Sassy cats – 2015, the year of Jake

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Jake at less than a year old. He was tall and lanky looking like a small panther.

Jake at less than a year old. He was tall and lanky looking like a small panther.

It’s appropriate to say goodbye to 2015 with a story about a cat that was dear and annoying all at the same time. I have photos of the young Jake to share.

Jake wasn’t planned but how many cats are? My cat-allergic friend found him at 3 months old hollering his fool head off in her yard. He had lungs you wouldn’t believe that stayed with him until near the end. He also had the biggest paws I’ve ever seen on a cat. He grew into them looking more like a mid-sized dog than a cat.

The plan was to find him a home without the stress of going to a shelter. It took me two weeks to find a home and then I couldn’t part with him. As they say the rest is history.

Young Jake with me so many years ago

Young Jake with me so many years ago. Just look at those naughty eyes!

He was opinionated and always felt that he rescued me, not the other way around so there was no gratitude. He didn’t like all cats. I already had two, one of which he adored and followed around. The other he did not like at all. The feeling was mutual and lasted until the other cat passed.

In the course of mourning I tried to focus on things about him I don’t miss. There are a lot.

Getting two injections a day spaced apart by 12 hours. Waking me up at 3 a.m. Whining for food every hour. Not eating the food so I have to make sure Hazel doesn’t get it. Wanting to go outside. Not coming in at dusk. Making me go outside to coax him back in. Making me pick him up to carry him back inside because he’s so freaking stubborn. Hollering at me all during the carry. Drinking 8 oz. of Lactaid milk every day. Whining if I ran out of milk. Peeing outside the box if one of the other cats didn’t cover. Spritzing outside the box because his “equipment” is too big to fit.

He occasionally medicated himself with catnip.

He occasionally medicated himself with catnip.

What I really remember is a cat that was the most affectionate cat I ever had. A large cat that wiggled into a three-inch space between the beloved husband and me on the loveseat. A cat that put his head on my belly and purred when I was sick. I cat that jumped into my lap when I was sad. A cat that approved of the additions of Mollie and Hazel but wasn’t so happy about Morgan. The following routine happened every morning until he got sick. No cat was ever hurt though. It was all air boxing. Morgan is his match in size.

Yes, 2015 was the year of Jake. Goodbye old friend.

Jake's last picture

Jake’s last picture — you can notice his eyes are less clear.

 

 

 

 

57 thoughts on “Sassy cats – 2015, the year of Jake”

    • The pictures don’t do him justice. He was a very tall and lanky cat and had big paws his entire life. The last few years he didn’t age well. Lost his teeth and got cataracts. He had good mobility to the end but his mind was getting wonky. Sounds like people, doesn’t it.

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    • As pets age, you don’t have a sense of it. When I pulled the pictures together I was reminded of the young Jake — clear eyes, all of his teeth, ready for an adventure. How he had changed. He will always be one of “those” cats that you don’t forget.

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    • Yes they do. He was one strong cat. Taking him to the vet was a huge event in our house. No matter what trickery I used, he figured it out fast. Went he got older he was more docile about it all. Miss him for sure (and all the chaos he brought).

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  9. Jake was a character, the best kind of cat! We had a cat like Jake, she was the cat of my life. She has been gone since January of 2009… I think about her every day. I loved your memories of Jake and that video cracks me up… cat boxing! I am glad you found and loved each other.

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  11. It says something about your ability to write in a way that tugs at the heartstrings, in that I still miss Jake, too. And I’m not even technically a cat person, since my home is owned by dogs (at least, for the present moment). Jake, just like so many other misbehaved children, still had a way of ripping a smile out of your heart, and when his purrs resonated against your belly, it was impossible not to melt just a little bit inside. He was kitty royalty, and street thug, all rolled into one opinionated and obstinate … and completely lovable … kitty creature. He is missed.

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        • Definitely a charmer. One of my favorite stories is when I brought Mollie home from the shelter. She was 1-1/2 years old and already had a litter. The last kitten was adopted and taken home the same day I took Mollie home. Within a week she was in heat. She was getting spayed the following week. Jake was on the top of the sofa and Mollie came sashaying in like a Vegas show girl, strutting her stuff. She was caterwauling loudly. Jake had no idea what was going on since he was neutered at about 4 months. She kept going to him with her hindquarters hot and ready. He covered his eyes with his paws and flattened his ears. Funniest thing ever! What a wuzzy stud muffin.

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    • I have been reading stories and seeing pictures of blogger buddy cats. I can’t believe how fast they grow. Your Annie is all adult now as are Lumox and Nox and Nakana, other cats I see. This was a great exercise in remembering the young Jake.

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  19. Cats are always such a mixture of annoying and destroying pests and warm bundles of love. But what matters most is the warm love.
    “…always felt that he rescued me, not the other way around so there was no gratitude” The love of a cat is special. They choose you. Dogs, mostly accept and love anybody that is their gift. Cats – they choose you. And you know it. And that is what makes their love so worthwhile.

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    • It’s not a great picture. He’s a black cat and these are old pictures. I had to photoshop to brighten and I didn’t worry about how grainy I looked! I didn’t remember how blonde my hair was then. I have blonde hair but it’s more caramel. Looking for these pictures was a trip down memory lane. Took me about an hour of photos from the 70s through the 90s.

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      • I go through old photo albums every few years, then put them back in the box, tie it up and stuff back in the attic or an old trunk.
        Then sit and wonder …… who was standing by me in that old photo from 50 years ago. 😦

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        • When I do that I can’t believe how young I looked! Why is it that we didn’t like the way be looked when we were young? I’d kill to look like that now (and not have the creaky aches and pains!)

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