Bon Iver is on tour at the moment, but Justin Vernon has something else on his mind right now. On April 19, 2010, he adopted a 2-year-old cat named Flo from a shelter. Yesterday, Flo died. Part of Vernon’s mourning process manifested last night, when the musician shared many photos and words about the cat over the course of multiple heartbreaking Instagram posts.
In the first post, Vernon noted he wasn’t able to be there in person to see Flo pass away and that the cat had been dealing with health issues in recent times, writing, “I have spent more time with this creature than any other, human or otherwise. She has been the weirdest, most solid friend to me over all these years. At this moment, I am on Tour and had to FaceTime to say goodbye to her. […] Weve been giving her IV’s for the last year or so, but her little kidneys couldn’t do it anymore.”
In the second post, he added, “I miss you and im so sorry I cant be there to say goodbye. I know you could tell it was my voice saying your name the way only I did earlier. ‘FLOOOOOOOOW.’ We’ll put you right by your favorite tree. In your favorite yard. By your house. It will always be your house. Rest long and good you beautiful weirdo. Thank you for bringing us such joy over the years.”
The third post was captioned simply with 20 broken heart emojis and 10 waving hand emojis.
In the first post, Vernon noted, “A lot of people people who came through my life got to know Flo.” That seems to be the case based on the comments sections of the posts, as people who took time to share messages of sympathy, support, and/or nostalgia include Sylvan Esso, Gordi, Anaïs Mitchell, Hand Habits, Jim E. Stack, Dave Sitek, Ethan Gruska, Joe Westerlund, Monica Martin, and Rob Moose.
Find Vernon’s posts below.
“April 18, 2010
Met flo at the Chippewa Falls shelter. She was 2 years old. No idea about her life before then.
April 19 , 2010
went to go get her with Kyle F. cause I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I thought she looked like Audrey Hepburn.
(Kyle also happened to encourage me to get a little 6 month old Melmon that day 🙂 but thats a different story.Today is about my baby, Flo.
April 19th 2010-June 14th 2022 —>
I have spent more time with this creature than any other, human or otherwise.
She has been the weirdest, most solid friend to me over all these years.
At this moment, I am on Tour and had to FaceTime to say goodbye to her.
Andra and Ev are there helping her reach the other side.
Im so thankful to them I cant even begin to comprehend the love of family I have for them.
Shout out to Cherie for all the vet appointments and IV’s over the years when I was gone.
Weve been giving her IV’s for the last year or so, but her little kidneys couldn’t do it anymore.Alot of people people who came through my life got to know Flo. Got to understand how weird she was. How she would stick her ass so close to your face and expect you to just take it. How she WANTED to be touched on her butt SOO bad, but she would also scratch your skin off your hand if you got too far down. She didnt know how to walk with any balance when you pet her.
She was moody but always loved it when there was any Women were around.
She got a lil nervous when BJ was around but she really really loved him too.
She always sat in the weirdest places.
She was the best hunter. 4-5 mice a week left completely decapitated in the threshold of my open bedroom door.She would fall down when she had too much cat nip.
She liked to sleep ON my face and would get SUPER pissed when I would try and move her.
Melmon and her never really got along. Kinda an odd couple to say the least.
He sorta moved out right when covid started —on his own and started living in the garden barn.
This gave all the space to Flo and she got me all to her self — out of the deal. Easily spent 500 days with just her and I in these last few years. No Melmon interruptions. Just Us. And sometimes uncle Trev.”
“Mel would walk down the hill and break in every couple weeks just make sure she was alright. As much as she annoyed him , I know he’s gonna miss her too.
Flo and I slept together every night and spent so many days on the Lazy boy or in the little studio with her coming in and out while I did my work.
She did this thing where she would ‘make biscuits’ with her claws on my chest before we went to sleep and it hurt so much but she wanted to do it so much I let her.
I have permanent Flo scars on the center of my chest.
They still red.That about says it , actually.
I miss you and im so sorry I cant be there to say goodbye. I know you could tell it was my voice saying your name the way only I did earlier.
‘FLOOOOOOOOW’
We’ll put you right by your favorite tree. In your favorite yard. By your house. It will always be your house.
Rest long and good you beautiful weirdo.
Thank you for bringing us such joy over the years.Credits:
Cherie and I cried on the phone last August when we thought we were gonna lose her. But Cherie, you helped bring her back to life. Thank you Cherie.
Andra and Ev, the care you are putting in to this process touches me so deeply.
Dan and Bez for the trip to the shelter that day.
Kyle for being my guiding light in life back then and for encouraging me to do something , to invite something into my life that I could take care of, not just take care of me.Enjoy some of the best of all these pictures ive saved over the years.”