Dr. Susan Sorek writes below about her beloved HENRY. Susan teaches Classics in the University of Wales, Lampeter. She is also an author for the Davenant Press – http://www.davenantpress.co.uk – which publishes Nibbling News. we hope to say more about Harry and Susan’s remaining cat… in the next edition of Nibbling News. All readers who SO often have a mixture of animals.. cats dogs, rabbits.. guinea pigs.. will share Susan’s sentiments……………
HENRY (HARRY to his friends) was a smart black and white short-haired cat who arrived at my door one cold December evening in 1984. A friend of mine had found three kittens thrown into the river in a sack and desperately needed to find a home for two of them. At first I was a little reluctant to take on ‘pet responsibility’, being out at work all day and most evenings. However, he impressed me. He put on a grand display of playing with his furry little toy mouse, to show me what a good hunter he would be; inspected the various downstairs rooms indicating that he knew where his food cupboard would be located, and sat in front of the fire in ‘domestic cat pose’ to show me that he knew he would make a good feature in the living room.
We bonded, and from that day on he became my companion as well as my pet. I would arrive home to find him waiting by the gate (he always knew when I was on my way home); he would amble slowly down the path to greet me with an air of confident anticipation (food, fire, cuddles, excessive praise for not having destroyed anything).
He wasn’t a hunter or a great athlete. He only climbed a tree once and got vertigo. He liked a game of football, he could dribble, score goals but his favourite position was as goalie. He was very fussy about his appearance and liked to have his collars replenished when they got a little scruffy, he would never go out without a collar on. In fact he was fairly laid back. He liked la dolce vita.
He liked a variety of dishes. Anything approaching haute cuisine was especially savoured (not something that happens regularly in this household I hasten to add)! Salmon of course, chicken a close second, and strawberry yoghurt (from a spoon). He sounds pampered I know but he would always be willing to slum it with a tin of pilchards.
He loved the summer and could invariably be found lying on his back in the sunshine, snoring. He chased butterflies but never, ever caught one; birds he was not so keen on preferring to watch them through the window. The garden was his main joy and he would help pull up weeds and dig holes for new plants. He could often be found inspecting the flower-beds and smelling the fragrant bouquets. The most endearing memory of him is when he would chase drops of water from the watering can until he was absolutely soaked. It eventually became a favourite game and watering the plants took an incredibly long time! He had a fascination with water and loved to catch drips from the bath taps on his paws, then proceeded to wash himself.
Life is much more sedate without him. He was a joy to be with and to know. The poem is my humble tribute to him and our seventeen years together.
Susan has also sent in this poem, which she has composed in tribute to her companion:
FOR HARRY (1985-2002).
The dearest of all creatures.
The bravest of all souls.
The friend I knew I needed,
Companion of my soul
I always will remember just how glad you’d be,
tail held high and happy,
Coming home to me.
Chasing birds and butterflies,
Never catching much.
Claws that were so lethal,
Paws soft to the touch.
But I remember you so fondly, how it used to be,
tail held high and happy,
Coming home to me.
I’d see you in the twilight
Past evening’s shady veil,
Surveying all your kingdom,
Protecting your domain.
Suddenly deciding where you’d rather be
And come running back so quickly
Coming home to me.
Days are a little longer,
Nights a shade too long,
The evening time is sadder
Now that you have gone.
But I’ll always have the memory of how it used to be
When suddenly I’d see you
Coming home to me.
