RIP Spot

I lost Spot on December 23.

It wasn't unusual for him to disappear for a day,

to tangle with any strays that might wander into

the yard, or go seeking trouble on his own.

So it didn't really surprise us when he limped home

the evening of the 22nd.  There was no visible signs of 

trauma, no blood, no broken bones or yelping when I 

picked him up.  We determined he may have twisted 

something and would be fine in a day or two.

I made  him a little bed out of my old sweaters piled 

into a box.  He walked in, got comfortable and

purred as I sat petting him.  

The next morning he wasn't in the box so we 

figured he was feeling much better and went out

for his normal stroll around the property.

It wasn't until I returned home on Tuesday evening

that I found him lifeless under the porch.

I took a flashlight and checked him out carefully,

still nothing to say what happened.

Now we figured he may have gotten into something

poisonous or caught a mouse that had been poisoned. 

We will never know.

I had to bury him Christmas Eve morning.

We live on a rocky ridge with little to no deep dirt

so I wrapped him in one of my old sweaters,

closed up his box and took him up to the

garden when Lizzie cat is buried. 

Tom gathered stones and brought a couple

of loads up with the tractor and we built a mound

of rock heavy enough so the animals can't disturb it. 

He was our only male, one of many strays that

stayed on with us.  I would say he was my cat

but really, I was his person and he knew he  had

dibs on my lap  as we sat around the fire or 

under the cover of the front porch.

It wasn't the Christmas gift I was looking forward to

but at least he didn't wander off as

some of the past strays have,  where I call

for them for days upon days.

He was a good cat and I'll really miss him.