A point of view from Patches the cat
To the editor:
I had been incarcerated far too long. I was starting to feel sorry for myself. I was being held at the local shelter. I was on the verge of cat tears when this nice little lady came strolling down the row of cages and stopped by my door. She stuck her finger into my cage and wiggled it. After a few seconds, she started to move down the row of cages with other cats in them. This was the last straw. I let out a loud, pitiful, shrill meow. She stopped and looked back at me. Now, as cats go, I consider myself a beauty. Can’t she see what a catch I am? The Animal League had me listed as a long-haired calico, spayed, female and declawed. I whimpered a bit and she came back to look at me again. I rubbed my head against the bars and she stroked my head.
The animal shelter lady asked this lady, who had paused in front of my cage, if she wanted to see me. The shelter lady opened my cage door and took me out. The lady stroked me and said “How much is she?” Not exactly the effusive answer I had expected. After all, I would think my long flowing tail, satiny soft hair and gorgeous green eyes, should have rated more then “how much is she!”
The shelter worker replied, $50. The lady said “hurumph.” I said “hurumph.” Then she said “Why not!” She thought for another minute, then said “I don’t have a cat carrier.”
The shelter lady wasn’t about to let her get away that easy and replied “that’s OK, we’ll lend you one if you want the cat.”
It was the beginning of a wonderful reign. I was queen of my castle and received the honor and respect I felt I was due for the rest of my life!
I died in 2010 and am buried in a lovely garden with my own headstone.
Queen Patches of Bokeelia
Submitted by Carol Schultz
Bokeelia
Carolyn Healey of Pine Island was Patches’ lady-in-waiting the rest of her life. No cat ever had a more loving caretaker. She has since become patroness of two kittens, Peggy, a tuxedo and Peter, a tiger, who are keeping her life exciting to say the least. They are definitely not the dignified lady Patches was.