During the winter of 1998 we had a frequent visitor to our back door. A small tuxedo cat that was obviously lost or mistreated kept looking in our patio door and just sitting there as if to say, 'are you going to open this door?'. My wonderful husband kept telling me NOT to give it anything to eat or we would never get rid of it and I obliged for several days. Then one day I broke and gave her a little milk which was soon followed by Marcey, our now DIL, arranging a blanket under the deck for the kitty to stay warm during the night! Well, wonderful husband was beside himself...I think he knew the days were numbered and he was right.
We named that little darling, Skeeter, and she became a member of our family in the full extent of the term. Yes, little Skeeter was a runt and a stray, but she had a heart as big as a lion on the savanna. We moved to our current house 2 years later and she adjusted well to the new surroundings. For the first 3-4 years that we lived here she would go outside with us and either stay at our side or patrol the immediate area of the yard always on guard for an intruder. Eventually it became apparent that Skeeter's blood pressure couldn't handle the outside exposure to other animals and she then had to stay indoors which she accepted in short order.
Always on duty, Little Skeeter patrolled the house during the night, always checking out each room and the front and back doors, as well as, the door to the garage. If someone, or something, was approaching the house she would immediately sit up and that was our warning. If I was upstairs she would either lay near me or lay in the doorway of the room or lay at the top of the stairs; ever on guard. Skeeter would escort us up and down the hall or up and down the stairs as we moved through our day. Now, mind you, this is when she was awake, after all, she was a cat and they sleep an average of 16 hrs. a day!
"I love cats because I enjoy my home; and little by little, they become it's visible soul." Jean Cocteau (1889-1963)
It's now 13 years since we adopted Little Skeeter. Just a few months ago, Skeeter started showing signs of diminished health, reduction in appetite, eventual slow loss of weight, eyes not quite as bright and alert, movement becoming jerky and agility all but gone. A few weeks ago she spent some time a the veterinarian's clinic and then came home seeming to be a little improved. Within a week she was sliding back to where she had been and her movements were more limited and seemingly painful.
Little Skeeter gave us all her love and devotion. She was always the independent feline, however, she was the soul of our home and we miss her. We know she is no longer in pain and is running and playing in the grass. I selfishly cry for my loss, but I know the tears are a reminder that we share ourselves with our pets and they with us.
"What greater gift than the love of a cat."
Charles Dickens (1812-1870)
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