This morning’s post comes with heavy news, and I’m in the terrible position of reporting the death of body modification icon Dennis Avner, often better known as Stalking Cat or just Tiger. A US Navy vet more recently working as a programmer and technician, Dennis identified strongly with his feline totem animals and in what he told me was a Huron traditional of actually adopting the physical form of ones totem, he transformed himself not just into a tiger, but a female tiger at that, blurring and exploring the gender line as much as the species line. Much of his work had been done by body modification pioneer Steve Haworth, who rebuilt Dennis’s ears, lip, nose, and face to resemble a tiger, including a multitude of transdermals that held artificial whiskers. In addition to being almost completely covered in tattoos, he’d also sculpted his face and body with extensive silicone work, had custom teeth built to emulate his inner nature, and regularly wore contact lenses and an artificial robotic tail.
Dennis’s boundary-breaking life was never an easy one, and as he was fond of saying, he “found fame, but never fortune”. A wonderful and complex person, he was at times as troubled as he was remarkable, and he recently took his own life at the age of 54 (August 27, 1958 – November 5, 2012). You can download an interview that Dennis and I did for BMEradio about ten years ago at this link: BMEradio/Cat.mp3. The photos below were taken at ModCon III by Philip Barbosa when Cat visited us here in Toronto. In the bottom photo he appears with fellow concept transformation artist, Erik “The Lizardman” Sprague.
Comments
288 responses to “RIP Stalking Cat”
This is sad news indeed. Thanks, Shannon, not only for posting this but for providing a medium for many people to learn about Dennis’ transformation and for a lucky few of us, such as myself, to get to meet him and pick his brain a bit. He will always be remembered as a pioneer in the themed body transformation movement and his legacy will live on far beyond his years.
Are you sure the whiskers were trasdermals though? I had been under the impression for years that they were just lip piercing with custom jewelry and I can’t even fathom how transdermals would work there. I have been known to be wrong before though, so perhaps they were.
This is sad news indeed. Thanks, Shannon, not only for posting this but for providing a medium for many people to learn about Dennis’ transformation and for a lucky few of us, such as myself, to get to meet him and pick his brain a bit. He will always be remembered as a pioneer in the themed body transformation movement and his legacy will live on far beyond his years.
Are you sure the whiskers were trasdermals though? I had been under the impression for years that they were just lip piercing with custom jewelry and I can’t even fathom how transdermals would work there. I have been known to be wrong before though, so perhaps they were.
Oh never mind, you were talking about the forehead transdermals! Silly me. 🙂
Oh never mind, you were talking about the forehead transdermals! Silly me. 🙂
Oh never mind, you were talking about the forehead transdermals! Silly me. 🙂
Oh never mind, you were talking about the forehead transdermals! Silly me. 🙂
RIP tiger, always remember seeing a documentary about him when I was a child and being amazed and inspired. How tragic.
RIP tiger, always remember seeing a documentary about him when I was a child and being amazed and inspired. How tragic.
RIP tiger, always remember seeing a documentary about him when I was a child and being amazed and inspired. How tragic.
RIP tiger, always remember seeing a documentary about him when I was a child and being amazed and inspired. How tragic.
I hope you find peace.
I hope you find peace.
I hope you find peace.
I hope you find peace.
poor guy man. i always remembered watching him on tv and it (besides The Lizardman) being a huge inspiration in modification. Too many unnecessary lives lost this year..
poor guy man. i always remembered watching him on tv and it (besides The Lizardman) being a huge inspiration in modification. Too many unnecessary lives lost this year..
poor guy man. i always remembered watching him on tv and it (besides The Lizardman) being a huge inspiration in modification. Too many unnecessary lives lost this year..
poor guy man. i always remembered watching him on tv and it (besides The Lizardman) being a huge inspiration in modification. Too many unnecessary lives lost this year..
I’m not really seeing anything credible about this online. His website has been hacked and I can’t find his agents info. A couple of places say this is just a hoax, a couple day it’s legit. Sorry situation either way. I hope Stalking Cat is ok, if not the mod community mourns the loss of one of the pioneers in extreme transformation.
I’m not really seeing anything credible about this online. His website has been hacked and I can’t find his agents info. A couple of places say this is just a hoax, a couple day it’s legit. Sorry situation either way. I hope Stalking Cat is ok, if not the mod community mourns the loss of one of the pioneers in extreme transformation.
I’m not really seeing anything credible about this online. His website has been hacked and I can’t find his agents info. A couple of places say this is just a hoax, a couple day it’s legit. Sorry situation either way. I hope Stalking Cat is ok, if not the mod community mourns the loss of one of the pioneers in extreme transformation.
I’m not really seeing anything credible about this online. His website has been hacked and I can’t find his agents info. A couple of places say this is just a hoax, a couple day it’s legit. Sorry situation either way. I hope Stalking Cat is ok, if not the mod community mourns the loss of one of the pioneers in extreme transformation.
So wait, is it true or not? From that twitter link on the 7th of Nov – Kat the Leopardess @Catwoman69y2k
@Salem_Kapsaski Update from the same source I learned of the suicide rumor. Someone reached his agent and agent says he is alive.
So wait, is it true or not? From that twitter link on the 7th of Nov – Kat the Leopardess @Catwoman69y2k
@Salem_Kapsaski Update from the same source I learned of the suicide rumor. Someone reached his agent and agent says he is alive.
So wait, is it true or not? From that twitter link on the 7th of Nov – Kat the Leopardess @Catwoman69y2k
@Salem_Kapsaski Update from the same source I learned of the suicide rumor. Someone reached his agent and agent says he is alive.
So wait, is it true or not? From that twitter link on the 7th of Nov – Kat the Leopardess @Catwoman69y2k
@Salem_Kapsaski Update from the same source I learned of the suicide rumor. Someone reached his agent and agent says he is alive.
if there ever was an online BME hall of fame he deserves to be in it may he rest in peace.
if there ever was an online BME hall of fame he deserves to be in it may he rest in peace.
if there ever was an online BME hall of fame he deserves to be in it may he rest in peace.
if there ever was an online BME hall of fame he deserves to be in it may he rest in peace.
My apologies for previous comment, apparently Wikipedia states that the county sherrif’s dept. confirmed the death. 🙁
My apologies for previous comment, apparently Wikipedia states that the county sherrif’s dept. confirmed the death. 🙁
My apologies for previous comment, apparently Wikipedia states that the county sherrif’s dept. confirmed the death. 🙁
My apologies for previous comment, apparently Wikipedia states that the county sherrif’s dept. confirmed the death. 🙁
blessed be, you’re beautiful. enjoy your path into the unconscious – you are here with us now in a way you never were able to be before in human form. may you find peace in a stellar world. <3 you have left an imprint on my chest.
blessed be, you’re beautiful. enjoy your path into the unconscious – you are here with us now in a way you never were able to be before in human form. may you find peace in a stellar world. <3 you have left an imprint on my chest.
blessed be, you’re beautiful. enjoy your path into the unconscious – you are here with us now in a way you never were able to be before in human form. may you find peace in a stellar world. <3 you have left an imprint on my chest.
blessed be, you’re beautiful. enjoy your path into the unconscious – you are here with us now in a way you never were able to be before in human form. may you find peace in a stellar world. <3 you have left an imprint on my chest.
Condolences to his friends and family, may he find peace.
Condolences to his friends and family, may he find peace.
Condolences to his friends and family, may he find peace.
Condolences to his friends and family, may he find peace.
rest in peace 🙁
rest in peace 🙁
rest in peace 🙁
rest in peace 🙁
RIP
RIP
RIP
RIP