Monday, June 27, 2011

Cat Tales

Has Beau Bear Gone to that Great Storm Drain in the Sky - or Not?

Beau Bear's left haunch was obviously suffering . He was limping, eating at his leg, twitching, and occasionally had a full body spasm. His inability to walk on his hind legs increased. X-Rays and blood tests resulted in him showing up as healthy as a kitten - a fine feat for an old man of a cat!! 

Nevertheless, he got to the point where I would have to pick him up and take him to his litter box, take him to his food bowl, take him to his hidey hole, and put him on my lap.
While de-fleeing the house one Sunday, I had him on the chaise on  the porch with me. Not fearing that he would run off, I let him rest on the chaise.  Out of nowhere he leaped off the chaise, tore down the stairs, across the lawn, up the street, and climbed down into his favorite place - the storm drain on the corner. A bright white light seemed to be surrounding him.

He was gone for at least two weeks, when I got a call in California that Beau Bear had come home, none the worse for wear. He left again and returned three days later when I got home. I kept him in the house to observe him. He appeared to have improved. When I put him outside, he didn't tear off, rather hung around his two mates -Bo Cephus and Bo Tres. He came back at night, rather skittish, left, and hasn't been seen since.

I hope he isn't in the storm drain because it has been raining "cats and dogs' for three days.

Maybe his behind will heal and he won't be traveling along like a rabbit without a hop.
Maybe he has left this earthly plane, but returns occasionally in hopes of one more boiled shrimp.
Maybe he has gone into hiding to spend his final days gracefully and peacefully.

I have also wondered if perhaps his return visits are my denial defenses and chronically overstimulated imagination caused by missing him so much it hurts. 

He has been my "main man" for many years. When I die, perhaps my ghost will hover, too. People will talk of sightings of the old broad on Lake Street, calling for her beloved Beau Bear in the dark of the night from the railing of her porch!!!

Tell me a cat tale!


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not silly at all. When we first married, we adopted a little stray kitten who was covered in fleas. As novice de-flea-ers, we tried a flea colllar, but notice that our legs were bitten so badly that we had to do something else. Can't remember what. But our little kitten earned her name of Scratch for all the work she was doing in swatting those terrible fleas. After she was better and the house was de-flea-ed, she slept with us at the foot of our bed. A great companion when I got home from school and sat down to grade papers. We had her for only about 1 year, but she was a very special pet for us. When some of the neighborhood kids told us she had been hit by a car, we were devastated. For several weeks, we would "hear" her meow at bedtime and go to the door to check to see if by chance they had been wrong and that she had come home. She never did, but we always think of her when we hear cat stories and especially if someone is bragging about making a cake from scratch.

So sorry about your loss. Pets are great spirit companions.

Love and care, Lynda

Anonymous said...

Your 2 blogs are so entertaining ... contain abundant wisdom ... I picture you at your computer ... smiling, biting your lip then sighing when you come to the last "period" only to re-read it several more times to carefully make changes. With an enormous sense of humor, there is such depth in sharing of your honesty and frustrations!

Am late in reading these 2 blogs as I wanted to have a period of quiet time both, physically and mentally. It is Saturday morning ... the birds are eating quietly at the feeder, dogs asleep in their bed, an occasional soft breeze, low humidity with 80 degrees on the deck. Scott is home and very chatty. He has taught me Excel and Quicken for which I cooked him food he hasn't had in the 2 years he's been away! He brings me Dunkin' Donuts coffee very morning! So nice having him around once again.

Messed up with the IRS stuff making Wilton Interfaith Council lose its non-profit status. Now have 2 CPAs, a board of directors which includes along with a CPA, a lawyer, treasurer, the Director of Social Services and me! For 14+ years I have paid the bills for people in need along with keeping financial records without anyone asking anything. If nothing else, I have expanded my brain with Excel and Quicken!

Love, Winkie