How well I remember our elderly cat who went on vacation and returned with an attitude

The Special Needs Of Old Cats Caring For Your Elderly Feline 

I am guilty of not remembering the name of a special cat of my childhood. The older I become the more I love cats and forget things such as names.

Well, Cat lived outdoors and would sneak in the house from time to time. My mother did not want animals in the house (well, other than we three sons). The attitude was rooted in an incident from my mother's childhood on the farm, on a day when a goat got in the house at a time when my grandmother was any-day-due with a child. Not pleasant. Not for the people and not for the goat. The goat returned to the outdoors and my grandmother soon gave birth to a healthy little girl.

But I digress. Cat visited the back door of our house every day signally meal time. This was in the 50s and we fed the cat from a can of what I suspect was the cheapest cat food at the grocery store. Can and large spoon in hand, I walked to the back of the yard where a long unused chicken coop sat. The top was a good height for a cat leap and a good height for me to spoon out cat food. I believe the cat got half a can of food a day. I was adept at spooning out the food and breaking it into small hunks for the cat. After impressive gobbles, Cat sat patiently licking any morsel that remained. Where Cat got water I have no idea.

Cat lived with us for several years and then disappeared. It was more than a year later when Cat returned and scratched on the screen door. I understood the body language and the meow. Time to eat. I checked the cupboard and sure enough, a cat food can remained. Can, spoon, Cat, chicken coop. I'm sure that I read an indignant attitude in the cat. "It's late; where was my food?"

Cat ate and I went to bed. The next afternoon Cat was at the back door. More cans had been laid in and the routine returned. I do not remember how long the cat stayed. One day I realized that the cat was not at the door. Cat disappeared and never saw him again.

Cat sleeping, purring

Cat sleeping
Me watching
Cat shifts
I put my head near
Cat awake
We stare
Cat paw out and touches my nose
Cat purrs

Male Cat Cares for Kittens as All Bond Among and Also Bond with the Neighborhood

Two black kittens, small but getting about, took residence a couple of doors away. No mother came with the little furries. What did is a black male. Attentive, protective, he lies on his side the the small ones snuggle his tummy with their tiny lips. All sleep snuggled. A neighborhood conversation. So far the local rag and tube have not been told. Good.

My childhood always had a dog or cat or both who came home to our place. They had wonderful stories; some we knew and some we surmised. This story of my adulthood will join those of special relationships of long ago.

If only such kindness were common in the adult world.