It’s no secret that I love gingers (including my colleagues Tamara and Hollie). But I’m talking about cats.
This love stems from my childhood. We had an orange and white tabby male cat named Freckle (Freckie). A spot of orange mounted on his white moustache gave him his name. The name worked for us.
We had our fair share of animals growing up but Freckie took the cake. Along with birds from their nests, rabbits from the woods, squirrels from the trees and a weasel one day was dropped off at the front step. Freckie: hunter extraordinaire. He loved country living….don’t fence me in “kind of a guy”!
He insisted on his food bowl being delivered to him on the front step “al fresco” as he would not venture indoors too often. Unless he heard the fridge door open through an open window. The sound of the unwrapping of a cheese slice would turn him into a beggar! He would strike the pose of a meerkat and visibly drool.
I think deep down he was a very kind and giving sort. If he was not hungry, he didn’t mind sharing. A mama skunk and her 4 babies, with mama’s guidance, ventured over to Freckie’s food bowl one day while Freckie looked on with nonchalance. However, mama skunk was a little anxious when the runt of her litter lingered over and grabbed a kibble or two. If only back then we had today’s technology we could have perfectly captured mama skunk scurrying back and gingerly scruffing the littlest of her brood proceeding once again to the front of the line while Freckie still looked on with nonchalance. Or just maybe Freckie was a very wise cat 🙂
Freckie loved my family with his whole being. I knew this because he never strayed far, he always came when called and was always there for the scratches we doled out. He wore a permanent smile which brought out the best in all of us.
All our pets we have ever brought into our homes and made family are special but there’s always that treasured one from when we were young.
By Amanda Elliott, Veterinary Assistant
