Brandy

In the world of dog versus cat people – I'm a cat person. Dogs are great creatures but for me, there is nothing like a purring ball of fur curled up on my lap or stalking a shadow across the room. I'm sure that my affinity for cats has to do with the fact that I was raised with them. My mother bred purebred Persians and there were always kittens tumbling and playing throughout the house. And so I've always had a cat or two or three. Instead of Persians, I've loved my tabby short hairs – the mutts of the cat world.

I brought Brandy and Cody home from California over 17 years ago. They were kittens that a friend's cat had birthed, a gray tabby female and an orange tabby boy. They were about eight weeks old, cute and already precocious. It was obvious that Brandy was the leader of the pride. Where Cody was patient and could sit next to a mole hill for hours waiting for his prey, Brandy took on the bird population with gusto; the rabbits and even a wood beaver. I moved the bird feeders higher and farther from the house in an attempt to save those that I could.

Brandy and Cody lived through young children picking them up in various choke holds without a scratch offered in return. They loved finding legos and other small toys with which they could play with and deposit under the fridge. The neighborhood dogs taught them how to climb trees and our old lab Duke became their best friend. I would often find all three of them nestled together in Duke's dog bed.

Cody disappeared about four years ago. I'm sure that it was a coyote. Cats don't 'get lost' up here where we live. They become prey. I figured these were pretty savvy cats to make it over the age of twelve. They had made it clear that if I didn't let them outside, life inside our house was going to be miserable. So indoor outdoor cats they became. It was a good arrangement. I never had a mole hill in my yard.

Brandy gave up on her outdoor pursuits about a year ago. Going on eighteen years of life, she has been fading fast these past weeks. I've never had a cat that lived as long and got to be so much a part of my life. Watching her fade from her sleek, intelligent and loving selfhood has been hard. As my daughter said, Brandy's had a wonderful life. She's been the best of cats, a wonderful companion. We will miss her and always remember her with a smile and affection.