Good-bye Patches

Ten days ago we had to say a sad good-bye to our dear friend Patches.  She was a sweet and friendly girl, always ready for a snuggle and eager for a meal.

She came into our lives one summer, 10 years ago, as a stray, lurking in the woods by the blackberry patch and chasing mice in the hayfield.  As summer turned to a chilly fall, she would nervously sneak into the garage to eat Spike's puppy chow.  She would never let anyone near her, and I warned the kids to not get too close, as we did not know her vaccination history.  One day, while she was in the garage, stealing Spike's food, I managed to get the garage door shut before she could run away.  She hid among the toys stacked along the wall, but I was able to reach in and run my hand along her back.  That was all it took, one friendly touch and she was in love with us for the rest of her life.  We checked with all the neighbors - no one was missing a cat, and our best guess was that she was one of the many barn cats from the old farm.  We got her checked out at the vet and lived happily together for the next decade.  Heather was so young when we adopted Patches that she doesn’t remember life without her. We will always remember what a sweet and friendly girl she was.