Backie - The Katrina Kitty

Well just when you think there's no more to tell. So I talked with my neighbor who, also cares for the kitties, and it seems like Blackie, or Backie as I would often call him to dinner with saying "Backie, Backie. Where's ole Backie" and he would almost almost always come a runnin', had a past I knew nothing about. It seems he was brought here along with the other kitties and was living in a drainage ditch in New Orleans and that some idiot shot him just for fun sometime just after the Katrina storm, after which my neighbor packed up and moved here.

I stated earlier I thought Blackie had been a former neighbor's cat. But this new revelation explains to me why he was such a good mouse catcher (and had not qualms about eating his prey or about anything else) and why he would stay close to home and those of us who loved him. I am, of course, still not over the loss. And this latest revelation just makes my memories of our time together that much more fond.

I also learned that Brownie's "other name" is Tiny. Southern folks often tag larger people with that name, As you know Brown is quite large and seems to grow by the day despite apparently eating little. And Hairy is also called Fluffy. Half a dozen of one, six of the other as they say. LOL

My neighbor confirmed that Hairy was apparently just abandoned. What a shame that someone would abandon a declawed kitty who is so mild and timid. But their loss is my fortunate gain, thanks to the kindness of my neighbor who brought her our way.

So I guess, come to think of it, all 3 kitties were Katrina kitties. This may well explain their behavior during severe storms.

The Empty Place

It's probably too soon to write about this but just like the loss of a human friend it will take time to adjust to the changes and the feelings.

Take for example eating. Hairy loves the gravy but only picks at the meat pieces. This was no problem before as Blackie was always on a "see food" diet. All the food he saw is all he wanted. LOL

If Blackie wouldn't eat something from my plate then I stopped buying it for myself. There HAD to be something wrong with it. (grin)

And now I really don't know what to do with those leftovers from both my plate and the kitty dish.

I'm sure somewhere there is another kitty who needs a loving home who may have similar qualities but I am old enough to realize that this is no time to look. It's time to grieve properly. And having had my share of pets over the years come and go I know the hurt will ease.

I guess it's a little worse now thanks to all the technology available today in the form of cheap and plentiful pictures, not to mention some security cam footage of Blackie just being good old Blackie. I probably need to store those away for a little while because I keep second guessing myself thinking I could have done something differently that night and he would still be with me today. I hope he knows he was loved, wherever little pet friends go.

I know from the recording he went over to take a drink of water, looked at my front door, then pranced up by the street. This was not so unusual for him, as I have shared in the past. But then for no reason he went to the exact center of the street to lay down, seemingly knowing his fate. Cars went past him but he didn't budge. So I suppose he felt it was just his time to go. I just wish I could have hugged him one last time. I think that is the most sad part.

So just remember when you part company with someone or some pet friend, even as a routine part of your day, keep in mind that we are not promised tomorrow so keep short accounts in the mad department and never part without an "I love you honey" even when you're at odds over some trivial thing.

From A Miracle to Tragedy

It is with great sadness that I must report that my friend Blackie is no longer with us.

I will probably elaborate more on this loss later as I decide whether to continue with this blog. I probably will continue if only as a memorial to all that Blackie the Wise has taught me in our time together. I don't think it's really sunk in yet or just how much I've come to depend on him.

The funny thing about this loss is I always thought I would lose him due to illness. Ironically it may be my love and attention (not to mention frequent feedings) gave him borrowed time on this earth. From what I could gather from the security cams (he was in a blind spot for a while) he just decided it was his time to go and laid out in the middle of the street. Animals do that sometimes when they want to spare their human friends prolonged grief.

My only regret is that due to him going to the bathroom on my carpet repeatedly I had stopped allowing him in the house. He didn't like that at all! but I tried to let him know he was loved all the same even if he couldn't come inside anymore. At the time of his demise he otherwise very likely would have been in the house right next to me on the floor.

But he has done this sort of thing before, as you may recall, this playing in the street. But I was always vigilant to intervene before but this is the one time I missed. I know it sounds dumb but I made sure Hairy and Brownie saw him before I lowered Blackie to his final resting place. I tried to impress upon them both, as best a kitty can understand, that this is the danger of playing by the streets and that our beloved was not coming back.

I honestly do not know if dogs and cats go to heaven. I hope they do. I would really like to thank Blackie for our time together and for his diligence in keeping down the rodent population.

Rest in Peace, my sweet friend Backie, Backie.