet but luckily he was smart and stayed on the counter. He’s actually cracked windows, too. He sees the birds and then he’ll take off to try to catch the birds, and he forgets that there’s glass there.
