HUNTINGTON BEACH : Kids Give Frisky a Fond Farewell

In a teary farewell Wednesday, students at C. Fred Schroeder Elementary School bid goodbye to their furry feline friend, Frisky.

A fixture at the school for about 11 years, the 13-year-old, long-haired black cat with white markings retired as the school’s mascot of sorts.

“We just thought it was time to retire her,” said Virginia Arras, the school’s office manager. Concerns about Frisky’s health and safety prompted the decision.

A special morning assembly was held so students could say goodbye to the beloved school cat.

Students read poems and sang songs, and the school gave Frisky a Christmas stocking with catnip, a collar and a bell.

“She’s really been a good friend. She likes all the kids and all the kids really like her,” said sixth-grader John Tays, 11.

Third-grader Christopher Atwood, 8, said it’s sad that Frisky is leaving the school.

“If you’re upset, it just cheers you up when you see her,” he said.

Arras said that over the years, Frisky has been as much a part of the school as the students and teachers.

Frisky will live with former Schroeder teacher Bobbie Clare at her Orange Hills home. Clare, a 31-year teacher, retired in June after teaching at the school for 10 years.

Over the years, Frisky has befriended many students and has been welcomed into classrooms, Arras said. She especially liked taking catnaps in classrooms, the library or school offices. Her portrait has also been included in each year’s school pictures, Arras said.

Several years ago, Frisky needed an ear operation, so the school’s staff pitched in to pay for the $300 surgery.

Clare said Frisky became a fixture at Schroeder after she began following her young owners to school every day. Then, one day, “she just liked it here and never went home,” Clare said. “She became part of the school.”

Clare said Frisky’s presence at school helped students develop compassion and love of animals.

But Clare agreed that it was time for Frisky to retire because there was a growing concern about her safety and health because she usually stayed outdoors at night and on weekends.

“She’s going to get lots of love and she’s going to have a restful retirement,” Clare said, adding that she plans to bring Frisky back to the school for visits.