We have a cat. A little black cat named Spooky. And I love her. And that is saying a lot because I used to despise cats.
Cats to me were aloof, independent creatures that allowed you the “honor” of taking care of them. Sometimes they were even hostile. Finicky and arrogant, to me compared to a dog they were vastly inferior pets. My dogs are loving and devoted animals. I would never bring a cat into my home and put up with their quirks. Well never say never.
Almost two years ago my wife Jen called me saying she needed the pet carrier. There was a kitten living at the school that was missing a piece of her ear. The teachers had been feeding her but the principal made it clear that she was going to call animal control and have her removed.
Now I was dead set against this idea but my wife was adamant. Jen said she would be no trouble, that the cat would stay outside, that she would be responsible for her. I was not happy about it but I relented. We now owned a cat. I even disliked the name she gave her, but Jen thought it was appropriate since our new addition was solid black and it was close to Halloween.
The first week was as Jen said. Spooky stayed outside and came home to eat. But even though she was around ten months old she was little. And I was constantly going outside breaking up cat fights and running off the much larger felines that roamed our neighborhood. Spooky was game but she always got the worst of it, and it started to bother me. I found myself proactively going outside mad as hell, making it clear to the other tabby’s in the neighborhood that our house was off limits.
About the second week Jen informed me that Spooky was going to have to be spayed and would have to stay inside for a week. I warned her she would have to be supervised so she didn’t rip her stitches. And I also reminded her that Spooky had never been inside before and would be very anxious about that. I told her to stay with her in my office and be prepared for a long night.
Jen brought her home after the surgery and about 8:30 they went in my office. I have a bed, TV, computer, and a full bath in there so they should have been comfortable. About 11:00 that night Jen came in and woke me up. She said Spooky was uncontrollable and that she was unable to watch her. I got out of bed, grumbled about how I told her so, and trudged to my office.
When I arrived I found Spooky half way up my curtains that cover a series of windows floor to ceiling. I reached up and gently pulled her loose. She looked perplexed and angry. I looked at her and told her that I knew she was hurting but that we both needed to rest, and that I was going to lay down in the bed with her so we could go to sleep.
I then proceeded to the bed and we went to sleep. All night. She curled her paws around my hands and did not let go.
From that point on Spooky was my cat. She healed up and still spent hers days outside but every evening she came home and stayed by my side. She slept on my back, next to me, on my hands, even on my head sometimes. She also would not let the dogs come near me anymore, especially our poor little Chug ( Chihuahua/Pug) Otis.
If I left town for a few days Jen told me Spooky would walk around the house wailing. When I came home she would try and ignore me but finally wouldn’t be able to stand it and would come get in my lap.
If I am taking a shower Spooky waits outside the door. If I am at the computer she climbs up into the chair with me. Some nights she stays out after dark. Jen will call for her to no avail but If I go outside she will appear from the roof, tree, or a fence and walk up to me. She buries her face in my hands until I scratch her cheeks. At night I can feel her nuzzling me and putting her paw on my face, careful not to scratch me.
Now she is still a cat and has all those predatory instincts. Birds, rodents, lizards are all in jeopardy but she is being nicer to Otis now. In fact he is now allowed back in the bed with us. I wake up most mornings with Otis sleeping between my legs and Spooky curled up with one or both of my hands secured in her paws.
Now I’m not going to fill my home with cats. My overall opinion of them is still the same. But I have to admit that when it comes to Spooky I have to make an exception. She is one black cat I was lucky enough to have cross my path.
Hi Merrill
Was hoping you could give me a contact for Carlos Zuniga.
I live in Melbourne, Australia and he and I were friends when he lived here in Melbourne in 1983.
Hope you can help.
Regards
Julie Allan