On the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the instant (mercifully)
death by running over of this lovely companion, I thought I'd write a
few words more in sharing a celebration of his life with me rather
than sadness at his passing. You on this NG have only yourselves to
blame as you made such nice, understanding comments on my homage to
Aries RB just before Christmas :-)


How he arrived:

A fellow catslave, my colleague at the charity where we did voluntary
work, learned about Aries RB's passing immediately afterwards and told
me that her son & DIL were looking for a rural home for their
half-Burmese black cat [neutered Tom aged 2.5] as they were moving
home into town and knew he'd be unhappy with no garden as he was very
much an outdoor cat. They'd keep his indoor-loving brother but wanted
to put Kensington's (as he was named then) quality of life first
provided a really good home could be found.

So I arranged to go over and be interviewed by them, and K of course.
Things started well as he greeted me at the front door and settled on
the back of the armchair I was parked in right beside my head - not
his usual spot I was told.

His needs/habits and my ability to fulfil/cope with them were gone
through at length, and it was agreed that he'd come for a trial
fortnight in a few weeks once I'd completed my house move (I was also
having to shift that winter, but exchanging one quiet rural location
for another). As a final test of temperament I reached behind me and
gently tugged on K's tail (he hadn't moved from his position beside my
head all interview). His reaction was to reach up & give me a big,
loving headbutt! Strokes & purrs ensued.

3 weeks later I collected him, and after a fretful but friendly week
indoors as he bedded in he felt really at home, especially once he
could resume the outdoor exploring & hunting activities which were so
important to him. His previous keepers were satisfied that he was
happy: his report card to them indicated that "after a slow start this

human has become fully responsive to all my needs". So we belonged to
each other. "Kensington" seemed wrong for him, so he started at Kendo
(after Nagasaki the burly wrestler) but that was wrong too, so as his
goodies came from a shop beside the River Kensey - and it rose on a
friend's land a few miles away - that suited him fine.


Intelligence:

To call him bright would be a grave understatement. To quote a few
examples: He could open human doors with great skill. In his first
week I shut him in the kitchen (with food & drink) & utility area (his
box) while I went shopping. On my return within the hour he had opened
not only the kitchen door (inwards) to get into the dining room but
also another (outwards) to enter the sitting room.
He gazed at me through the window from his (forbidden) perch on a side
table with an impossibly smug look on his face!
He could open all the doors in the house irrespective of the way they
moved & from that day on suited himself where he went.

Out in the garden his favourite game was to chase string on a long
bamboo pole going round in a fast wide arc across the lawn: the only
game he never tired of. Often when I let him out he'd miaow at me,
walk to the lawn & miaow again, making it crystal clear he expected me
& the string to join him.

On one occasion I threw a twig for him to chase & he fetched it
straight back. So I threw it again. He looked at it, then at me with a
withering "how stupid of you" expression & stalked off in the opposite
direction.

To get into the house he'd attract my attention by leaping up to the
front door handle, falling off as it turned down, to generate a loud
slam as it sprang back. [It was a steel security door so no flap]. If
that, plus one repeat, didn't fetch me he'd walk round the house
jumping onto each window-sill in turn until he spotted me: repeated
thumps on that window would get it opened promptly to let him in.

So he was quite a human-trainer.


Hunting:

He'd demand to be let out every day at first light. First with loud &
increasingly penetrating wails, then with direct physical action: he'd
stand on my face. Two hours or so later he'd return, invariably with
prey which he'd proudly show me on the doorstep, ready for a nap.
After that and breakfast he'd have another 2 hours exploring before
more feeding, then he'd let himself into the airing cupboard for the
daytime snooze. Dusk meant another expedition, followed by return for
feed, followed by a nightime hunt, invariably successful, then a final
feed before sleep with me.
His range was half a mile (0.8Km) in every direction and he'd take in
all the barns etc. within his territory. He'd also take on anything
that disputed his right to do so: this required frequent TED visits
but he didn't mind: once he couldn't have a heart/lung exam because he
was purring too hard. His prey included squirrel, brown rat, stoat,
weasel, mole, vole, shrew, assorted birdlife & of course mice by the
truckload: these were the only thing he'd bother to eat. My front
doorstep was such a charnel-house that a local fox would come round
every night for a feed. In summer, with the windows open, he'd
sometimes bring prey straight into the bedroom (ground floor). I still
find it hard to credit that he could jump up six feet (1.8m) to the
sill with a full-grown squirrel in his mouth.


Friendliness:

To other felines: not a lot. To humans: beyond measure. No visitor I
ever had failed to get a leg-rub, lap-sit, face-butt. One friend who
dreaded cats & wouldn't respond to his advances (he stood frozen) was
punished by having his clothes shredded as Kensey scaled jeans &
jumper to get in his kiss of welcome!
Even woken from the deepest sleep he was always ready to welcome a
stroke or cuddle, purring deeply in appreciation.
At night he'd see me getting ready for bed & be there waiting beside
my pillow. He needed to sleep by my neck & chest, and every time I
turned over he'd get up & walk round - not over - the bed to get into
position A on the other side. If he was upset or poorly after a fight
he'd have to sleep on my pillow curled round my head.
He was so secure that he could travel unboxed in my car. After a walk
round the territory he'd plant himself in the centre of the back seat
& stay there at his ease all journey, clearly enjoying the
chauffeuring.


So, although he was only with me for five years, it was a delightful
fulfilling period for us both, and I shall always treasure it. Please
join me in lighting a candle to this very special chap, in memory of a
wonderful time.

Apologies for the BW.

Purrs to all

Exocat


--
2 pics of Kensey in the album "Owners Past & Present" at:
http://community.webshots.com/user/exocat