Good afternoon my brothers and sisters. It has been awhile since I last posted and a lot has happened. The boss lady dragged me down to Orlando, FL to go mouse hunting. That was fun! It was the first actual vacation I’ve had a couple of years, so the enjoyment factor was high for me. but I will cover my vacation in a later post; today’s post is a somber reflection on the life of “Buffy.” Buffy was my father’s cat, and he was a hunk of love; a 19 lb lap cat – could you imagine him stepping on the jewels while getting comfy..ouch. My father wrote an eulogy for him; and I will post it [minus family data] for all to enjoy and celebrate this feline’s life:
My American Short hair feline named Buffy, whose approximate birthday of June 10, 1998, was put to sleep in the late afternoon of September 14, 2009. Sad, but then somewhat glad that he would not suffer the hidden pain that a cat may have but not able to express it’s intensity nor location to us humans. This morning, about 6:00 am, I felt his jump up onto our bed, as he said in his own way, “it is time to get up”. I reached out to scratch the top of his head as he let loose with a continued soft purr. After a few minutes I got up and he too left the bed. This was a bit strange in some ways, as our female feline, MC, would be the one to wake me in the morning by her meowing a couple of times while sitting on the night stand and watching over me. [Mom] said that when she had gone to the bathroom in the early hours of the morning, Buffy was stretched out in the shower! During the past few weeks, he would not jump up on the bathroom sink counter to be combed after I had showered. Nor would he jump up into my lap while I was sitting in my comfortable lounge chair in the T.V. Room and at his water dish, lying stretched out to lap at the water or to crunch some food from the food dish. These were definite limitations that hindered his rather relaxed and easy life style. The intentional urination on the carpet by the front door was exasperating. Not just once or twice, but quite a few times, and then on Sunday morning he had a soft bowl movement right in the middle of the pathway leading to the front door. The urine odor was overwhelming and difficult to remove. With a possible hip problem, not responsive and the intentional urinating were reasons to suspect his being not feeling well. His nose had been semi-dry for a couple of days, an indication of not being well. [Our vet recommended] to put Buffy to sleep and for him not to endure any further pain. Buffy was a “second thought” cat. During the early Fall of 1998, my long time feline, Snookers, was put to sleep. So while working at Petco, as the store manager, one of my employee’s in the Pet Grooming Department said that her cat back home had a litter and would I be interested in another cat. I said that I would be, and thus a acquisition of M.C.; the feline that crossed the Mexican Boarder without papers. Thus the Mexican Connection, or M.C. At that same time, a lady had called the store asking if we would post a notice of a litter of cats that were available just for the taking. It was what the lady said that made me interested in this second cat; as I had asked if any of the litter had blue eyes. She said yes, and I asked if I may come by to see them. I did, and I left with a blue eyed cat. This litter had been tossed into the ditch beside the Airport Road and were traumatized. I could only take one, since I had another cat coming the next day. Believing that the cat was female, I named it Buffy. It turned out it was a male cat; still named Buffy. Buffy was scared of any noise, or of anyone entering the house. He would dash for our bedroom and hide under the bed. After a long period of time he may come out to the living room; but for the most part, he stayed in the shelter of the bed. Only during the past few years, he actually liked being by the sliding glass door in the TV room as the morning sun warmed the area. His purr was a resounding purr of satisfaction and content. He liked to be by my feet as I put on my shoes in the morning as a watch dog would sit in sharp focus. Often of late he would lie on the floor stretched out and not going to move for any reason. So if you walked by you would have to watch your own step to avoid stepping on this 19-pound lap cat. Yes, he liked to sit on my lap as I watched TV. He liked to jump up on the bathroom sink to be combed each morning. He liked to be in charge of the TV room, for as soon as MC would enter, he would try to make MC leave. He did not appreciate her on my lap, nor in the room. That was his room. Though he was a quiet cat, not using his voice at all – probably from the trauma of being tossed aside in a bag beside the roadway, he was always in my presence. When content, his purr was pronounced. Resting on his side with back legs spread wide was his contentment. Yes Buffy was a bit overweight but always near and a quiet friend that never meowed. Goodbye my feline friend; I will miss you very much.
I echo my father’s sentiment.
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