It was about an hour after the Super Bowl had ended. She was definitely upset that Welker had dropped the pass. She must have had money on the Patriots. But, that wasn't the reason. It was her time. I continued to stroke her as the last of her nine lives finally left her body. Indulge me as I go Marley and Me on you and tell you the story of our departed cat Sniffles.
In my neighborhood our house is known as the Hotel Rwanda for stray cats. They all seem to know that they will get three meals a day and a roof over their head if they just show up.
It was about 3 and a half years ago. The rain was soaking the street. We were on our front porch looking for our young stray when we saw this mangy cat crash through the hedge and head in our direction. She lessened in size as she struggled towards us. "Help me. Please help me." We both heard this soaking wet cat's call. Her nose was completely plugged. Scabs and sores lined her back. I ran inside and got a towel for the bedraggled feline. I quickly returned to the porch handing the makeshift blanket to the wife.
The towel wrapped around our new border. Within minutes she stopped shivering. We offered her some food. She hoovered it down. The wife got one of our indoor cat beds and made it up for this poor thing on the porch. Sneezing and exhausted the cat got into the bed. Just before falling asleep the cat said to us, "If I can return the favor, I will". Sniffles returned it in spades.
A trip to the vet and a couple of weeks of rehab had given Sniffles her strength back. The vet had guessed that she was around 14 years old; or maybe a few years passed that. Our much younger stray was curious about the new tenant. Lodger was a baby. Sniffles wasn't. Think Lady Gaga meeting up with Queen Elizabeth. The first meeting was more about tolerance than bonding. The awkwardness soon turned to sisterhood. Only to be interrupted when Lodger would occasionally pounce and Sniffles would say, "get off my lawn".
The front porch didn't provide enough protection for the ever-improving Sniffles; so we moved her to the back. At that time we had an aging senior 22 year old cat in the house. No need to disrupt Tuxedo. Our newest friend was not allowed to roam from room to room. Sniffles was given the back office and backyard to hang. She made the office her home. Especially when she missed her litter box. She never tried to get to the rest of the house. Her single apartment was just fine with her.
You couldn't help but smile every time that you saw Sniffles saunter across the backyard. She had that Masterpiece theatre walk. All she needed was a parasol. A Downton Tabby if you will. Whenever she would find a spot to rest she would start a circle dance. She made more orbits than John Glenn before settling down. She loved her food. She loved our food even more. This feline was an adorable wacky one.
Sadly, after six months, we lost Tuxedo to a Petco in the sky. The wife was devastated. Sniffles was now given free reign to the house. That first night she knew that my wife was miserable with her Tuxedo gone. Sniffles jumped up on the bed and snuggled up to the wife. "Losses are tough. Let me help you through this", Sniffles said.
That is what Sniffles did for the next three years. She acted as more than a buffer. She stole our hearts. She wrapped up joy and delivered it to us every day. She was quite a character. You would open up the pantry door and she'd come running. You would grab a can of tuna and she would say. "Had that yesterday. Let's go with the chicken and vegetables." Her eyes could melt you. You could be at a movie theatre and know that Sniffles would be waiting beside her bowl expecting you to be home soon. I have never had a pet that was so grateful.
It came to an end on Super Bowl Sunday. It was not unexpected. It was not wanted. It was serene and dignified. Towards the end I felt that she was definitely thanking us for the ride.
Things are never meant to be the same. So; you move on. The dynamic of our house has certainly changed. An emptiness that will fade with time. Her surviving sister is confused by the absence. "Have you seen Sniffles?", Lodger asked. With a tear in my eye, I responded to Lodger, "I see her everywhere."
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