Shortcake

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The cat I had the longest, sixteen years, was found in a dumpster near a construction site, she was a runty little thing. Its whiskers had been burnt off by kids in the neighborhood and it hadn’t eaten in days. I took it home and it would just eat and sleep. That went on for about five days. I thought we'd have to put it down as it was so malnourished. But bit by bit it came around. 2

It had a small bobbed tail (I found out later it was a genetic defect) and had a charming silver tick marked pattern. My daughter named her “Shortcake” because she was sweet as strawberry shortcake and had that tiny tail.3

Lovely little cat. It was a fierce hunter and would always bring us small lizards and mice which were carefully deposited on the back stoop. Funniest thing of all she would heel like a dog when I walked with her, sit and fetch like one too. Small fuzzy pipe cleaners scattered around the house were her toys of choice and would bring them to any willing human. She would sit and wait for us to toss them into the air and the game would last the better part of an hour.4

Through two house moves she was always around until one night she just never came home. I figured the coyotes may have gotten her as she was slowing down a bit and losing her hearing. But then, I still like to think of her just going to sleep under a shrub somewhere and passing quietly.5

Well, that's been nine years now and I still think I see her walk by in the garden, coming to greet me like she used to when I came home in the evening. I still miss her so. Interesting how such a small animal can work such a large place in the memory and the heart.6

~r.7

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