A Tar Heel's Reflections: Just An Old Orange Cat

A T A R H E E L ' S R E F L E C T I O N S

Just an Old Orange Cat
by Margie Kye

Halloween night in 1984, 8-yr-old Kelly & I were making the rounds of the neighborhood. It had been a nice day,
but the temperatures were forecast to drop into the 20s overnight and even just after sundown, we were feeling a
real bite in the air. I told Kelly it was time for us to head back.

About a block from home, we heard a little sound; Kelly dashed over to a big bush, and there was a tiny little yellowish-orange scrap of fur, shaking, scared, cold, and plaintively mewing. I picked him up and he was so young
that his eyes were not completely open; and so small that, nose to tail, he fit in the palm of one hand.
I tucked him into my jacket for warmth and home we went.

We named him Joshua.

Poor little thing had no idea how to eat. I warmed a little milk (all I had on such short notice) and he understood
that it was food, but didn't quite know what to do with it! He'd put his nose too far in and come up blowing bubbles, sputtering, but licking and eventually getting a little inside his empty stomach. Afterward, we cleaned him up and
he was ready for a nap.

Then came the issue of litter-training. He was so tiny there was nothing available small enough for him, but I finally solved the problem by using the plastic lid from a can of Maxwell House coffee! I showed it to him once and he
never afterward failed to use his box for the rest of his life!

He was born to climb! We soon learned to always look UP to find him - on top of the curtain rods, on the refrigerator, whatever was the highest point. When he was old enough to go outside, it was up the trees; then up a tree and onto the roof! His favorite method of getting down was to just jump! Many a time I'd glance out a window to see an orange
cat in mid-flight on the way down; I'd cringe - but he'd just twitch his tail for a moment after landing, then
stroll on off.

He never really accepted anyone except me. I guess he bonded with me in the role of 'mama'. Through the years we had other feline residents - Boots, Dusty, Fluffy, Tippy, Tucker, Prissy - but he regarded each one as a blatant home-invader and would have nothing to do with any of them! And woe to the invader who dared to sit on my lap - ever! That was HIS place and they'd better not ever forget it! He slept on the other pillow on my bed at night - snoring. Loudly. My constant loving companion every minute since the evening of 31 Oct 1984.

Yesterday morning began a new year - and I was so hoping that 2004 would be a great year. 2003 had seen many medical problems with Mother, little Fluffy had died in October, then Prissy in November. I put the coffee pot on and began the morning ritual of cleaning and refilling food and water bowls. Tucker, as always, was 'front and center', but Josh - as he did more and more these days - was sleeping in.
Tucker ate and went to find a patch of sunshine for a nap. I went to check on Joshua.

He was on the back of the sofa in the living room where he liked keep a eye on the neighborhood through the front room windows. But very sick. Weak, hardly able to stand, refusing food and water, wheezing badly with congestion.
7:15 New Year's Day morning, but I called Dr Wilhalf anyway. "Bring him in." And off we went.

She started him on fluids and antibiotics at once to rehydrate him and begin the fight against the upper respiratory infection he had developed so quickly. He was placed on a soft heat mat to help bring his body temperature up.
Josh already had a rickety heart valve, arthritis from all those incredible leaps to the ground, high blood pressure, and his kidneys function was in decline - and we just didn't know if he could pull through or not. He was so terribly sick!

Today, Jan 2, we reviewed his situation - which was pretty desperate with no improvement. His old body just didn't have enough left to fight with and his kidneys had shut down completely, which pretty well ended his chances of good life even if he could somehow recover from all the rest.

So today, after 19 years, 2 months, and a few days, Joshua's precious, loving spirit left his worn-out little body.

The rest of the world saw just a regular old orange tabby cat,
but to Kelly & me, he was sparkling green eyes, a special personality, a unique character
who brought us laughter and happiness,
a warm loving friend who shared our lives and our home for nearly 2 decades.

We love you, Josh. Sleep well.