5/24/10
Dear Friends:
On Wednesday, my husband and I put down our 19 year old cat, April. We are both heartbroken, as she has been there through so many good times and bad.
She was initially our neighbor’s cat, but they had five other cats and a dog so she didn’t like living with them. She spent all of her time with us, but our neighbor asked us not to feed her, as she was concerned about April crossing such a busy street to come visit us. But, the reality was, that April was then forced to cross the street to go home to eat!
One day, I saw an ad in the paper for a vaccination clinic. I called our neighbor - “Does April need her vaccines?” Our neighbor came over, picked April up, took her for her vaccines, and then brought her back to our front door, rang the bell, and handed her over to us!
When I was due to have foot surgery, and spend 6 weeks totally off my feet, we inquired about making her “our” cat, and our neighbor agreed. She was then about 3 years old. She’s been my constant companion ever since, trotting alongside of me, keeping me company as I go about my day.
She was an extremely smart cat. In our former house, we had door knobs, which we had to keep locked, or April would let herself out into the back yard or into the garage. In one year, our tiny five pound calico cat caught 11 gophers! Unlike many cats who will stick their paws down a gopher’s hole, letting the gopher bite them, or at least, tipping the gopher off as to the cat’s intent, April would sit next to the gopher hole for as long as it took. Eight hours at a stretch if necessary. She would wait for the gopher to stick its’ head out, and then grab it. Fast!
One time, she appeared to have brought me a dead gopher. She laid it out on the back door step. I went into the garage to get the outdoor broom to sweep it up. When I came back, the gopher started moving! I was so startled that I started hitting the gopher over the head with the broom - whack! Whack! Over and over and over again! April just sat there watching me, with this look on her face that said, “Don’t you want to eat the delicacy alive mom?”
Those who knew April knew what beautiful full, long fur she had, and what beautiful coloring. One time, we were outside gardening, and this man, whom I had never seen before, came by on his walk and said, “That is the most beautiful cat I have ever seen in my entire life.” This was before we had formally “adopted” her, but I still said, “thank you” as if she were my cat and I was responsible for how beautiful she was!
But, like a calico, she expected to be treated like the Royal Highness she was. She had heating pads (the kind for cats) throughout the house. The pillow I purchased (the very expensive pillow I purchased) for my neck, I never even got to try before she confiscated it to her own use. And would she eat the reasonably priced food sold at the grocery store? Of course not! Only gourmet food for her! If I brought home chicken to eat, she would plop herself on my chest, glare at me, and make it very clear who was to be served the first piece!
Our house now seems very quiet. But as sad and heartbroken as I am, I also feel very blessed to have had such a good friend for so many years.
Priscilla Herzog, North County Humane Society volunteer
