I want to share some memories of Scotch ( aka Mr. Poops ). I don't know if this process
will make me feel any better, but it certainly couldn't make me feel any worse than I do right now. Almost exactly seven years ago my wife, Shannon, and I decided we wanted to bring another cat into our life. My wife already had a cat from before we met, but because she seemed to hate
all men, we never really got that close. Around here there a groups of people who rescue cats just prior to them being put to sleep. We knew that this is was the best way for us to find our new pet. We put out word that we were looking for a long haired orange cat. After 2 months and about 10 visits, we found our little guy. He wasn't a kitten, but he wasn't an adult yet either. The rescue people had named him Opie. We decided to change his name to Scotch. We knew we were getting a special cat when the woman asked if we could wait until the following day to pick him up, because her husband was cutting a business trip short so he could say good bye to Opie.
\tThings were a little difficult the first week or two between our old cat and Scotch, but over time they grew closer. Scotch quickly became a very important part of out life. Heck, having him even had a strong influence on our choice of homes. At first, we were living in a small appartment with a screened balcony. He loved being out there so much, that when we decided to buy a home I steered my wife away from condos so we could give him a yard to play in. He was declawed when we got him so we made sure the place had a fenced in back yard.
\tIt seems that the rescue people had a number of coon cats. I am told that they often eat with their paws. I think that might explain his strange habit of dipping his paws in his water before he would take a drink. My wife always kept a glass of water by the bed at night. After few time of Scotch shaking his wet paw in the middle of the night, and giving us a little shower, my wife gave in and gave him his own glass of water by the bed. The silly little buy would eat his food out of a bowl in the kitchen, and rather than drinking out out the water bowl 2 inches to the left of it, he would run into the bedroom to take a drink. It was really sad last night when I went to bed and set my glasses next to his water glass, and realized that there was no reason for it to be there any longer.
\tI spend 2-3 nights a week away from home because of work. Every night I was home, Scotch would sleep next to my pillow. When I was out of town, he would sleep on my pillow. When I go to bed, I always make sure that I squish my pillow toward the middle of the bed, so there would be
room for him. I caught myself doing it last night, but there was no familiar running sound followed by the the thud of him landing on the foot of the bed.
\tScotch was never much of a hunter like other cats. I think he caught lizzards three or four times in his life. Our older cat, who is almost 100% blind has caught more lizards than him. He liked to watch squirrels and birds, but never showed any real attempt to catch one. My wife an I often thought that he thought he was a cross between a human and a squirrel. After a while, the local wildlife figured out how docile he was, and we would often see him snoozing in the grass a feet away from our bird feeder while a handful of doves and a squirrel or two were snacking.
\tThe first thing I would do every morning is open the sliding door to the back yard, to give him some outside time before I had to leave for work. He would never just run out the door. He always walked up to the opening, arched his back, put his fluffy tail straight up in the air, and looked back at me. He would do the exact same thing when I put treats on down on the floor for him, before he started eathing them. I always took that as him saying thankyou. Whenever I come back in that sliding door, I catch myself leaving it open about four inches. Then I look back and realize that there is no longer any reason to do that. I suppose, over the years it cost us a bit of money when the AC was running, but he was worth it.
\tWhenever my wife an I would go out, and come home together, Scotch and our older cat would have a set routine when we returned. For some reason, they would both be by the door, and Scotch would lay down while the older cat cleaned his head. When I cam home yesterday. The older
cat was in the same spot, and was just sniffing around for Scotch. It was heartbreaking.
\tI usually work away from home Monday through Wednesday, but this week I had a doctors appointment on Tuesday, so I reversed my schedule, and worked from home on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday morning I was packed, and ready to head out of town. Scotch spent about an hour in the morning out in the yard. He was a good boy and came right inside when I called. I gave him some treats, and got his little thankyou look, and then I told him I would see him on Friday. I don't know why I always told him my schedule. Maybe it made just made me feel better about leaving him for days at a time. When my wife got home at 4:00, she fed the cats. When Scotch didn't come for food she went over to him and realized he couldn't move his back legs. She jumped in her car and rushed to our regular vet. He sent her to an emergency clinic. Unfortunatly, he passed away before she could get there.
\tThey tell us it was an aortic blood clot, and often times there are no symptoms leading up to it. This was the case with Scotch. I am so happy that my Tuedays doctors appointment changed my schedule and at least gave me the opportunity to say goodby to him on his last day with us.
