My old man

[susandennis]

I got Jake when he was about 5 weeks old. He was a stray wandering around my condo complex in Morgan Hill, CA. It was August of 1989. I already had Bubba who was then about 10. Jake was happy to have food and home and a person. Bubba was not so happy to have Jake. My condo had a 6x6 foot terrace surrounded by a 6 foot fence. And a cat door.

Bubba roamed the 'hood. I always thought he had a day job somewhere. He'd come home at night and had a spot on the bed that was his. Not mine. Not Jake's. His.

But, Jake stayed home. Even when he got big enough, Jake rarely hopped the fence. He could do it, he just usually didn't.

I do remember one day I came home to find Jake coming back over the fence which was unusual in itself, but this time he had something in his mouth... I rushed to shut the cat door assuming it was a mouse or something else that I didn't want in the house. I got outside where he stood with his prize and discovered that it was not a mouse, it was a freshly grilled chicken leg! Off of someone's backyard cooker!! Jake brought me dinner!!!

I was both horrified and delighted. He had a tag with his name and my address on it or I would have maybe sent him back to pilfer a wing and some potato salad...

After the big earthquake in October of 1989, Jake never left the back yard. He got fat - oh so fat. I mean he was the size of two cats with a head the size of one. Bubba died and we got Pizza. Pizza was full of piss and vinegar. She was half his size and totally had his number. He'd be sleeping on the couch and she'd come by and swat him just because. He was always watching her and on full alert... But, when she died, I swear he was sad.

Meanwhile along the way he started shedding pounds. One of my friends who came over to survey the Seattle earthquake mess noticed it first so that would mark it February 2001. Over the years he's turned super model thin. He eats regularly and happily - he loves to lick my dinner plate - and has more energy than ever. And that kitty dandruff that he had for years is all gone since he can now groom his own back.

But he's nearing his end, I believe. He's throwing up more and more - last night on my bed, thanks a lot (really, thanks for using the edge anyway so I could just avoid it). There's the peeing on the bathroom rug (which has abated a bit but continues even with my being vigilant about keeping the liter box pristine).

But, I think mainly there's been kind of a personality change. He's never been a silly cat. Betty will play and play whether you want to or not. I swear she giggles. He's never been that way. He'll swat at a toy at the end of a string but he has just never been too smiley. Lately he's gotten even more serious. He will not let me compute alone. He has to be right there - generally standing in front of the monitor. He follows me around and while he lets Betty sit with me on the bed while I read every night, when the light goes out, she leaves and here comes Jake who is there all night.

His clock is ticking. And he's going to be sorely missed. But, for now, he's carrying on in his job of being my old man.