Katy
A cat person who lives into their 60s, 70s and beyond, can conceivably know dozens of cats and kittens over a lifetime. I am such a person. I think I have always delighted in cats. Some of my earliest memories involve cats. I’ve been cat-less for only a few brief periods over the years and currently share my home with 3 precious felines. My book, Catscapades, True Cat Tales features many of the cats I’ve known including the beauty pictured here, Katy, a Himalayan.
I include a couple of stories in the book about Katy. One has to do with a technique I used one night to try creating peace and quiet between Katy (then 4 months) and Daisy (8 months)—each who had deemed the other, “The Enemy” in our home. The astounding resultsof my efforts was the overnight development of a beautiful feline friendship.
I also share the story of Katy becoming an indoor/outdoor kitty. After being strictly, and I thought, happily, indoors for all of her first 12 years of life, suddenly, she decided she wanted to be outside. And she let me know this in no uncertain terms.
So I started a routine of allowing Katy outside with me for short periods when I was working in the yard as long as she kept to the physical boundaries. Being a cat, she tested me frequently, at first. But she always responded dutifully to my stern orders for her to “Stop,” before sliding between the slats in the fence or to my hand-clapping when it was time for her to waddle back into the house through the open sliding glass door when playtime was over or a neighborhood cat was around.
Katy enjoyed her outdoor visits almost until the day she died of renal failure at the age of 17.5 six years ago. We buried her in her favorite spot, where the last ray of sunshine used to warm her on a late afternoon. I can still see her squinting contentedly into the sun.
How I miss you, Katy.
Catscapades, True Cat Tales: http://www.matilijapress.com/catscapades.html.
