When we walked in Cheryl's front door, a baby Persian Tabby kitten walked right up to greet us, his new parents to be. Cheryl's husband, Dan, told us that if we hadn't come right over, they would have kept him - even though Cheryl was getting out of the cat business. He had personality plus!
We didn't know we were getting a long haired cat with a weird pushed-in face but he was so friendly we couldn't refuse. What to name this kitten? We lived on Sherwood Forest Drive and Sherwood seemed a sufficiently distinguished name for such a cat. So this kiity, now named Sherwood, joined our family and our hearts.
He never knew a stranger right from the beginning. Halloween was his favorite holiday. Each time the doorbell announced another band of little goblins, Sherwood would bound for the door to greet the little costumed creatures who came trick or treating. When we hosted disscussion groups at our house, little Sherwood would sit in a chair if one were available - - or sit in the center of the group, if not. Sherwood would look intently at whomever was talking as if he were following the conversation. One time, I announced that Sherwood was recording everything that we said. Our friend Richard Armstrong immediately added, "And beaming it up to the mothership, too!" With a voice full of surprise and astonishment, I asked Richard how did he know, Sherwood's secret identity?
Sherwood did not like change. Although always interested what we were eating he would only eat his cat food. Changing the shape of his food bowl threw him for a loop. He didn't like car rides either. We never took him on the boat thinking he wouldn't do well with the boat motion.
After we retired and decided to give Florida a try, we wondered how Sherwood would handle the long car trip from Houston to Punta Gorda. Well, after a little whinning and gazing through the windows, he settled right down. Whenever he sensed the car slowing down, he would get up expecting an end to car captivity.
How would he be traveling and living on our sailboat? That surprised us, too. He adjusted just fine and eventually even would sit with us in the cockpit and look at the waves and birds flying overhead.Sherwood lived 15 years, 7 months. He started to lose weight - the vet figured out his kidneys were failing and he developed a mass in is abdomen. It was hard saying goodbye to this little kitty. He enriched our lives so much. Even when he wasn't feeling very well this past May, he greeted each and every guest at Cousin Constance's birthday party at our place. He never new a stranger! We know there must be a very special place in heaven for those special pets who give so much love and ask nothing in return - well maybe, just a little rub under the chin!
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