Cellmates and Farewells

Dear Diary, This morning around 4 am I was shocked and delighted to see Mom thrust Frank into my ZenDen with me. 

As Frank tells it, he had a strong urge to harass Jesse the Toothless Wonder, and chased the dude up over the refrigerator into the loft. There Jesse screamed like a Drama Queen. 

Side note: although not having a single tooth in his mouth, his scream carries amazingly strong throughout the house, and directly into Mom's ears, despite her being relatively comatose.

I later overheard Mom tell Dadders that she'd spent the worst night ever, what with Peaches insisting on draping herself over her legs, and Dori sitting beside her head, tickling her with her whiskers, licking her face, and wiping her wet nose on her cheek. So when Jesse screamed "HAAALP," that was the final straw.

Mom grabbed Frank -- who uncannily expected to receive treats -- but instead found himself thrust into jail with me.

Despite being denied treats (and yes, as his cellmate I was also disappointed) Frank proved to be pretty chill as he threw himself onto my window ottoman and fell asleep.

It was nice having Frank hang with me for the morning. He's a former street fighter, but after eight years of living the good life as a member of the Wonderpurr Gang, Frank has eased with grace into his senior years. I can probably learn life lessons from Frank... but who am I kidding? I'm four years old, and I already know everything.

On a sad note, my family bid farewell to our wild brother, Jack, who would have turned 14 at the end of this month.

Jack was born March 30, 2008 in Southaven, MS under a neighbor's deck. His mom was homeless and unwed. Taking refuge under the deck was temporary. After the deck owners discovered the kittens, she found homes for all but two. 

The two, along with the mom, were shooed out into the cold to survive as best they could. Of course, an experienced Cat Rescue Lady lived next door, so the homelessness lasted less than an hour. 

Mom named the mother Peaches, and the boys Jack and Jesse. They were friendly, tame, and allowed Mom to bond with them. At that time Mom already had nine indoor cats, so Peaches and sons remained outdoor cats.

Sadly, about two years later Jack disappeared. As there was a nearby cat colony, Mom wondered if he had joined a street gang. 

Then, three weeks later Jack returned, walking in circles! She picked him up and rushed him to the veterinarian where he remained for a month. Head trauma, along with the frightening sounds of dogs barking, medical smells and strangers handling him proved to be too much for Jack. He turned feral, and remained that way until his dying breath.

Although Mom never discovered who struck Jack in the head, while at Blogpaws Mom spoke with a pet psychic -- Catlanna -- who, after viewing Jack's photo, told Mom he had been struck with a shovel. As Mom had not mentioned Jack's ailment to Catlanna, she totally believed her.

Unable to pick him up, Mom brought Jack indoors where he easily acclimated to membership among the Wonderpurr Gang. He became best furends with Opie and Herman, and when Peaches elected to move indoors, he was thrilled to have the comfort of his birth meowmy. 

Living with a semi-feral indoor cat was nothing new for Mom. With a rescue tally of 100+, Mom specialized in ferals. Upon moving to Southaven, she made the decision to move her two feral tabbies, Moose and Logan, indoors where they lived into their teens.

That Jack lived to 14 without another trip to the vet is truly remarkable. He was happy, surrounded by his mom and his friends. Jack now rests in peace outside our front door where he will always be remembered. A memorial chime hangs over his grave, providing him with music when a soft breeze drifts over him.

Farewell, Jack. You were an amazing cat, and you will be missed.