Cat from the past

I saw the big yellow cat laying in the sun beside a fence post at the Hubble Trading Post.  I’d had a cat like that as a child.  My grandpa gave Honey to me when I was two years old and he lived until just before I turned seventeen. 

He was old, crippled, his sinuses bled, and he could barely see or hear.  But he was my cat.  My dad, a kind, compassionate man who loved animals said it was cruel to leave him in that state.  He mentioned having him put to sleep.  But daddy couldn’t do that.  Finally another relative offered to do it and it was done.  I felt guilty, treacherous.  I got another cat.

As I walked across the street toward the visitor’s center that day, the cat looked up at me and meowed softly.  I said “Hi, yellow cat.”  and curiously acknowledged that I’d had to change it from “Hi, Honey.”  The cat got up and followed me toward the door.  I noticed how closely his markings resembled the cat of my youth: a white chin, neck and tip of the tail.  I went inside, where I found treasures and tidbits of information about Navaho rugs.  I bought a couple of books and headed outside to use the restrooms before they closed them. 

Coming out of the restroom I sat down on a large well placed rock to relocate all my stuff.  As soon as I sat down the yellow cat was at my feet.  He lay down and began grooming himself.  Another traveler came by looking for the restroom.  True to my know-it-all nature, I supplied her with information abundant after walking over to guide her in.  The cat followed me.  I returned to my stuff; the cat settled in at my feet.

“You remind me of my cat Honey,” I said to the animal.  He smiled just like Honey used to before he got so old.

“He was a good cat and faithful to me.”  I reminisced.  “But he got so old that he had to be put to sleep.  I always felt bad about that.  It didn’t seem right.”  The cat stood up and rubbed against my dangling hand.  I scratched his head and neck familiarly.  He stretched, yawned and curled up at my feet again.  When I finally left, he left as well and that was the last I saw of him.

No, I don’t think it was my old cat reincarnate, but it was good to say it.