\tIf you told me last week that a little orange furball could make a grown man cry like a baby, I would have told you that you were crazy. I also would have been very wrong. I miss you Scotch.
will make me feel any better, but it certainly couldn't make me feel any worse than I do right now. Almost exactly seven years ago my wife, Shannon, and I decided we wanted to bring another cat into our life. My wife already had a cat from before we met, but because she seemed to hate
all men, we never really got that close. Around here there a groups of people who rescue cats just prior to them being put to sleep. We knew that this is was the best way for us to find our new pet. We put out word that we were looking for a long haired orange cat. After 2 months and about 10 visits, we found our little guy. He wasn't a kitten, but he wasn't an adult yet either. The rescue people had named him Opie. We decided to change his name to Scotch. We knew we were getting a special cat when the woman asked if we could wait until the following day to pick him up, because her husband was cutting a business trip short so he could say good bye to Opie.
\tThings were a little difficult the first week or two between our old cat and Scotch, but over time they grew closer. Scotch quickly became a very important part of out life. Heck, having him even had a strong influence on our choice of homes. At first, we were living in a small appartment with a screened balcony. He loved being out there so much, that when we decided to buy a home I steered my wife away from condos so we could give him a yard to play in. He was declawed when we got him so we made sure the place had a fenced in back yard.
\tIt seems that the rescue people had a number of coon cats. I am told that they often eat with their paws. I think that might explain his strange habit of dipping his paws in his water before he would take a drink. My wife always kept a glass of water by the bed at night. After few time of Scotch shaking his wet paw in the middle of the night, and giving us a little shower, my wife gave in and gave him his own glass of water by the bed. The silly little buy would eat his food out of a bowl in the kitchen, and rather than drinking out out the water bowl 2 inches to the left of it, he would run into the bedroom to take a drink. It was really sad last night when I went to bed and set my glasses next to his water glass, and realized that there was no reason for it to be there any longer.
\tI spend 2-3 nights a week away from home because of work. Every night I was home, Scotch would sleep next to my pillow. When I was out of town, he would sleep on my pillow. When I go to bed, I always make sure that I squish my pillow toward the middle of the bed, so there would be
room for him. I caught myself doing it last night, but there was no familiar running sound followed by the the thud of him landing on the foot of the bed.
\tScotch was never much of a hunter like other cats. I think he caught lizzards three or four times in his life. Our older cat, who is almost 100% blind has caught more lizards than him. He liked to watch squirrels and birds, but never showed any real attempt to catch one. My wife an I often thought that he thought he was a cross between a human and a squirrel. After a while, the local wildlife figured out how docile he was, and we would often see him snoozing in the grass a feet away from our bird feeder while a handful of doves and a squirrel or two were snacking.
\tThe first thing I would do every morning is open the sliding door to the back yard, to give him some outside time before I had to leave for work. He would never just run out the door. He always walked up to the opening, arched his back, put his fluffy tail straight up in the air, and looked back at me. He would do the exact same thing when I put treats on down on the floor for him, before he started eathing them. I always took that as him saying thankyou. Whenever I come back in that sliding door, I catch myself leaving it open about four inches. Then I look back and realize that there is no longer any reason to do that. I suppose, over the years it cost us a bit of money when the AC was running, but he was worth it.
\tWhenever my wife an I would go out, and come home together, Scotch and our older cat would have a set routine when we returned. For some reason, they would both be by the door, and Scotch would lay down while the older cat cleaned his head. When I cam home yesterday. The older
cat was in the same spot, and was just sniffing around for Scotch. It was heartbreaking.
\tI usually work away from home Monday through Wednesday, but this week I had a doctors appointment on Tuesday, so I reversed my schedule, and worked from home on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday morning I was packed, and ready to head out of town. Scotch spent about an hour in the morning out in the yard. He was a good boy and came right inside when I called. I gave him some treats, and got his little thankyou look, and then I told him I would see him on Friday. I don't know why I always told him my schedule. Maybe it made just made me feel better about leaving him for days at a time. When my wife got home at 4:00, she fed the cats. When Scotch didn't come for food she went over to him and realized he couldn't move his back legs. She jumped in her car and rushed to our regular vet. He sent her to an emergency clinic. Unfortunatly, he passed away before she could get there.
\tThey tell us it was an aortic blood clot, and often times there are no symptoms leading up to it. This was the case with Scotch. I am so happy that my Tuedays doctors appointment changed my schedule and at least gave me the opportunity to say goodby to him on his last day with us.
\tIf you told me last week that a little orange furball could make a grown man cry like a baby, I would have told you that you were crazy. I also would have been very wrong. I miss you Scotch.
