QUEEN of CATS~ Part 3

Sheba, acclimatizing to her new home,

although not able to lay on my lap or in my arms for more than a minute or two

she would lay on the floor at my feet ~ or stretch out on the sofa beside me.

One evening while watching TV, she lay on her back, permitting me to rub her tummy.

Fun with Knitting Yarn: While watching TV one evening, I was knitting a sweater for my father. The back was in red yarn with forested trees of green along the sides. The back portrayed a small lake with a canoe and paddler in the cool blue waters along a mountain's coast. Inadvertently, I left it on the sofa that night...when 'lo and behold' next morning the carpeted floor was strewn with reds and coloured yarns. Sheba! Sheba! What Have You Done? I have never seen a cat look guilty, have you?

* * * * *

Never yet have I slept on her bed ~ preferring to sleep on a cosy rug beside her bed.

In the morning, upon viewing my mischief,

I considered escaping back to Princess, my Mom's loving nature.

Common sense prevailed ~ knowing I had to redeem myself for this misdemeanour.

My human mother tried to hold me to comfort my bad behaviour,

but as yet, I need my privacy and choices I would make, not to be ruled by this human mother.

That Saturday afternoon ~ I lay on my back on the floor at her feet

allowing her to 'rub my tummy'.

She liked doing this ~ and I loved her human touch.

Perhaps, we will forgive each other.

Another habit she is opposed to ~ is sharpening my front claws on her new sofa. So good it felt for my paws, but noticing the shredding of material caused by my claws, my human mother was most upset!

She made a telephone call~ and I feared it was to return me to the SPCA due to my misdemeanours.

Grabbing the old cage, she shoved me in it and closed its gate.

I felt ABANDONED! POOR ME!

Instead, she took me to a veterinarian and left me there for 3 days. I was ANGRY! I was spitting MAD!

YOWLED I did...and YOWLED again as she left me there!

The Vet, he tried to soothe me but I WILDLY YOWLED again and tried to scratch him!

But with leather gloves, he caged me! What was my PAIN to be?

In a few hours, he needled me...putting me to sleep...and for many hours, I was not aware he was removing the claws from my front paws. When awake, I YOWLED and YOWLED angrily at what he had done to me! How could a big cat like me, live without my front claws???

Where was my mistress? Why did she abandon me?

In a few days, my human returned to fetch me from my fate.

Retrieving me, the Vet wore his leather gloves while I YOWLED and YOWLED again...with all patrons awaiting at the front of his office, heard me, loudly exclaiming my anger! Caging me, the Vet delivered me to my human saviour ~ to return home again with her.

Said she was sorry for the pain she caused me, as we rode back home again ~

explaining to me that living with humans, animals have to make adjustments.

Seeing my 'home on the lake' ...riding up on elevator to the 18^th floor...she key-opened her door... opened my cat-cage...and like the Queen of Sheba...I solemnly walked out to my water dish, then niblled fresh meat from my blue bowl: Real Meat! What a Treat to be Home!

I was Home! I was Home! And longed to smell the outdoors

from my high-level abode!

That night ~ so content and grateful was I, her bed seemed so inviting, I jumped on it (my front paws still hurt a bit ) ~ and for the first time, I slept on her bed!

Trust is a wonderful thing!

I trusted her...she trusted me...so much so that when she went to work, she'd leave the balcony door open so I could go in and out at leisure. One summer afternoon, cat-napping on a balcony chair cushion, I spied a bird, then 2 birds that visited the balcony looking for seeds or whatever; my genes kicked in ~ I must catch this bird!!! With a measured eye (and wishing I had my front claws), I jumped to the chair where the bird landed ~ enabled to catch this avian with my mouth, I dragged it to the balcony floor, appraising my efforts, left it here as a prize to show my human when she came home.

How proud of me, she will be!

It was late afternoon, and after the cuckoo clock struck 5, I heard the elevator with my keen sense of hearing ~ trotted to the door when keying her entry ~ to greet her home arrival.

Brushing against the calf of her leg, I told her that I had a prize to show her.

She wondered what it could be.

Continually brushing her leg and swiftly thrusting my tail, she followed me as directed to the balcony door which stood ajar. I, Sheba, have something to show you! And to her, I said, Come! Follow me!

And there she saw my prize ~ especially captured just for her. She understood my accomplished feat ~ highly praising me for capturing this bird, which now had no life. But, she knew I'd caught this bird, without my front claws, just for her. This woman was my friend...my saviour in more ways than you can believe...my human who cares, shelters and feeds me.

So curious she was about my feline breed...wondering why I was abandoned and left to survive a cold winter...why I was rescued by the SPCA...and now questioning why she was attracted to my tiger-cat striped coat..she contacted Julie, a long time friend, a teacher and cat lover, discussing with her my appearance. Her friend advised, upon research, that I must be a Maine Coon: the largest domestic cat breed. They are big-boned, muscular (with males weighing up to 18 pounds) and can be up to 40 inches in length and come in 75 different colour combinations.

The tell-tale sign of the Maine Coon cat is their fur.

Their ears are lynx-like with tufts of fur on the ends...and also demonstrated in their paws and bushy tail. The Maine Coon is friendly and has a long beautiful coat, but it doesn't mat, requiring only weekly combing. The Maine Coon may havc originated from the matings of domestic cats and wild bobcats. The Maine Coon today is a naive New Englander where he was a popular mouser, farm cat, and most likely ~ a ship's cat.

This was significant history to me, and upon this,

I can be the domestic cat longing to be treated as royalty.

My mistress, my human mother treats me well ~ always catering to my needs.

If only Princess, my birth mother, could see me now: a Maine Coon descendent sired by a 'tomcat'!

Then came a time, when I was very sick. The vet said to my dear human, “It's an incurable disease. I fear her system will shut down. She'll be sickly ~ unable to walk. So you should soon a decision make.” Yes, the time came and seriously sick I was... couldn't keep my food down... wobbled as I walked...lacked energy.. and suffered. With tears in her eyes, my Dear Human said, “ My Dear Sheba,the time has come...you shall suffer no longer.” She retrieved the wooden cage, and laying a blanket inside, I slowly crawled into it ~ my final vehicle to the Vet. To my Dear Human, he said, “Would you like to be with her for her final breath? “No, No,”she said.

“Sheba's had a wonderful life. I shall always remember her.”

To her, I replied, “I'm ready to go to Cat Heaven and there to see my birth mother, Princess.

Author and Writer: Merle Baird-Kerr...April 8, 2019

Comments most welcome: mbairdkerr@cogeco.ca