Old Girls - Lisa

Maddie’s has a system of leaving out condo cards for the recently adopted cats, and I always check them first thing. Several adoptions took place this past week, including Chloe, the regal 12 year old, I’m pleased to see.

Not long later, an even older girl catches my eye. Lisa is new to hallway 4. She’s a tan level calico who’s 17. There’s no glossing over it, that’s old! I’m guessing she may have arrived via the Sido program http://www.sfspca.org/special_programs/sido.shtml, which allows people to sign up their pets for care at the shelter in case they predecease them.

I’m compelled to pay her a visit – I still miss my Muppy, who died at 16 & a half in December, so an elderly calico draws me in. Lisa’s card says she’s sweet and optimistically adds that she likes to play with interactive toys. Well, she’s definitely friendly and loving, but we spend the whole visit with me standing there petting her as she lounges, purring loudly and rubbing her head around.

I’ve gotten kind of used to the solid young head bonker boy at home. But stroking the length of Lisa’s thin brittle spine brings back visceral memories. An old cat has a certain look to the fur and eyes, and a feeling of loose skin and prominent bones. Closing my eyes, I lose myself in memories again, recalling with my hands the shape and texture of poor Muppy’s physique.

Lisa’s not as pretty as Muppy was (sorry, but it’s true; she’s much nicer to strangers though!); her markings more splotchy and the reddish parts of her fur more tan. But she’s a good girl. A good old girl.

I have this theory that we are most in tune with our pets around the time when our relative ages overlap. So my childhood cat Mystery, for instance, was a half grown kitten around the time I was 10, and we were pals. I got Muppy as a year old cat when I was 30, so we crossed as 30 somethings, adults between young and middle aged.

Sweet Lisa has already outlived most of the people she’ll meet here on out. She must feel surrounded by ignorant youth. Good thing she’s patient and loving.