A Scaredy Cat

We live out in the country and both have allergies. But we both enjoy cats, and we've had one almost continuously since we moved to Kansas.

Our cats are outdoor cats. They always seem to enjoy roaming around the yard so much, it's hard for me to imagine keeping a cat indoors. I know plenty of cats are happy there, but it's not for us -- especially since we're both allergic to cats.

We've had Tux for about 2 of his 3 years. Tux is not a cat with your typical cat personality. Tux loves attention and loves to be petted. But he is also afraid of just about everything. Here are a few things that have caused Tux to be scared over the years. I promise I am not making any of these up:

• His own shadow


• Rustling leaves


• Terah getting a new hairstyle


• People carrying grocery bags


• Grocery bags sitting perfectly still on the ground


• Other cats, even if smaller than him


• The wind


• Terah wearing a dress


• Snow


• The lack of snow (it melted since he was outside the day before)

Tux's favorite activity is hunting. We often joke that if he can work up the courage to not be afraid of his prey, he'll do well. And he does -- even catches rabbits sometimes. Here's Tux starting his morning patrol:



We always knew he had a routine, but only found out last month that our neighbors would see him coming up the hedge row, just poking his head around to look at their yard, and then head back to us -- each morning. He also jumps down in our window well, and we can see the shadow of a tail wisping by the basement windows, each afternoon.

Tux gets half of our 4-car garage/shed at night. He enjoys going in there -- it's safe. (We put him in to keep him safe from the coyotes.)

But he has a routine that Terah and I must follow precisely if he is to go in. First, we're supposed to go outside and look for him. Then, no matter where he is -- even if he's right by the garage door -- we have to walk to the house with him, then back to the garage. He doesn't like to be carried, but likes to walk just ahead of us, ears pointed backwards to make sure we're following properly. Then he will stop just outside the garage door and wait for us to step over him and go in first (to make sure it's safe). Then he'll go in.



Tux has become quite the popular cat. Terah set him up with a very funny blog on Catster.com, and he was a featured cat on their site one weekend.

Here's one entry:

June 16th 2005 5:06 am

I just love messing with their heads. Last night I hid in some tall grass so that when they tried to put me in, they couldn't see me right away. Then, just when they were giving up on me, I bounded toward them. I have them trained so that when I jump up when running they ooohh and aaahh. What a hoot!

Then I grossed them out by eating my barf.

Today just before I left work, Terah called. Tux was hiding under our porch, wheezing terribly and hyperventilating. He wouldn't move at all. Which is odd, since he had been doing great the past few days. He even looked in at us watching TV a few times lately.

After I got home, we managed to convince him to walk to the garage. He seemed a little better.

We checked on him again at about 8:00, and he was doing pretty bad. We took him into the vet, and they decided that he had either a rare incurable viral disease, a hernia, or fluid in his chest cavity. His prognosis was not good. His lungs were functioning at only 1/8 capacity. We could attempt to treat him, but treatment would only likely save him if it was the hernia, and it would cost well over $1000.

So we made the hard decision to have him put to sleep. Although I've lived around animals most of my life, this was the first time we had this decision to make. Outdoor cats usually live good lives, but rarely live long enough to become afflicted by serious disease. Cars, dogs, or coyotes usually cause a sudden end for them.

As I was typing this up, I got the call that he was put to sleep. They determined that he had the viral disease, so I don't feel too bad about our choice.

We have quite a few fond memories of Tux, plus some very funny video of his first experience with snow. He certainly liked to be scratched:



Goodbye, Tux. We'll keep an eye on the neighbors for you.