The second Sam in my life met me in August of 1993. She was a beautiful, just-spayed Korat that had been found wandering the property of a gentleman. After placing a "Lost Cat" ad in the paper and getting no response, he took her to a local cat hospital where a rescuer happened to spot her, and knowing I was on the look-out for a cat, called me.
The next afternoon, new carrier in hand, I found myself at a woman's door, excited to see this foundling. A heart-shaped face and big eyes peered at me from the security of her arms, and after some short questions, I placed the cat gently inside her box, and we were off.
Once in my tiny apartment, she strolled slowly around, eventually making her way into the minuscule bathroom and my galley kitchen. House trained, she quickly located her litter box, the softest spot on the bed and the only chair in my front room. I stretched out on the floor and watched her, waiting to see if she would come to me.
The breed, native to Thailand, is known for its lustrous fur and a quiet, sweet demeanor. It is believed to symbolize good fortune. This cat, true to that description, walked over to me, sniffed my shoes, and then climbed me as one might a tree, stopping only when her nose met the tip of mine. After gazing at me for what seemed an eternity, she began to purr and did not stop until she had fallen asleep in the crook of my neck.
Days passed and we reached an easy routine. After trying several names, we both chose Samantha, a moniker I felt she would grow into and the one to which she responded. She was to become the queen of our small home, a devoted companion with whom I slept, played and dreamed for the next fifteen years. Along the way, she would patiently mother two more foundling kittens, Angel and Phoebe, and teach a rambunctious young Jacob his place. She taught me what it means to fully commit to an animal and provided the direction I needed to make a home for us both, and the cats that came after. Sadly, I only have one photo of her which her original rescuer provided me after Sam's death in 2008. Lacking a scanner, it is not on this computer though I keep it close at hand.
Until Next Time...
7 comments:
How our beloved animals imprint themselves in our hearts. Utterly unique and utterly lived.
Beautiful writing.
Seasonal greetings.
XO
WWW
Thank you.
A beautiful tale, which is tugging on my heart strings as I remember much loved cats who have gone.
Lovely post full of love and feeling, I can relate to this post. I love all of my cats so much it sometimes upsets me.
Briony
x
What a beautiful post. Samantha sounds lovely. I'm so glad you found each other and created those wonderful memories that you share with us today.
A very nice tribute to Sam. Our first cat was named Samantha also. However, she was not the cuddly, warm cat that you speak of. She was high strung and highly intelligent. It took her several years to become a lap cat and she didn't purr much. But we loved her all the same and she provided endless hours of entertainment for us. We still talk about her a lot.
I had to google Korat. Beautiful cats. She sounds like she was a great companion.
She sounds like such a dear companion. I have found all our cats to be quite perceptive about people. Samantha clearly approved of you.
Post a Comment