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| Thomas |
He
was sitting on the wall behind my house one Friday afternoon. Usually, when I walk
up to stray cats, they scamper away. But this one was different. He looked at
me and when I turned away, he jumped off the wall and trotted beside me. Always
a soft touch to any creature with fur, I walked into the house and came out
with a bowl of food. As the cat ate, I went inside.
After
several hours, I could no longer see him from the kitchen window. “Good,” I thought,
“now I can put my cats outside.” As I sent
each of my four cats out the back door, a black and white face peered from
around the corner of the house. With his tail high in the air, he walked
confidently towards my four. “Not in my yard,” the four responded, hissing with
ears pinned back. But he wasn’t discouraged. Walking gingerly around my cats,
the stranger settled himself beyond their reach and watched them. Evening came
and the black and white cat was still sitting and watching. “He’ll be gone by
morning” I said as I drew the drapes before bed.
The
air was crisp that next morning, a sweater day. Pulling a coat over my pajamas,
I slid out the back door to get the paper. Out of the corner of my eye, I sighted
a tightly curled fur ball pressed against the foundation. He opened his eyes
and sat by the door, waiting for his new friends. And so it went, day after
day. Once he disappeared for an entire afternoon, but returned by dark.
As
each day passed, it became apparent that this young male, now named Thomas, had
adopted us. Thomas quickly made friends with my elderly cat, Tristan. My other
cats were more leery, but over the weeks, reluctantly accepted this stranger.
Calls
were made to animal control, the humane society, and a “found” ad was placed in
the newspaper. Many people called, some stopped by, but no one claimed
ownership.
Every
night, my heart ached for this friendly cat. Who would abandon this loving and
well-mannered fellow? How could anyone be so cruel?
The
more I thought about this cat, the more I realized that he had arrived in my
life for a reason. How many times, had I been abandoned, rejected, and unloved?
With every hurt, I vowed that I would never reach out to another. With giving,
came pain. Then, I would think about this cat: abandoned, left without shelter,
food and human companionship. But Thomas didn’t hide away; he reached out and
finally found someone who cared enough to reach back. The world isn’t so cruel a
place if you are willing to take a chance with love.
I
would like to say that Thomas’ human companions appeared to bring him back
home. But some people aren’t as kind or as wise. For Thomas’ sake, it is better
that they don’t come. They don’t deserve his companionship. As for me, my household
has expanded by one.
Postscript
– Thomas was a member of my feline household for eight years when he succumbed
to a long-term battle with diabetes. His illness and death impacted my tan and
white cat, Butch Cassidy, whom Thomas helped raise from a three week old
kitten. Butch mourned the loss of his constant companion for a long time.
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| Butch and Thomas |
