A Eulogy
He was a good cat. He left us in much the way he lived his life with us. Quietly, and without fanfare. No one really remembers how long we had him: 8, maybe 9 years. Buttons came to us as a stray, and quickly won the hearts of everyone but my husband, Tom, who once dropped-kicked him out of the house. Eventually, even Tom had begrudging respect for him, saying, "yeah, he's a pretty cool cat, he's alright."
Buttons must have realized early on that we weren't really Cat People, in that we don't assign elevated status to furry felines, so he managed to keep a low profile. He went from being an inside, suburban kitty to an outside, country cat when we moved, and he did it with class. He accepted his role as mouse/cricket/snake catcher, and relished the freedom of wide open spaces. He outlasted at least 5 other cats, a true Survivor.
Aloof, yet affectionate on his own terms, Buttons was a paradox. He would follow us on long walks (he was a Company Boy), but far enough away to be considered an observer. Maybe a protector. Often he would sit nearby, just out of reach so we couldn't pet him, but he would purr to let us know he appreciated the effort. Then again, he was known to settle on our laps and while away the time, especially if we sat outside in the breezeway.
I'll miss seeing his silhouette on top of the car in the moonlight. I always kind of felt he was keeping watch over the place.
I'll miss seeing that "silent meow," in which his lips moved but no sound came out. It was particularly effective when he would look inside through the glass door when it was cold out.
I'll miss seeing him draped over a porch chair, or crouched with his tail curled around his front feet.
I'll miss seeing him touch noses with our big old Lab, Beau, and I'll miss that loud purr he had.
In the end, we noticed him aging right before our eyes. We thought he started looking a little mangy. He didn't take care of himself with pride like he used to. His coat looked dull, unkept, and he was missing a few teeth. Poor Buttons, we would say. We wondered how much longer he would last.
Then one day, we noticed we hadn't seen him in at least a week. And just like that, he was gone. No grave to dig, no body to bury. We've all agreed it was the perfect way to end for a really cool cat. He left us wondering, scratching our heads a little, and reminiscing about his life.
No, we really aren't Cat People, but some cats are just a cut above the rest. Buttons was that kind of cat.
Rest In Peace, buddy. We'll miss you.
Rachel Anne
