Friday, October 10, 2008

Of what use is a cat?

Sometimes in the cold of winter, I would find that, although my arm had found it's way out of the warm blankets, it still was curiously warm with the lightweight soft warmth of a furry vibration resting on it, snuggled up close into the curve of my body. It was a friendly, affectionate, even intimate presence; a "you are not alone in your winter hibernation" presence.

And sometimes a little furry paw would reach out to tap my needles as I knit, or a sleek silky greyness would hop up on the tray between me and my weaving or onto the desk as I worked on the computer. This friendly intruder would remind me, "You have worked long enough, you need some social time. Don't take life so seriously; it's time to play!"

Many times when I would sink into a cushion in sadness, worry, or despair, I would quickly find a friend on my lap, letting me know that I was not alone.

Possum loved to stare down big dogs, intimidating them easily into a compatible submission. From him I learned that it is not size or species or age (or gender) that makes the difference. It is a courageous spirit that makes one indomitable. He was named Possum from T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. Our old Possum was a practical cat... though, as with all cats, not really of much use at all, as usefullness goes. But he was a dear sweet part of our family for almost 18 years. He went through all of his nine lives, and perhaps more. We had to let him go today, and there is a hole in our family where he was for such a good long time. I shall miss you, my dear friend.

11 comments:

Jane said...

Hugs to you. Know how you feel, had to say goodbye to one of mine last December, and they certainly leave a hole

L.C. Spoering said...

he lived a good, long life and was a fantastic cat. we'll all miss him.

K Spoering said...

Thanks for the hug. And, Lorrie, somewhere I have a really cute photo of you with Possum. When my eyes aren't so puffy from crying, I'll look for it.

L.C. Spoering said...

i'd love to have it, possum will always be one of my favorite cats.

Anonymous said...

Kathy, I am so sorry the time came to say goodbye to Possum. What a handsome and loyal creature that sits with you at your loom. I'm sure he knew how much he was loved.
(SuzyB...a secret admirer of Wooster)

Anonymous said...

So sorry to hear about Possum,
Kathy - I know how hard it is to
lose an animal. I certainly
hope Wooster will be around for
quite a while to console you.

Carol said...

Oh, Kathy, I am so sorry...he sounded like a very special cat. Peace

Tommye McClure Scanlin said...

My thoughts of the heart are with you and Possum...and our kitty, Raymond, is meowing right now...I guess he's saying he's sorry to hear the news, too.
Tommye

K Spoering said...

Thank you all for your kind thoughts. Possum was an artistic cat, a bit of a fiber artist in his own right. It's odd to be sorting through my yarns for a new tapestry and not have him stealing yarns and creating his own fiber installation. They were quite creative, and he went through color phases... a red phase and a purple phase, specifically. There must have been something in those dyes that appealed to him, as he would sort through my yarn basket to find his color for that phase, then would unwind the ball throughout the three floors of the house, making sure to go around as many chair legs as possible. Then he'd come get me to proudly show it off.

Margaret said...

Oh, Kathy, I'm so sorry to hear about your cat! It's amazing how much a part of your family's life a cat can be... Cats live so much longer than dogs. My sister's cat is 22 years old now (I can hardly believe it!). It would be such a terrible shock. Again, hugs!

lyn said...

Oh, Kathy, my heart feels like it is squeezing tight for you! How hard it is to lose our so very dear furry family members. My very good friend also just lost her old kitty, the first time she's ever been through it. While I was helping her deal with the loss, I found a wonderful website with quotes about cats & dogs, & I sent her a quote... here is one for you to let you know I am thinking about you & Possum...

If there were to be a universal sound depicting peace, I would surely vote for the purr. ~Barbara L. Diamond

Lyn

A time to share, and to refrain from sharing…

After the Open Studio Tour was over, we went for a short trip to Mt. Rushmore. I had never been there, though my husband had seen it several...