The Death of a Beloved Cat Inspired a New Colorado Hash

When Pete Bernardo's cat, Bella, passed away in May, the 21-year-old Colorado Springs resident lost more than a pet. He lost a best friend.

"We found her as a stray kitten in an apartment complex," Bernardo remembers. "We had other cats in my family, but she was always sort of mine. She was sweet, like a mother. The kind of cat who could tell when you were sick or upset. She'd take care of you."

Bernardo and Bella spent nearly sixteen years together. The two were so comfortable around each other that he would share his food with Bella and let her hang out with Ed, the family turtle. As this summer began, however, Bella was becoming skinnier and more lethargic.

"They start eating and going to the bathroom less as they get sickly. I was kind of in denial, but my mom could tell it was her time. I finally realized that, too, and didn't leave her side for about four days," Bernardo says.

Bernardo turned to rosin, a premium form of cannabis extract, to help with his anxiety. A medical marijuana user and a big fan of hash, he ranks Lazercat as one of his favorite rosin makers. During Bella's final days, Bernardo went to a popular Reddit page about cannabis to share what he was going through and how he was coping with it. He posted a photo of Bella with the caption "Smoking Lazercat with my best friend of 15 years on her death bed. I love you so much Bella."

"I wanted to show my appreciation," Bernardo explains. "I thought it was kind of fitting that Lazercat, of all the brands I liked, was getting me through it. I wanted to tell them 'thank you' for making a quality product that helps me be more present for my cat's final moments of her life."

Days later, Bella died in his arms. Bernado posted an update on Reddit, asking anyone to message him as he struggled with the pain. A message from Lazercat soon appeared in his inbox.

"Most people aren't public with their stories like that. For him to include Lazercat in his life like that was a big deal for us," says Lazercat social media manager Jonathan LaLiberty. "It totally touched us, so we offered him our condolences via DM, and then took it from there."

LaLiberty arranged for a care package with vaporizer batteries and clothing to be sent to Bernardo, which was enough of a treat on its own. "I never thought anything would come of it, if I'm being honest. I was just so happy for the support online from everyone, and then for them to reach out and send me that care package was incredible," he says. "Then they came back two weeks later."

Lazercat's followup took Bernardo even more surprise: The company had decided to name its newest rosin Bella's Tune. And the rosin, made from a mixture of Cosmic Tune and Becky Got Back strains, was going to be available just for him at his usual dispensary in Colorado Springs, A Cut Above.
According to the hash lover, Bella's Tune is rubbery, minty and piney, with a creamy back end. The "very strong indica" helps Bernardo relax, he says, and that's exactly what he needed.

"After kicking it around, we felt that these were two strains that were very relaxing and had a nice, soothing effect. Pete had mentioned earlier that he was looking for that," LaLiberty explains. Bella's Tune will soon be available on a wider scale at more medical dispensaries, according to Lazercat, and grams of it will hit the recreational market in the coming weeks, as well.

Founded in 2015, Lazercat's name was inspired by a ceramic cat brought into the brand's Idaho Springs headquarters by one of the owners, according to Marie Guingona, the company's creative and marketing director. The sculpture was sort of random, but it quickly became a mascot.

"The whole thing was kind of built on that ceramic cat, actually," she says. "We're a lot of mountain people up here. We love our animals and hiking. When stuff like this comes up, we wish we could do it for everyone."

To see his cat's name on a package at his favorite dispensary and then open the jar of rosin was "a badge of honor to anyone who has lost a pet," Bernardo says.

"I cried when I first got the box and saw it on the shelves. These people really turned a tragedy in my life into something positive. I'm just so grateful," he adds. "I think it's fitting that we keep a box of Bella's Tune in the fridge now, because she loved food, and it's right where she'd want to be."