Schuester

It was a long journey for the old North Carolina cat we called Squeak. Our One-Eyed Fiona led us to the door where this poor little kitten was waiting for something to eat. He ate and ate and could not gain weight. As it turned out, he had a long tapeworm. He was so small he couldn't cry or meow, only "Squeak."

Nine years later he developed some overgrowth of bad bacteria. I don't know how it happened but the vet sold me all sorts of antibiotics, good bacteria, stool tests. The bacteria finally went away and then he went on steroids that did help. For four months, I cleaned his mess out of the carpet and when it got warm enough, I put him outside.

He always loved to get out a couple times a month. He'd stay out for a couple days and come back eventually. I didn't want to let him out in this neighborhood but he managed to get out a few times despite my best efforts to keep him inside and spoil him.

The last month of his life, he spent on the porch. Sometimes he'd run under the trailer or he'd visit the neighbor cat but usually he said on a chair on the porch. He looked so happy and majestic. King of his castle. He didn't need to look out the window anymore. He could lay in the sun and I swear when he squinted his eyes, I could see a smile.

I left town to attend my brother's graduation in Grand Rapids. He graduated with a BS in pre-seminary studies and a minor in communications and ancient Greek. Anyway, the Sunday morning on our nine hour trip back home, Greg called. He had spent the night to feed him and cuddle. He called for him but Squeak didn't come.

Sometimes, he liked to come inside for a little while to snuggle but this night he didn't. When Greg got up the next morning, Squeak lay under his chair dead. I always heard that cats run away and hide to die. We think he died suddenly and his suffering ended. I like to think that the last days of his life were pleasant and he knew how much we loved him.

I didn't want another cat. Gypsy started laying on the floor which she never did. She kept looking for him and crying. When she started camping out in the floor in front of the door, I decided I'd have to get another cat. New kitten is Schuester. Pictures later.