Cooper, Cat of Character and Distinction

Cooper , 2 months after grooming

Cooper,  Cat of Character and Distinction

I first met Cooper the cat when I went to visit my son Russ and his wife Janice when they were living in Toronto about 1998. He was then about a year old , a beautiful long haired white cat with startling blue eyes,He was very lovable and playful, quite at home with the other cats in the house. He had one problem. He was totally deaf. That didn't matter to him. He didn't know and everyone else managed with signs and looks to figure out how to communicate with him. It worked fine.

Cooper watching TV

It was much later on that I saw Cooper again. Janice had now moved back to Dallas and had learned she had cancer. She asked me if I could do two things: Paint portraits of her 5 cats and if and when the time came and she passed on, take care of her cats. She really loved those cats and wanted to know they would be safe.

So after a little soul searching I agreed .I painted all the cats and agreed that even though I might not be able to have all the cats live with me, I would help get them new homes.

My painting of Cooper

Sadly all the treatments for cancer did not work, and in October 2011 Cooper came to live with me. Janice passed on at the end of that year.

He came in without any trepidation into a house of old female cats and immediately started showing them who was boss. Likewise with the dogs. For a cat who had never been around dogs he took no more notice of them than he did the cats as long as they kept away from his food. He was in a badly matted state and his lovely white fur was tangled and dirty. The groomer took one look and said ,” That can't be combed out he will have to be shaved down.”It took a whole day to do it and he came back home looking like a little lion cub with a ruff around his head and fluffy bits left around his feet . Quite cute but now he felt a lot better and could run and jump and was ready to join in family life.A much happier cat.

Sleeping in the sun

Our cats live inside and outside but mostly inside these days as they get older. They come and go as they like using the doggy door. Strangely enough Cooper after 15 months still hasn't figured out that door. He sits watching every other pet go through it but makes no attempt to follow.

He does loves to be outside. I take him out most days and let him wander around. He smells the plants , and munches on the grasses and stays in the garden. If he strays too far, I always yell at him , which has no effect because he is deaf. I always forget. It's an automatic thing you do I expect.

He makes his needs known by this very plaintive crying. If he wants a door opened , I hear  "meow, meow, meow" , until I get up to open it.

His favorite place is in my lap when I am watching television . He settles right down and is the best lap cat ever. He seems even more active now that when he first came to live with us which is really amazing for a cat who is close to 16 years old.

So please ,if you can and someone asks you to help with an old cat, remember they  too can have lots of love and life left.