Many forum members followed his story from last November when we took him in as an elderly stray on his last legs and weighing 1.5kg. A filthy scrap of attitude with blazing amber eyes, as though he'd been running on empty and pure willpower for months - the only cat I have ever known to habitually eat his own poo to survive. A bit confused sometimes and not seeing or hearing too well, but with the fastest reflexes I have ever seen and a total lack of fear or caution where food was concerned. If you went to pick a bowl up off the floor he'd be over to knock it out of your hand and check it out before you'd managed to lift it off the floor, barging through any other cats or obstacles in his path, or ready to launch himself off the back of the sofa right onto your plate if you tried to sit and eat your tea on your lap!
As he settled in and filled out he remained a grumpy old git, but he turned out to be intelligent and loyal. He adored my OH and would sit staring down the drive for about 10 minutes after his dad had left for work, and he only ever pooed in his dad's shoes, never in mine. He learned the word 'no' within a couple of months, and was soon able to sit between us on the sofa as we ate without a fuss, just the odd disappointed sigh. I'm going to miss those sighs - it was just a little 'huh' or 'aww' noise, almost under his breath, but he had a whole repertoire of them that always made us smile: the disappointed one when a door was closed or a bowl was empty, the relieved one when he was in the litter tray, the plantive one when we said "no", the 'oooh' one when he got his favourite cat milk, the ecstatic 'aaaah' when you scritched the right spot behind his ear ......
He was a real character and it was an absolute priviledge to be able to offer this old soldier a comfortable home for the last few months of his life. It was lovely that such an independent, self-sufficient cat felt able to turn to us in his last few weeks. He spent his last night happily asleep in his dad's arms, and on that last day, when he was tired from the confused pacing and circling that overtook him, he pawed at my arm to be picked up (the only time he ever did that) and then spent the rest of the afternoon purring or asleep on my lap.
He's now buried in the shrubbery where he loved to take a nap, and it's worth noting that Merrick, who doesn't much like other cats but never seemed bothered by Pugwash, came and sat by the graveside as we buried him.
Rest in peace Pugwash, in a few months I think we loved you enough for a lifetime and we will never forget you. xx
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