Happy Birthday, Baby

Today Shadow, The Best Cat In The World, turns 19 years old.

The night that my father came home from work with a tiny kitten tucked in his jacket is one of my earliest childhood memories.  I'm not really sure where he got her.  I think she might have wandered into his auto shop (this is the story I have in my head), or maybe he went and picked her up at a shelter.  I'll have to ask.  Maybe he doesn't even remember, since that was 19 years ago.

19 years ago I was 7 years old, and my brothers were 5 and 3.  My parents were still married.  It was a long, long time ago.  It feels like a different lifetime.   When my father brought her home, I don't think that anyone expected that she would be the last one to leave the nest.

Over the past few years, Shadow's age has become impossible to ignore.  Her eyes look strange in the pictures because she has cataracts and is almost completely blind.  She is stone deaf.  And a few years ago, she had some sort of accident that left her partially crippled and unable to fully extend her hind legs.  And yet, she gets around.  She still doesn't have a litterbox, and she goes outside every day to use the bathroom without fail.  We all thought that we would have to put her to sleep a few summers ago... and yet, she's still kicking.  She can still pull herself up onto the couch -- using only her front legs, like a mountain climber scaling a rock wall -- to plant herself in your lap.  She still defends her territory ferociously, even if it is only to fend off Dishwasher Cat and Oven Cat (aka, her reflection in the shiny appliance doors).  She still purrs like a lawnmower when someone -- anyone -- picks her up.

Shadow is the cat that comes into your room when you're crying and climbs into your lap.  She's the cat that sleeps on your head, whether you like it or not.  She's the cat that once ruined my Lincoln Log ranch (complete with a fenced pasture!) because she wanted to sit inside the main cabin.  But I've forgiven her for that.   

A few weeks ago, I passed this sign hanging outside one of the houses in my neighborhood.  The quality isn't great since I took the picture with my phone, but the words in the heart say "The Gentleman Cat", and around it his family has signed the poster, like a Bar Mitzvah or a wedding.   

Shads, if you make it another year, I promise to do something equally crazy and awesome for your 20th.  Crazier than writing a blog post wishing you a happy birthday, when everyone knows that you can't see the computer screen without your glasses. 

**The only pictures I have on my computer of Shads are from a Hawaiin-themed party last summer.  Shadow does not walk around wearing a lei every day, although it would be pretty cool if she did.

Comments

[Laurel]

Wow, what's in the water in your neighborhood that causes such cat longevity?!?

Happy Birthday, Shadow!

[Silly Hily]

What a sweet post. 19? That's amazing. Happy birthday Shadow and congratulations on a long life that's still going.
I love what you said about Dishwasher Cat and Oven Cat. That's too funny.

(P.S. I came over from Frema.)

[Isabel]

What a sweet post. And I don't know who looks better with a lei you or Shawdow.

(I'm going to a Samoan par-tay tonight. I wonder if I'll get lei'd.)

[Rachel]

I came over from Frema and what a sweet post. 19 years! That's great and she is such a cutie!

[Alyndabear]

Ohhhh, and here was me thinking all your pets were Hawaiian themed. :P

Happy birthday beautiful kitty! Your momma definitely needs to make you a sign next year!

[angela]

I don't know if I've ever heard of a cat that lived that long! Shadow must be pretty amazing. And I love her lei. She's really stylish.

[motherofbun]

Oh Yeay. Happy Birthday Pretty Kitty!