Memorial for an Old Friend

Today, Dec 30, 2019 we said goodbye to an old friend.  He was one of my 4 beloved companion pets, Fred Astaire aka Fat Freddy.  

We met during the winter of 2010.  He was a feral cat living with a colony on the dead end street I lived on in Matawan NJ.  He was so friendly that Tom and I thought he was someones pet or maybe even dumped there.  But he didn't have a collar and was outside even in the snow and there was a lot of snow that year.  I thought he may have been the kids next doors cat, but when I asked, they said no.  

He was just such a nice, pleasant animal, we were compelled to take him in.  While he was friendly he was also cautious, we coaxed him daily with food for about a week then brought him into the house.  From there on out, he knew he had it good!  

He remained an outside cat his whole life but would come home at night to sleep in the cozy home we made for him.  

Soon after we took him in, we took him to our vet to get shots and neutered.  We all thought he was about a year or so old.  We came to find out he was already neutered.  We knew there was a group that ran a catch and release program for the colony that lived in that area, maybe he was part of that colony after all?  He was definitely fixed after the time when he should be, because he still sprayed when we wouldn't let him out at night.  Learning curve, Fred got to go out when he wanted, always. 

When we moved to PA, Freddy came with us.  He gained a lot of weight, to the tune of 30 lbs.  He was our master mouser and vermin serial killer extraordinaire.  He would catch and eat the heads off of bugs and leave their headless corpses on the patio.  Many times we had to chase mice or birds he would bring into the house.  He was a prolific killing machine.  And we respected  and loved that about him.

A few years after we took him in, he fell very ill, he had crystals in his kidneys and nearly died because he could not pee.  We didn't know that feral cats cant really digest dry cat food the way domestic cats can.  We fed both our cats wet and dry food.  Needless to say, he went to the vet and was in the hospital for 2 days getting his kidneys flushed.  He came back from that and we kept the dry food away from him as much as we could.  We began putting water in his wet food and bowls of a water/milk mixture in the morning.  He never really drank from the filtered water bowl that the other animals would drink from.  For years he was good with the added water and milk mixture.  

He was one of the goofiest cats I have ever seen.  He didn't like to be picked up but once in a while he would jump into your lap.  I just loved to smoosh him because he was so big and mushie and had the softest fur.  He was an armful.

He would lay on the patio chairs or hunt in and around the garage.  He never really roamed too far from home.  He always hung out with the dogs.  He didn't really like smokey.. lol  Sometimes I thought, he thought, he was a dog.  He'd get right in line with them for treats.  

He would sit under Tom's truck in the driveway and wait for me to come home from work and run up to me for pets and some loving.   He greeted me every day, he knew my car and he knew what time I got home.  He loved the catnip bushes I planted for him in the garden outback and always pooped in my front gardens where the earth was soft.  He would nap under the lily fronds on the side of the house on  the hot summer days.  He was potty trained but he preferred going outside, just like the dogs!  Many times he pulled food right off Toms plate, once he picked a meatball out of a pot of sauce on the stove.  He loved to wear my shoes and he had an infinity for feet.  Such a strange and wonderful cat was he.

I feel blessed that he came into our lives, he gave us love and laughter.  Its funny how a chance meeting brought us together and how big of a piece of my heart feels like its gone now.  These furry little creatures come into our lives and remind us that we are human, and they love us without conditions, and all they want in return is to be loved and cared for.  Animals teach us how to be kind and patient and to enjoy every day we have here on earth.

He got sick right before thanksgiving this year, and deteriorated quickly.  The doctor said he may have been older than we originally though.  When he started to loose strength in his back legs we knew what had to be done.  It doesn't make it any easier, but it is the last act of kindness we can show these wonderful creatures who bring so much joy to our lives.

I will always remember you Fat Freddy and the love we will always have for you.  You filled my heart with joy and laughter for the short time you were here with us. Go now my boy, over the rainbow bridge.