" Katz Beales - Sansone "
Fall 1994 ------ April 15 1998
Maine Coon Cat / Mix
Everyone claims they have the perfect cat. Yet in our house it
was true. We first spotted our big gray fluff ball as he lumbered by our
patio door in pursuit of our birds. Certainly as dog lovers we weren't
prepared for his efforts to win our attention and affection. It was
April 1996. Then one day he sauntered across the front walk as I warily
watched him touch noses with my precious poodle Tammy. He rubbed his
body along hers marking her as his own. Next he focused on me doing a
full body flip baring his luxurious white undercoat for me to pet.
Tammy and I were an easy sell; Al took some coaxing. Katz sat in Al's
lap winning him over with his loving gaze.
So our daily visitor became a semi-permanent resident. At first we
thought he was a girl because he was so affectionate. My friend pointed
out that he was a neutered male. By then he wasn't content to just visit
Tammy in the yard; he wanted inside. And the soft-touches that we are,
we granted his wish. Even after our Florida vacation and Thanksgiving
away he kept returning. By November it pained me to put him out at
night because he spent the entire day sleeping on a throw rug by Tammy's
bed. Little by little he earned access to the entire house. By
Christmas he was posing in family pictures a great leap forward into our
lives. Then he got in a cat fight and that sealed his fate. We went
door-to-door with his photo to find his owner. We never met her in
person but found out Charline Samples had rescued him as a stray.
Coincidentally she called him "kitty" as we had.
She graciously gave him to us. It was January 1997.
Thus our love-affair began with this marvelous cat.
We named him Katz a variation on the German spelling of
"katze" the word for "cat."
It was truly amazing how easily Katz fit into our household. He
discovered favorite windows to observe his domain: the living-room
window seat the patio door my office writing desk. In fact he
"penned" a short essay about it becoming a finalist in the Purina
Spokescat of the Year contest. Al quipped that he was watching "Squirrel
TV" as he lay for hours observing their antics and doing his "meow chirp"
at the birds on the feeders.
Our vet suggested that his large size meant he might be part Maine Coon.
He lived up to the breed's characteristics. Katz became attached to one
lucky human me. But the minute Al voiced his disappointment about
Katz's inattention to him he would intuitively land in Al's lap purring
again. He also changed his sleeping spot like clockwork about every five
days--typical behavior for a farm cat. His chatty nature however was
not indicative of the breed. Routinely after an hour outdoors I would
go fetch him calling his name. I never ceased to enjoy the warm glow
that would wash over me when he came running to me just like Lassie did
on the 1950s TV show.
His interest in Tammy somewhat waned but I felt nonetheless that he was
my "angel" cat a gift from God to ease me into the slow demise of my
beloved Tammy. And what an angel he was! How many cats do you know
that don't jump up on kitchen counters or the table climb drapes or get
into things? This boy was a joy because he was well behaved definitely
a credit to his former owner. Also much to my enjoyment he modeled his
behavior after Tammy. Whenever he got spooked he would come skulking to
me and I would hold him like I did Tammy. He would wrap his paws around
my neck clinging to me. I would speak softly until he calmed down,
rewarding me with his purring. One thunderstorm Tammy and Katz nestled
on my chest. He heard the thunder; she felt it. Thus he inherited
another nickname "Chicken Katzatorri."
We truly realized the depth of his love for Tammy when we lost her. He
was very aware of my sad moods and stayed with me during the tough times:
at my feet when she was alive in my bed when she was gone. It was
touching to see him look for her each night. As the weeks went by we
became closer. He carried on a "dialogue" with me all day. I grew to
understand his different meows. And what an expressive face. To look
into those beautiful Chartreuse eyes it was easy to see if he felt
playful sleepy content sad frightened or hungry.
We began to limit his outdoor forays because of a burn injury and another
cat fight and this year he became an indoor cat. He balked for a few
weeks trying to open the kitchen door perched on the trash can but
quickly accepted it. He crouched and hid amid the plants on the window
seat his "outdoors." We played with him more to dispel the pent-up cat
energy. We got him a carpeted cat stand with a scratching post and Susie
sent him a scratching box. We delighted in his swooning addiction to
catnip. Anything—other than toy mice—became prey: a nutmet ball a
walnut a cat treat. I became eager to start clicker training with him;
he was ready.
The tragedy of his untimely death (sudden heart failure) stunned us so
soon after losing Tammy. Yet his short life was so worthwhile. Animals
are gifts from God—a daily reminder of His unconditional love for us. In
my life Katz and Tammy provided me the love and acceptance that my
biological family cannot give. Outside of Al and loving friends these
two pets were my only immediate family. Our comfort is that Katz
"Kitty Coo," completed his God-given mission here.
Now he's reunited with his poodle love Tammy.
Rita Maria Sansone
| Katz |
| Beales-Sansone |