Bye, Doofus

[First Shirt]

About 16 years ago, I brought an orange tabby kitten home. Now, I don't like cats, never have. Just not a cat person.

And for years I tried to tell this cat that I didn't like cats, but in typical cat fashion, he ignored anything that he didn't want to hear. So, he'd sit on my shoulder while I was putting on my shoes, and when I picked him up, he'd put one front paw on either side of my face and bump noses with me. Occasionally, he'd wake me up by dragging his latest conquest (one of the fuzzy dog toys) through the house while yowling at the top of his lungs. (Which was really kinda silly, since we'd had him fixed when he was about six months old. But what can you do?)

About two years ago, he developed a tumor on the backside of his left foreleg, and when we noticed it, promptly took him to the vet, who removed it, with the warning that it could come back. And about 15 months later it did, bigger. Went back to the vet, who said the only sure way to stop the tumor was to remove the leg at the elbow, but really, in a cat that age, it didn't make sense, because he'd never adjust to only having three legs. So we had him remove the tumor, brought him home, and hoped for the best.

Couple of months ago, we noticed that the tumor was back, with friends, and last night, the tumor ruptured. No amount of Granulex or Cut-Heal would close it, so this morning he made his last vet trip. I couldn't take him, since I had to work, The Boss had to do it. She did not take it well. I'm fine, because I really don't like cats anyway.

But I'm really gonna miss that silly Doofus bastard!

[Old Grafton]

Dammit. Either we live too long or pets/pals don't. All we are is dust in the wind, all of us.

[Jered]

That's sad.

I've heard that there's something special about orange tabbies, too.

[Netpackrat]

Sorry for the loss of your buddy. And yeah, there's something special about red cats.

[McClarkus]

Sorry to hear.....

[Denis]

Sorry... give the Boss an extra hug (and maybe a kitten very soon?)

[Darrell]

Sorry for your loss, FS. Sounds like he lived a full life.

[Aesop]

I'm kind of touched that you named the cat after every recent President.
But assuming a cat heaven, he's rolling in fields of catnip, can pee on everything, the mice are always fat and tasty, and there's always someone standing by to let him in. And out. And in. And out. And in.

[MarkD]

I'm kind of touched that you named the cat after every recent President.
(snip) the mice are always fat and tasty, (snip)

Oddly, even though mice are the perfect, nutritionally complete food for cats, cats won't eat them unless they have no other options. Apparently they taste like shit. Hence, the distinct and notable lack of mouse-flavored cat foods.

I've been owned by a number of cats over the years, they do dig their way into your heart. Sorry for your loss First Shirt.

Now what I want to know is, since cats dislike water and getting wet, how did they develop an affinity for fish?

[Netpackrat]

I don't know why they like fish so much, but every cat we've ever had has been stubbornly underfoot anytime venison is being cut. A lot of small pieces that would ordinarily have been ground into hamburger has gone into the furry waste disposals.

Some people in our hometown had a small, family run fish cannery, and they had the fattest cat I think I have ever seen. I don't know how old it lived to be that way, but it sure seemed to have a happy life.