The Mount Washington Observatory has lost its most famous, if not furriest, staff member.
Marty the cat has died after 12 years working at the 6,288-foot (1,917 metre) summit of the New Hampshire mountain.
“It is with an incredibly heavy heart that we have to share the news of Marty’s passing due to an unforeseen illness,” Summit Operations Manager Rebecca Scholand said in a news release Monday. “As a past observer who lived on the summit for four years I can tell you Marty was a special companion, entertainer and so incredibly loved by observers and state park staff and will be sadly missed.”
The Maine Coon cat was adopted from the North Conway Area Humane Society and enjoyed life at the summit since January, 2008.
He was slated to retire early next year.
The sun has set on Marty's time here at the Observatory. It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Marty the Cat. There just aren't enough words #mwobs #martythecat #martykitty #love #companion #mwsp #memberofthestaff #seniority #lastsunset #nh #caturday pic.twitter.com/YlCcUlQ8k4
— MWObservatory (@MWObs) November 9, 2020
But over the weekend, Marty suddenly fell ill.
“The sun has set on Marty’s time here at the Observatory,” the facility tweeted. “It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Marty the Cat. There just aren’t enough words.”
The summit has been called “home of the world’s worst weather,” where record-setting wind speeds have been measured.
Marty, of course, stayed indoors when the weather was particularly wicked.
But he was no fair-weather cat.
The observatory is also where workers have housed a cat since the its founding in 1932.
And, it won’t stop with Marty’s death.
“Plans are already underway to identify Marty’s successor due to his planned retirement in early 2021,” the facility said. “The summit feline tradition will continue.”
For now, the observatory — and cat lovers everywhere — will remember this majestic mountain kitty.
Today was foggy and rainy; not very picturesque. So, as an alternative here's a picture of Marty Kitty tagging along w/ one of our meteorologists this summer.
— MWObservatory (@MWObs) October 16, 2020
Join us Monday at 11:15 AM (ET) for our next virtual classroom. Register at https://t.co/438QZ0NMid #cat #mountain #NH pic.twitter.com/o4Jw7jTxyZ
Good #Caturday…er…Saturday morning! Smt's will start foggy/mild then clearing/cool conditions expected l8r. #NHwx pic.twitter.com/X2KBUUn0hl
— MWObservatory (@MWObs) June 6, 2015
