 |
A Tribute to a Cat Named Velcro |
| Updated: Jul 24, 2007 |
This page is a written collection of our memories of her. Reading it may invoke laughter and tears.
I re-read it now and again... and, at this writing, nearly seven years later I still smile, chuckle, and cry when I read it.
One day, years before we met, my ladywife (noted below as "mommy") wanted a cat.
So she went to the pound...
Velcro
she was a medium-sized cat
except for a few times
when she was fat
she had green-amber eyes
and very black fur
except for a white spot on her chest
a pretty cat, with a short little tail
she has kittens when she's very young
how did she end up at the pound?
it's a scary place
she feels miserable
a new mommy rescues her from the pound
she hangs on to the new mommy and won't let go
that's how velcro gets her name
she's the only cat in mommy's place
velcro is a little nervous
and wants to stay very clean
lick lick lick
she has all dark whiskers
except for one white whisker
but that one falls out
while she is young
velcro likes to play pounce and run
she hides behind the couch
and waits for mommy to walk by
then she runs out
grabs mommy's ankle
and runs raway
what a fun game
she likes to sit in mommy's lap
mommy pets her a whole lot
for a long time
velcro is very vocal
she says m'rau in many ways
and she mirps and goes b-r-r-r-r-r-r
and sometimes she grunts
a little like a pig
mommy notices that velcro overgrooms
licking her fur over and over again
because she's nervous
mommy learns that the best cure
is to get another cat
one day someone brings mommy another cat
mommy calls her fiona
she is a big long-haired calico
velcro shows her around the place
and they get along fine
almost all of the time velcro is top cat
despite being younger and smaller than fiona
fiona has a high-pitched voice
which is funny
because fiona is a big cat
velcro has a medium-pitched voice
except when she's angry
then she growls low
fiona and velcro wash each other's faces and ears
to stay clean
velcro likes to stay clean
lick lick lick
velcro also likes to be pet while she eats
who ever saw a cat like that?
she purrs and eats at the same time
and lifts her rump high in the air
she also eats fiona's leftover food
velcro also likes to eat things
some other cats don't like
mommy will start to eat an orange
and velcro will try to climb up her leg
to get to it
velcro loves to play with string
or anything that she thinks is string
she also likes to play with milk jug rings
and twist ties and rubberbands
velcro likes to be on things
on the counter
on the shelf
on the desk
on the couch
so she can be closer to people she likes
velcro helps mommy get up in the morning
she hops up on the bed
and walks on her stomach
and nuzzles her nose
and when that's not enough
she'll go around to mommy's ear
stick her wet nose in it
and say me-YOWWWWWWW
this will wake up mommy and
then mommy will get out of bed
and follow velcro into the kitchen
to pet her while she eats
fiona and velcro like to nap under things
like furniture and clothes
where it's cool and dark and quiet
mommy and signy bring fiona and velcro with them
whenever they move to a new place
velcro doesn't mind riding in cars
she just takes a nap
not like messy fiona
mommy likes to pick up velcro
and hold her in her arms
but velcro will get up on mommy's shoulder
then mommy bends down and
velcro walks down her back and jumps off
velcro doesn't need to be brushed
she doesn't shed fur
fiona does, she sheds a lot
and really likes to be brushed
velcro wants to go outside
but she's an indoor cat
one day mommy leaves fiona and velcro with signy
then signy brings in two really young cats
bubble and squeak
everyone gets kitten chow to eat
and fiona and velcro become fat
mommy comes back once in a while
to take away more of her stuff
and say hello to the cats and signy
mommy comes back
then mommy and signy bring
fiona and velcro
to mommy and daddy's new place
a long way away in a car
messy fiona
velcro isn't messy
she almost never makes hairballs
and almost never coughs up food
velcro is a very neat cat
lick lick lick
mommy and daddy have kitty furniture at the new place
a big place to sit on top
with two posts for scratching
and it's next to the outside and sunshine
mommy and daddy don't give the cats
kitten chow at the new place
velcro wants to go outside
but she's an indoor cat
most of the time
velcro and fiona have a rule:
only one of them stays up on the bed
if fiona is already there,
velcro will go sleep in the living room
most of the time
but sometimes at night
like when it's cold outside
velcro naps between mommy and daddy
while fiona sleeps on mommy's head
mommy and daddy stop petting velcro
while she eats
because they think
it encourages her to eat too much
being indoor cats
velcro and fiona don't get a lot of exercise
but they like watching and chasing
the feathers on a stick
that look a little like a bird
they also like laying on their backs
like road-kill kitties
one day mommy and daddy pack up
and move to a bigger place
fiona and velcro blame each other
but they don't fight
mommy picks up velcro and
velcro stretches out and lays on her side
in mommy's arms for a little while
mommy discovers that velcro
will lick the hairball gel
right from the tube!
