Kevin's gone home

Oct 2014

The street cat that many who passed by thought was ours, has found himself a new home.  This cat had lots of homes.  He's slept at our place, next door, but most of the time he was outside, under a chair or table or inside a shed.  He was tough, and had the scars to prove it.

Sept 2015

This cat was the best pet that was never ours.  Sure we'd often feed him, give him some chicken, milk, cat treats, and even cat food.  And it wasn't just us, he was neighbourhood pet for at least 4 other homes, that I knew of.  He didn't venture far from his hood maybe it's cuz he knew he had a good territory, but I've seen him wandering around other streets.  And on Halloween he's hung out with me while giving out candy, and people have asked if he was our cat because he visits them.  But this cat didn't belong to us.  He's got many humans, but his original human was our neighbour at the end of the street.

He wasn't always looking to be fed.  Sometimes he would just like to rub up next to you and hang out.  When I first saw him, he wasn't skittish.  But he would never come into the house.  I had to coax him in with treats.  I would lay a trail that went inside the house.   And he would look at that door to ensure he had an exit.   If it was raining buckets outside, he'd lie down across the front door opening.  He'd get a bit damp, but he wouldn't come inside.   He kept me company when I was renovating the main floor and the laundry room.  I'd be out on the front porch taking a break and he's wander over and I'd hand feed him some treats.  He was so friendly.  I'd never had a cat as a pet.  I never really considered a pet cat.  This one was easy.

Eventually he grew to trust me.  And soon he'd wait to come into our house and make himself at home.  He learned his spot was in the hallway close to the door.  And came to know the milk was kept in the fridge.

He did spend 1 cold -30 deg C winter night inside though.  It was the 1st and last time.  We weren't sure what he'd mark inside our home.  So T didn't get much sleep worrying about that.  And he would prefer to be outdoors.  We know he had some home in a shed.  But it's not heated.  He would have frozen his ear tips off.  But every year he survives.  Never goes to the vet, supplements his diet of scraps from various homes, with birds he's killed.  He's also killed a few bunnies, a squirrel and big rat.  

This cat was a hunter.  You'd see him walking across fence tops following potential prey.  I've seen him perched in front of our neighbour's big pine tree.  Then he'd pounce in to its middle and a million birds would evacuate!  

I've seen him play with a live mouse in the middle of the street.  I could see its tail wiggling.  He'd let it out and pounce on it again.  Toying with it.  I have seen him kill a squirrel on our lawn.  I saw the squirrel hanging around the tree, and Kevin was lying there minding his own business.  I literally went to the garage and a came back to the front and it was like a lioness with it's teeth in the jugular of a gazelle.  It was gross.   Then he left it there for me.  Awesome.  He's left us with several gifts over the years that he's killed to let us know he's appreciated us and his other humans.

Everyone kinda took care of him.  Brushed him, fed him, sheltered him, gave him affection, meds even, and nursed him when he was wounded.

About a month ago, he was looking rough.  And sure enough he had some more battle scars.  Not sure how he got them, but this last one took a lot out of him.  Our neighbour (not Kevin's owner) took him to the vet.  As he had a massive gash under his front leg/belly region.  It was easy to miss.  He was laying around a lot, and it was hot so I thought it was due to the heat.  But I saw him limp from the side table he likes to lie on, to the chair and then I lifted him down to the porch when I filled his bowl with milk and a few ice cubes.

He spent a week in their house, on antibiotics and a cone of shame.

Finally he was back outside free again.

He was laying on our lawn under our cedar tree.  One of his usual places where he snoozes.  The grass is cool and the tree provides shade.

He looked weak.  And our neighbours commented that food he'd normally devour, he'd ignore, choosing instead to stay where he lay.

Then one morning he was lying on our lawn, with a bowl of water next to him in case he was thirsty.  Then he left.  Our next door neighbour was worried he'd be prey.  We all kinda figured that he was going somewhere to be put out to pasture.   But he was a tough kitty.  He always seemed to bounce back.

But not this time.  He'd gone back to his original human owner, back to the first home he ever knew, and passed away a few days later.   He knew his time here on Criscoe was coming to a close.

RIP Kevin - Aug 25, 2024

June 2024

I'll forever have this image of you on our driveway when I would come home from my morning rides.  You're the best pet we never owned.  We'll miss you.