It is with a great deal of sadness that I inform you of the untimely death
of my good feline pal, Photon. As I was leaving for work this morning, I
called and whistled for her. Usually she would come running out of the
bushes to have me pick her up and hold her, and give her food outside on
the porch while Muttley is safe inside. Sometimes she has not come, but
then is waiting for me when I come back home. I had a more than usual
feeling of dread this time, and as I drove down the road, I saw her body at
the edge of the rock wall.

I pulled in to the lower part of my property, parked, and walked up the
road to where she was. She probably had not been dead very long, as her fur
was still soft and clean, but it looked like she may have been hit in the
hind quarters, and her head was misshapen, so her skull may have been
crushed. Her eyes were deep set and blank, and her tongue was hanging out.

I picked her up, and took her onto the front steps. I let Muttley sniff
her, and he licked her a few times, and then picked her up in his mouth. I
put him back in the house, called some friends, and then I wrapped her in
an old shirt, and headed up the hill with a shovel and cutter mattox. Under
a big White Pine tree, where she sometimes walked with me, I dug a hole,
and gently lay her body in it. I put two cement blocks over the excavation,
and walked back down the hill with Muttley.

The same friend who rescued Muttley also found two tiny kittens abandoned
in the downtown projects, in January of 2000. They were probably six-eight
weeks old, so we figure they were born in mid-November 1999. I had wanted a
cat to help control mice in my house, as well as for a loving pet. I wound
up with two, a brother and sister, who I named Meson and Photon. They were
neutered in the spring, and they grew up together. Meson was actually more
affectionate, and Photon was rather aloof. As Meson got bigger, he began to
bully Photon away from her food. They both were indoor/outdoor cats, and at
about the age of 1-1/2 I came home and let Photon out, while Meson was
already out. I heard a commotion on the porch, and Photon was fighting with
her brother and chased him away. He tried to come back about six months
later, but met the same fate.

Photon was a really special cat. She was amazingly agile, and a good
mouser, as she proved by occasionally bringing a live one into bed with me.
She would sometimes walk along with me on the trails on my land, scurrying
up into the branches of trees as we went. Of course, after I got Muttley,
she spent more time outside, or else hid under the crawlspace. Sometimes I
would tie Muttley outside, and spend a little more time with her. When my
friend took Muttley for a few days in mid September, I got a chance to let
her share my bed with me. She liked to lay on top the covers, sometimes
with her back pressed against mine. In recent weeks, Photon seemed more and
more anxious to come inside. Sometimes it seemed that she and Muttley might
be able to get along, but I could only risk allowing them to look at each
other through the screen door.

Last night, I thought I heard her crying to come in, but it was late, I was
tired, and I did not want to deal with making sure Muttley was out of the
way and safe. The night was not too cold, and I was going to take care of
her in the morning. I think she had crossed the road to get a drink of
fresh water from a spring-fed little stream, but the traffic on Warren Road
is really bad, and many people speed and drive carelessly. I think she was
killed instantly. I certainly hope she did not suffer too much. I know some
people may blame me for allowing her to be outside, but she did have seven
years of freedom. I think that is partly what made her so special. I will
miss her forever.

Paul

Photon was a really special cat. She was amazingly agile, and a good
mouser, as she proved by occasionally bringing a live one into bed with
me. She would sometimes walk along with me on the trails on my land,
scurrying up into the branches of trees as we went. Of course, after I got
Muttley, she spent more time outside, or else hid under the crawlspace.
Sometimes I would tie Muttley outside, and spend a little more time with
her. When my friend took Muttley for a few days in mid September, I got a
chance to let her share my bed with me. She liked to lay on top the
covers, sometimes with her back pressed against mine. In recent weeks,
Photon seemed more and more anxious to come inside. Sometimes it seemed
that she and Muttley might be able to get along, but I could only risk
allowing them to look at each other through the screen door.


I am sorry for your loss.

On Mon, 23 Oct 2006 21:20:21 -0400, "Paul E. Schoen"
wrote:

It is with a great deal of sadness that I inform you of the untimely death
of my good feline pal, Photon. ... I will
miss her forever.

Paul, I am so deeply sorry for the loss of your sweet Photon. I have
lost dear cats myself over the years, and they are such special beings
that one is never quite *left* by them--- they seem to hover near
one's heart always.

I hope you find peace, with time and good memories.

Darla
Nova Scotia, Canada
--
"I'm still here, you *******s!"
---Papillon

http://www.yougotta.com/DARLA/
--

Paul I'm very sorry about Photon. (I could have done without the
description of how she looked when you found her though) It seems many
good animals are leaving for the bridge lately. Yesterday afternoon was
spent at my co-instructor's house, planting spring bulbs on the grave
of her old girl who died Friday of kidney failure. And we sat around,
looked at pictures of Hidi, remembered her and laughed about her
exploits. Sandy in OK

"Paul E. Schoen" said in
rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

Photon was a really special cat.

I'm so very sorry Paul.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

On Mon, 23 Oct 2006 21:20:21 -0400, "Paul E. Schoen"
wrote:

It is with a great deal of sadness that I inform you of the untimely death
of my good feline pal, Photon.

So sorry to hear this, Paul.

--
Paula
"Anyway, other people are weird, but sometimes they have candy,
so it's best to try to get along with them." Joe Bay

Your story pains my heart, your kitty cat will always be with you
wherever you go - in your heart and in your memories.