Five years ago we adopted Jake, a lively, lovable kitten. My goal was to have a cat to prowl my garden and keep the rabbits and rodents at bay. The rabbits and squirrels had devastated my perennials and bulbs. After several weeks we decided Jake needed help, so we adopted Ruby, a lovely, long-haired kitten. The two of them grew up to be energetic, protective sentries in the garden, and lovable pets when they were indoors.
Having cats that go outdoors, you know their lives may be shorter than if they always lived indoors. In 2009 Ruby disappeared for four weeks - it was devastating - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1049923/ - but one day, miraculously, she reappeared.
Last night, we had a guest for dinner and, as we sat on the patio having cocktails before dinner, both Jake and Ruby put in an appearance to greet the guest and receive some attention. When we came in for dinner, the cats stayed outside, as they normally do, to spend the might prowling the grounds.
This morning, I went out at 6:00 am, as usual, to feed the birds and water plants. Usually both cats follow me around, then come indoors to get breakfast and a 'treat', but this morning, only Ruby greeted me on the patio. Jake sometimes is still prowling, so I didn't think much about his absence.
When he hadn't appeared by ten AM, I became concerned. I spent the day working in my garden and Jake, normally by my side as I work outdoors, was nowhere to be seen. By three PM I feared the worst. I scanned the creek behind my house (coyotes have been seen in the neighborhood and just last week two dogs got loose from their owner and chased Jake through my border garden and up a tree) and looked for signs of a struggle.
We were getting ready to go to a dinner party at six PM when the phone rang and a neighbor asked, "Is Jake indoors?" I replied that I hadn't seen Jake all day and the neighbor said - "there is a dead cat in my yard."
I grabbed a towel and ran across the street. There, in my neighbor's back yard, was Jake, laying on the ground. I picked up his stiff corpse and held him in my arms. There was no sign of physical violence, so I can only assume that he was somehow ill and died quickly. He showed no signs of illness in the last few days, and yet, there he was, dead.
We cancelled our plans for the dinner party and I dug a grave for Jake in my garden. Wrapped in the towel, I gently laid him to rest under a Japanese maple tree, beside the creek where he often sat, watching the ducks in the water. It was almost sunset, and I thought of the many days when he would join us on the patio as we had a cocktail before dinner. He always seemed to enjoy socializing with the 'grownups' before we went in to dinner and he and Ruby began their evening rounds in the garden.
Tonight, Ruby came to sit with us on the patio as we had a cocktail, to toast Jake's life and mourn his loss. She seemed to sense the loss we felt and comforted us by her presence.
Here are a few highlights of Jake's life.
