Daddy Cat (1987-2005)
Daddy Cat first came into our lives when he followed Miss
Kitty over to our house looking for food. He was a tough
tomcat who chased the other cats out of our yard.
When I first tried to feed him, Daddy Cat hissed and
growled at me. It was not a good beginning! With time,
he mellowed until he became the sweet furkid we know
and love. He was the only cat here who got along well
with all of the other cats. He loved to snuggle and
rub noses while purring loudly. His happy purring was
legendary among the vets he went to. They were never
able to stop him from purring long enough to listen
to his chest. Daddy Cat had led a hard life before
we took him inside. When he had his first vet exam,
the vet found and removed a 22 caliber bullet in his
side. He lived with us for 12 wonderful years.
Daddy loved to lay back in my arms as I called him
a big old lug. He never complained, even with
hyperthyroidism and arthritis in his later years.
Daddy Cat would wake me up in the morning by sitting
on my chest, nuzzling my cheek and purring away at me.
He would occasionally scamper through the house playing
with one of the other cats. He would swish his tail in a
mischievious fashion and bounce after them. Daddy Cat
was never mean to the others. He would groom them when
they wanted it. I never saw him act mad or petty towards
the other cats here. He even got along well with Francis
the bunny. Daddy Cat may have not been the most handsome
cat in the world, but I have never seen an animal that
could give the amount of love that he could give. When
one of us or one of the pets was sick, Daddy Cat would
be right there trying to comfort and console us. He
could sense when we were troubled or in pain and would
do everything in his power to make us feel better.
Afternoons usually found him
lying in a west window in the sun watching the world.
He was always happiest, though, when he was sitting in our laps.
Daddy Cat loved people. He was never shy when strangers
visited, walking right up to them and greeting them
with a rub or head nuzzle.
When I would call him for food, instead of running to the food
bowl, he would wait for me to pick him up and carry him to the
bowl. He would lie back in my arms and purr with a sappy look
on his face while I said "You're just a big old lug!"
Each night he would say goodnight by rubbing his forehead against
my cheek as I sang one of two tunes about him. One song where
I came to the point that I sang about his 'chinny
chinny chin chin' I would pause before scratching his chin.
Daddy Cat knew exactly when this was and he would tilt his
big head over and wait to be rubbed. He was a sweetheart.
Last Fall he began losing weight. As time went on,
he quickly dropped to 6 pounds. He developed bowel
problems which were treated by the vet as IBD.
The treatment did not help and his eating slowed.
One evening he seemed to be asking me for help.
It's hard to explain, but he knew his time left
was short. We rushed him back to the vet.
An ultrasound showed a large mass in his colon
and one in his chest. He was in obvious pain when
we visited him to say goodbye but we could still
tell he was happy to see us. He rubbed our
noses and purred as I held him and we sang his
special 'Daddy Cat' songs to him. I held and
petted him while we sang one of his songs to him
one last time as the vet injected pentobarbital
into his catheter.
We sang (to the tune 'Baby Face')
Daddy Cat. He's just the cutest little Daddy Cat
and everybody knows where he's at. He's our Daddy Cat.
He is just a cutie. He is just our little beauty.
Daddy Cat, and everybody knows that he's our Daddy Cat.
Yes, he's got short gray fur, his fur is everywhere.
He's our sweet little Daddy Cat.
We got about halfway through the song and he was purring
as always as our grand old man relaxed into my lap and
quickly slipped away.
We cried and petted him a little more.
We took him home one last time and buried him
under a large maple tree in the back yard.
Our big guy is at peace now. The pain of his loss
is tremendous. We will always love and miss you,
you big old lug. Daddy Cat, we will forever
remember the love and joy you shared with us.
(Casper and his precious dad Daddy Cat cuddling)
"What's New, Daddy Cat" - sung to "What's New,
PussyCat"
Daddy Cat, Daddy Cat, we love you.
Yes we do.
You and your Daddy Cat fur.
You and your Daddy Cat tail.
You and your Daddy Cat head.
You and your Daddy Cat nose.
You and your Daddy Cat chest.
You and your Daddy Cat...chinny,chinny,chin,chin.
You and your Daddy Cat other chinny chinny, chinny.
You and your Daddy Cat fur once again.
What's new, Daddy Cat? Meow, meow, meow.
What's new, Daddy Cat? Meow, meow, meow.
Meow, meow meow. Meow meow meow meow meow.
Email Ken and Karen
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