The Comfort of an Old Cat


Very unusually, we have been down to just one cat for over a year and a half now, and I really miss having kittens - or more than one cat - in the house. But I have also discovered the comfort of an old cat, one who now gets and gives undivided attention.

Sam will be 14 in March although to look at him you'd think him much younger. He's black and white ( a cow cat!), sleek, muscular, and has the most gorgeous fat tail. Sam came to live with us in late spring 1993 after my brother John's cat had kittens. We couldn't decide which one we wanted and so ended up bringing all three home! Smudge was killed a few years later; Woofie died just last summer.

If I just must take a nap in the afternoon - and some days it IS a must - Sam is right there draped over my shoulder. If I'm reading, he'll occasionally pat my cheek, otherwise he just snuggles. When I sit on the couch to watch the evening news and knit, he is on the pillow behind me with his paw resting on my shoulder, once in a while nuzzling the back of my head. He's in the kitchen with me when I cook, on my desk when I work at the computer, and always in my heart.

Sam is an outdoor cat and even on days like today - it hasn't gotten up to zero yet - he wants out. When the gardening season starts, he'll be right there, catching moles, voles and other little critters AND just visiting.

Right now, Sam is sitting in the morning sun, looking blissfully peaceful. Not only is he a constant comfort, but there's a lot to be learned from an old cat!

Mary