Jake

2017 - 2023

This morning (January 19, 2023) started as it always has. I let Jake in at 6:00 am from his night of wandering. He was extra chatty this morning, ate breakfast, then laid in bed as he always does – purring away. About the time he usually gets up, he let out a yowl for about 10 seconds, then suddenly passed away. He just lay there peacefully. I took him to the emergency vet, knowing he had already passed, and they prepared him for cremation. The Doc noted that it was likely an aneurysm or cardiomyopathy. There were no signs of illness. It was all very sudden.
One day in April 2017, an eight-month-old stray cat showed up at my house, a bit worse for wear. I fed him, and he slowly ingratiated himself with my home. I did not plan to have another cat. The first one I had for 21 years, and I did not grow up around cats, so his appearance was unexpected. Once I had him neutered, there was no turning back.
He had a big personality, but his claim to fame was that he liked to walk around the capitol campus, or through the neighborhood, without a leash. In the summer, he was thin and spry; in the winter, his Norwegian Forest Cat coat came into full bloom – looking like a mini-tiger. He slept on his back, rid the neighborhood of mice and gophers, and was always waiting for me when I walked home from the capitol. He was a constant companion these past five-plus years, and I am grateful for our time together, even if it was shorter than I expected.
My memories will be of him waiting in the bushes by the Pritchard Library Building for me to come home, those walks behind the O’Brien Building and Governor’s Mansion, and his constant checking up on me whether I was working in the yard, on the house, or in the garage. And who knows, he will be waiting there when my time comes to take one final walk. Rest in peace, Jake