MY FELINE FRIEND

By Arline Grant

1 Apr 2010

It's hard to believe that fourteen years have passed since I walked into the animal shelter and saw that scrawny little kitten with a sign on his cage that said "does not like humans". Who would ever take him home with a sign like that? Well...me, of course! That was the day I became Agape's human. On his terms...for life.

We had two other cats back then. Nick and Marlin. Marlin passed over in 2005 and Nick at the age of 20 said his final goodbye this past August. Nick and Agape were the best of buds and after twenty years for me and fourteen for him...it has been a tough adjustment not having the leader of the pack around.

It has changed Agape. He has become more affectionate. After all these years he now sits between Bob and I on the sofa to watch television at night. I used to think the sign was right, maybe he was afraid of humans. He never really was a lap cat. (at twenty four pounds I am thankful for that) We now think Nick must have hogged all the attention and Agape knew his place.

So, while we miss the old guy and his antics...now it is Agape's turn. It is his turn to get all the attention; to be brushed every morning; to sit with me at the computer and to follow me around the garden.

Maybe it's not so bad being the lone cat after all.

He doesn't jump anymore, stairs are okay to go up but not to go down (hey, I'm not any better than him on that one) He can't catch a mouse in the basement anymore but that's okay....he earned his keep just by being himself. After all Agape is LOVE.

2 responses

Michael Kenney gave props (1 Apr 2010):
Wonderful story. This is a very nice collection of photos. Well done.
jen bellefleur gave props (1 Apr 2010):
you're lucky to have each other. you've been a good friend to this beautiful animal, and i understand why you took him home. many years ago i adopted a puppy from a litter at the shelter, and i took the one that DIDN'T bound forward to act happy to see me. he was the best dog i ever even heard of.