Lives
My best friend lost his cat. his favorite, (well second fave) 14 yo beloved Chloe. She just walked out... He e-mailed me the "wanted " poster he's distributing around the neighborhood. It's too sad for words.
He's had Chloe since she was a kitten and she was a fairly placid big black and white long hair-with a pirate patch over one eye, which made me laugh.
Over the last few years he's been involved with "Feral Friends",and of course I think that's an admirable thing. He's been trapping and lugging cats around, getting them spayed, releasing them, catching a variety of kittens and of course, tryng to socialize them. His 3 original oldest cats were Aslan, Rambler, and Choe. Then (I forgot the order) came 4 more, and the 3 kitttens...my numbers are probably off..but he has a lot of cats...7-10?...
Life stress is not only a thing people deal with. but it might be that they are better equipped to deal with their normalcy disrupted...not all people, but some. I have two cats who live abnormal lives, they are apartment cats. This is faiirly selfish of me because I think cats should come in and out as they please. I cannot let them as I live on a busy street, and they are innocents. It is my responsibility to be their benevolent jailor. This paradox is not lost on me. Selfishly to assuage my pain, I adopted a kitten, then in penance I adopted a kitten for her because I did't think she was the happiest she COULD be, so I got her a kitten. They're good pals, and they look longingly out the windows at the other world that I have to deny them. It's for their own good.
My best friend has in the last few years, sold and bought a house. Shortly after that, his big beautiful yellow old cat Aslan left. My friend thinks a coyote got him and if hearsay is evidence, it may be true. He has been feeding a feral colony for at least since I've known him, and has become much more actiive in the feral thing.... last count he had 3 kittens and I forget how many adults.He brings all this home , the strange scents....he even launders the soiled linen for PetSmarts adoption program.
14 years is a pretty good old age for a cat that goes in and out.. I don't know how old Aslan was when he left...nor do I know the circumstances. I know it was after he got the new house, but not sure if the feral "collection" had been in full swing. Chloe has been gone over a week maybe two, my mind refuses numbers more often now. I hope she comes home,it's not impossible, but in all honesty I believe my friend has stretched himself too thin, disrupting beyond repair the lives of his most beloved and oldest cat companions. I think people do it too, by the way.
Cat are a dime a dozen, but a true friend and respected companion is beyond worth. Believe me, I am the last person to criticize his intent, which is noble and worthy and reaches far into the future for controlling unwanted cat populations. Both Aslan and Chloe were wanted and loved and I can't help thinking about his very best catfriend in the world, Rambler. He is dearly loved...
I think that my friend needs to save and love and pay attention (not scattered attention) , and devote himself to those cats that have devoted themselves to him. I don't think that you can save the world. I think you can give a cat a good long happy life, perhaps three cats. I think after that you should think long and hard at what your real actions are doing and whether or not it is worth the sacrifice.
And so the pagan prays that Chloe comes back, and Rambler stays home even if his old pal never returns ..this agnostic prays that her beloved friend will see the light and cherish the cats he can, and let others take over some of the slack. I think spreading your love too thin, makes it a fragile thing like gold hammered thin until it's almost worthless, and too mysterious for a simple mind to understand.
Bottom line is, I think he was better off when he had his three... and I think he'd better find a way to get rid of some cats, until it's really manageable like keep Rambler, maybe 2 others. No matter how it hurts. So, if he hates me for this entry, I will try to look through the veil of gold and remember, gold is malleable, and I will still love him. I don't know how cats feel, but I know they do. They know when things and attention changes.
He's had Chloe since she was a kitten and she was a fairly placid big black and white long hair-with a pirate patch over one eye, which made me laugh.
Over the last few years he's been involved with "Feral Friends",and of course I think that's an admirable thing. He's been trapping and lugging cats around, getting them spayed, releasing them, catching a variety of kittens and of course, tryng to socialize them. His 3 original oldest cats were Aslan, Rambler, and Choe. Then (I forgot the order) came 4 more, and the 3 kitttens...my numbers are probably off..but he has a lot of cats...7-10?...
Life stress is not only a thing people deal with. but it might be that they are better equipped to deal with their normalcy disrupted...not all people, but some. I have two cats who live abnormal lives, they are apartment cats. This is faiirly selfish of me because I think cats should come in and out as they please. I cannot let them as I live on a busy street, and they are innocents. It is my responsibility to be their benevolent jailor. This paradox is not lost on me. Selfishly to assuage my pain, I adopted a kitten, then in penance I adopted a kitten for her because I did't think she was the happiest she COULD be, so I got her a kitten. They're good pals, and they look longingly out the windows at the other world that I have to deny them. It's for their own good.
My best friend has in the last few years, sold and bought a house. Shortly after that, his big beautiful yellow old cat Aslan left. My friend thinks a coyote got him and if hearsay is evidence, it may be true. He has been feeding a feral colony for at least since I've known him, and has become much more actiive in the feral thing.... last count he had 3 kittens and I forget how many adults.He brings all this home , the strange scents....he even launders the soiled linen for PetSmarts adoption program.
14 years is a pretty good old age for a cat that goes in and out.. I don't know how old Aslan was when he left...nor do I know the circumstances. I know it was after he got the new house, but not sure if the feral "collection" had been in full swing. Chloe has been gone over a week maybe two, my mind refuses numbers more often now. I hope she comes home,it's not impossible, but in all honesty I believe my friend has stretched himself too thin, disrupting beyond repair the lives of his most beloved and oldest cat companions. I think people do it too, by the way.
Cat are a dime a dozen, but a true friend and respected companion is beyond worth. Believe me, I am the last person to criticize his intent, which is noble and worthy and reaches far into the future for controlling unwanted cat populations. Both Aslan and Chloe were wanted and loved and I can't help thinking about his very best catfriend in the world, Rambler. He is dearly loved...
I think that my friend needs to save and love and pay attention (not scattered attention) , and devote himself to those cats that have devoted themselves to him. I don't think that you can save the world. I think you can give a cat a good long happy life, perhaps three cats. I think after that you should think long and hard at what your real actions are doing and whether or not it is worth the sacrifice.
And so the pagan prays that Chloe comes back, and Rambler stays home even if his old pal never returns ..this agnostic prays that her beloved friend will see the light and cherish the cats he can, and let others take over some of the slack. I think spreading your love too thin, makes it a fragile thing like gold hammered thin until it's almost worthless, and too mysterious for a simple mind to understand.
Bottom line is, I think he was better off when he had his three... and I think he'd better find a way to get rid of some cats, until it's really manageable like keep Rambler, maybe 2 others. No matter how it hurts. So, if he hates me for this entry, I will try to look through the veil of gold and remember, gold is malleable, and I will still love him. I don't know how cats feel, but I know they do. They know when things and attention changes.