this isn't what the directions say!
but they don't know velcro
velcro will come up to daddy or mommy
and lift her up rump
so that they can pet her
and he can play her like a drum
she likes the attention
and maybe it reminds her
of being petted while she was eating
velcro will find a pile of random papers
or a basket of clean laundry
or a stack of fabric
or the box of wool
to make a nest and take a nap
as velcro gets older
her voice gets a little more dry
her eyes get a little less bright
and she's licking off more of her hair
she becomes a two-tone velcro
she's an old lady
but she still likes to chase string
and hop on laps
and purr-r-r-r
velcro gets some lumps in her belly
and they grow
so mommy and daddy take velcro and fiona
to the cat doctor
fiona doesn't put up a fight on the table
she just whines to herself
but not velcro
she growls and hisses
and wants down NOW
but she doesn't bite or scratch
mommy feeds velcro some cat medicine
mommy has to be quick
or velcro will spit it right out
the cat doctor says
velcro has serious health problems
mommy and daddy are very very sad
but realize that keeping her
from a lot of pain would be good
and the way to do this
is to have her put to sleep
so she won't have any more pain
velcro spends a little more time being
closer to mommy and daddy now
maybe it's her way of saying
thank you and goodbye
velcro wants to go outside
but she's... leaving pretty soon
so daddy lets her outside
velcro wants to go outside more
she wants to explore
mommy gets a leash for velcro
mommy discovers that velcro
can get out of the leash
with little problem
and she yowls to get back outside
where she can eat the grass
and explore
sometimes she goes outside
with mommy or daddy
without the leash
she doesn't go very far
and sometimes she waits at the door
to be let back in
all too soon signy visits
to say goodbye
and to go with mommy to the cat doctor
and mommy and daddy and signy cry a lot
mommy and signy hold velcro
and pet her a lot
then daddy plays velcro like a drum
one last time
mommy feeds velcro
a big pile of wet food
and velcro eats it all up
mommy and signy take velcro
away in the car
to the doctor
a needle goes in
and velcro's body goes to sleep
and her spirit is unleashed
mommy and signy come back
with velcro's body
wrapped in a blanket
so that fiona knows what happened to her
signy and daddy dig a hole in the back yard
under the trees
under the pine needles
under the leaves and the clay
for velcro's old body
wrapped in a light blue blanket
mommy puts the blanket in
and everyone puts the dirt back over
and mommy and signy cover the place
with a nice ring of bricks
that looks a little like a flower
or the sun
or the spokes of a wheel
velcro's spirit
just might have been watching
all of this
if she wasn't already busy
chasing some cosmic string
or being reborn
maybe as another kitten
-- R.W.
original version posted on 20 Sept. 2000
but I tweak things now and then
and I learn about more things from "mommy"
so, I add them
Epilogue and commentary
The day after we said goodbye to Velcro, we went on a marvellous vacation that we had already scheduled. We also went to escape the grief of painful, inevitable loss. The day before we left, some nearby friends told us they found a kitten "beating on their door" to get in. The kitten had black fur with white chest and socks and amber eyes. She was about two months old and really friendly.
Ten days after we had Velcro put to sleep, and a few days after we got back from the vacation - we took in the kitten to see if she would get along with old Fiona. We decided to call the kitten Tika. She's not exactly Velcro, and we're glad she isn't, but there are more than a few similarities! At about four months of age, Tika had a big appetite and was still finding her meow.
{ I'll write more on Fiona and Tika in the future. }
I wrote about Velcro so I could save and share as many memories as I could about this wonderful cat, our little "bête noire." She lived about twelve years — a decent time for a cat. She had a good life and it was difficult for all of us to say goodbye. We believe putting her to sleep was a good decision — and the doctor agreed.
I dug my first grave that day, a place for Velcro's body in the back yard. I remember her being in my lap in the morning, then in the ground in the evening. That was rough, but that's life: death of the body is inevitable.
Dealing with things that I can't really do anything about is one of the Lessons I'm learning more about. When loved ones die, it's a big change that can rattle the emotions. Many people have a need to grieve. Let your tears flow, but don't drown in despair. It's good to accept changes, especially when they are truly inevitable. When the time comes, make the change a good one — and do it with style.
I hope you found this page worthwhile reading.
Your feedback is most welcome.
Original page posted: September 20, 2000.
Links tested: September 2, 2007. Last tweaked:
July 24, 2007.
The address for this page is [ www.therotunda.net/velcro.html
]
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