You know, sometimes I hear people talking about their partners/boyfriends/wives/etc and they say, ‘You know, I say I love him/her, but if you asked me why I wouldn’t be able to list the reasons… I just do, I guess.’ Those people need to look at their partners/boyfriends/wives etc and maybe rethink if either of them are doing the love thing right.
I had a cat. He rocked. He died today. We had a lot of years together, and I can tell you exactly why I loved him.
My cat was called Mr Fing. He was a girl. When I got him he was called simply Fing, an abbreviation of ‘the Effing Cat’ which is what his old owners called him. This gives you a sense of his nature. He was funny. He was mental. He was French. When I got him he was about seven. When he died he was about twenty. Here are the reasons I loved my cat.
1) My cat knew he was at home with me. Whenever I moved – which has been a lot – I never worried about that ‘if you let them out they won’t come back’ rule. Mr Fing would get out of the cat box, look around, look at me and then shrug as if to say, ‘meh, she’s here. It’s okay. This is new home.’
2) When I first got my cat, I was married. Clearly my cat’s old owners had not had a lot of sex. Whenever my husband and I were getting it on, Mr Fing would come to check I was okay. It would make me giggle to open my eyes and find the cat sticking its face in mine, all concerned. My husband – and several men after – were less amused. I learned to be less noisy. My cat learned to stick its head under a pillow and wait till it was all over.
3) My cat liked to be where we were. He used to sit on the gatepost of our farmhouse in Devon and watch the world. We had a convertible car. There were several occasions when half-way down the lane we would look in the back seat and see Mr Fing sitting there all cool as a cucumber having jumped in as we drove out.
4) My cat used to come jogging with me. I kid you not.
5) My cat liked to share Doner Kebabs with me. Especially with chilli sauce and garlic mayonnaise.
6) My cat always came to greet me when I got home.
7) My cat used to wait outside the loo for me.
8) I loved watching my cat having a mad half-hour ghost chasing around the house.
9) Even in the last few days, when he was weak and sick and in pain, my cat would purr around me and face rub me. My cat had my back.
10) My cat was a kind cat. When my friend Nick came to stay when he was dying, my cat would always try to jump on his lap and chest for a cuddle. Nick would always push him away because of his cancer and it being painful. In the last week, when Nick was in bed and on a morphine drip, Mr Fing crept into his bedroom. He jumped softly onto the end of the bed. He slowly padded his way up, testing his way so as not to stand on Nick, and eventually reached his hand which was above the covers, and then carefully slid his head under it and lay down. I think my cat knew. Cats do. The right cats, anyway.
My cat was a happy cat. He liked to sit out in the sun with me. I hope the sun is shining on him now. And I hope he forgives me for doing what I hope was best.
Me and my cat – we were buddies. You can’t ask for more than that.
SP x
Sarah Pinborough 
July 15th, 2011 at 10:22 pm
I know how you feel, *hug* I had a cat, Tosca, she chose me at a RSPCA centre, walked up and said “take me home then!” She didn’t have a voicebox because her original people squashed it.. she couldn’t miaow.. we shared a home for 17 years… she brought me mice, and comfort when I needed it, she chose my husband for me. He was the first male she let near her.. she had a tumour, and she died in my arms. It hurt. She taught me so much and we had such fun. I feel for your loss.
July 15th, 2011 at 10:48 pm
A lovely tribute, Sarah. Takes me back to my dog dying when I was 19. Human or animal, a friend is still a friend.
July 15th, 2011 at 11:13 pm
A post that has made me both laugh and cry. Even though I never had the pleasure of meeting Mr Fing face to face, I will miss hearing of her antics.
{{hugs}}
– Neil. xx
July 16th, 2011 at 12:24 am
Oh Sarah. That is such sad news. I dread us losing either of ours.
—
Natalie (wife of Neil) Ford.
xxx ≈^..^≈
July 16th, 2011 at 8:09 am
Sounds like a wonderful cat! Sometimes our furry companions are more constant than their human counterparts and when they go it hurts just as much.
July 16th, 2011 at 10:21 am
Mr. Fing sounds like she was a VERY special cat indeed & that was a very beautiful tribute to him. I hope that the happy memories you shared with her will help ease the pain in your heart just a little bit. Hugs never hurt either so here’s a virtual one from me.
Teri
July 16th, 2011 at 10:57 am
I’m really sorry to hear it, Sarah.
July 16th, 2011 at 5:02 pm
What a wonderful tribute. Made me think of my cat that had to put down six days after my 18th birthday. She’d been my best friend for twelve years.
I’ve never had another pet since.
July 18th, 2011 at 9:05 pm
Beautiful tribute. You’ve made me dread the day I will lose my old raggedy Maine Coon cat, Beenie (B & E, as he just walked into my place one day years ago). It’s more than okay to care about our pets so much.
August 1st, 2011 at 9:34 pm
You had this catlady tearing up. Mr Fing sounds like she was pretty badass. Here’s to you, Mr Fing, hope you’re enjoying that big cat scratch post it the sky.
August 8th, 2011 at 8:14 pm
Definitely had tears in my eyes from this. My Jaya is only about 4 or 5 years old (she was a rescue), and as crazy as she is, and as obnoxious as she can be, I know that when that day comes in the future, I’m going to be sobbing like mad.
November 6th, 2011 at 8:40 pm
ah you made me cry reading this in the middle of Seattle airport. I hate you.
kiss (french, obviously 😉
Stephane
November 6th, 2011 at 8:48 pm
You French are so sentimental…;-)