His 'real' name was JJ but to me, and his legion of Face Book fans, he was Demon Cat, the bane of my existence, the thorn in my side. My constant, most loyal and most critical companion. The one who kept me honest and attentive...
...to his needs, his wishes, his tastes and his whims.
...to his needs, his wishes, his tastes and his whims.
There was never any doubt. I was staff, albeit a most cherished and loyal servant to His Most Royal.
His full brother, Tom, is nothing like him. Tom's feral where JJ was a homebody. Tom hunts, successfully, depositing the largesse on the mat just outside the door leading into the garage. The mat you step on in your bare feet when heading to find something to defrost for dinner from the big freezer.
JJ always had, from kittenhood, a 'condition' akin to human asthma. It made breathing difficult when he exerted himself chasing after the feather on the end of a kid's plastic fishing pole, or the laser point light that drove his brother into spasms of ecstasy and joy.
JJ was a stalker and a watcher, always underfoot, a supervisor of daily activities, be it gardening or feeding the horses or simply dogging my heels ... or perhaps, more appropriately ... 'catting' me.
His full brother, Tom, is nothing like him. Tom's feral where JJ was a homebody. Tom hunts, successfully, depositing the largesse on the mat just outside the door leading into the garage. The mat you step on in your bare feet when heading to find something to defrost for dinner from the big freezer.
JJ always had, from kittenhood, a 'condition' akin to human asthma. It made breathing difficult when he exerted himself chasing after the feather on the end of a kid's plastic fishing pole, or the laser point light that drove his brother into spasms of ecstasy and joy.
JJ was a stalker and a watcher, always underfoot, a supervisor of daily activities, be it gardening or feeding the horses or simply dogging my heels ... or perhaps, more appropriately ... 'catting' me.
My Demon Cat was a big boy, pushing 15 pounds under that gorgeous long-haired coat. When he curled in my lap he took up all the available real estate (and that's saying something).
We managed his health issues as best we could. He wasn't a fan of pills and I learned to keep a supply of iodine and mercurochrome in the kitchen and the bathrooms for the inevitable battle wounds. Though my son and I rarely talked about it, we both knew he wouldn't be with us all that long.
But he held on for 8 years, a gift I surely didn't deserve. The end, when it came, was startling fast. He lay on his chair, the wheezing desperately rough and harsh, barely moving but willing to tolerate the fussing as we tried to make him comfortable. The next day I rushed him to the vet; he was in acute renal failure. I left him there for tests, the vet would call me with the results, but I already knew.
I drove to the supermarket parking lot next door and waited. I didn't want to be far from him and his last moments.
The news when it came was ... not good. I held him close at the end. I think he knew I was there, at least I hope so. I felt his last breath on my hand.
We managed his health issues as best we could. He wasn't a fan of pills and I learned to keep a supply of iodine and mercurochrome in the kitchen and the bathrooms for the inevitable battle wounds. Though my son and I rarely talked about it, we both knew he wouldn't be with us all that long.
But he held on for 8 years, a gift I surely didn't deserve. The end, when it came, was startling fast. He lay on his chair, the wheezing desperately rough and harsh, barely moving but willing to tolerate the fussing as we tried to make him comfortable. The next day I rushed him to the vet; he was in acute renal failure. I left him there for tests, the vet would call me with the results, but I already knew.
I drove to the supermarket parking lot next door and waited. I didn't want to be far from him and his last moments.
The news when it came was ... not good. I held him close at the end. I think he knew I was there, at least I hope so. I felt his last breath on my hand.
This happened back in April, on my birthday. Not something I want to remember and not something I will ever forget.
The seconds, minutes, hours, days and weeks have filtered past and I'm still waiting for time to heal the wounds. Of all the creatures with whom I share my time, my love and my respect on this earth, Demon Cat was one who owned a piece of my soul. He and my mare, Miss Winnie, define me, define my humanity.
I know I should open my heart to another. There are so many worthy shelter kitties needing homes. But I'm not ready. Soon, I hope but ... not yet.
The seconds, minutes, hours, days and weeks have filtered past and I'm still waiting for time to heal the wounds. Of all the creatures with whom I share my time, my love and my respect on this earth, Demon Cat was one who owned a piece of my soul. He and my mare, Miss Winnie, define me, define my humanity.
I know I should open my heart to another. There are so many worthy shelter kitties needing homes. But I'm not ready. Soon, I hope but ... not yet.
RSS Feed
