Hobbes - A Farewell

It is a difficult matter to gain the affection of a cat. 

He is a philosophical, 

methodical animal, 

tenacious of his own habits, 

fond of order and neatness, 

and disinclined to extravagant sentiment. 

He will be your friend, 

if he finds you worthy of friendship, 

but not your slave.
― Théophile Gautier, Menagerie intime 

And in the end, he will leave you.

Hobbes arrived at our home in 1999. He first wandered in the back door as DH and I came home from a walk in the neighborhood. He was a stray from way down the street. Thin as he was, it was clear he wasn't being taken care of by anyone. We figured he would fit right in with us.

Hobbes was here for the Millennium Party and for twenty years of celebrations and sorrows. 

He was a good cat. In his prime he was protective, killing an occasional roach or mouse.

He was also a troublesome cat, eating plants and flower arrangements and then discovering that such meals did not suit. And he shed...a significant amount.

Hobbes liked a warm lap and attention.

He was good company and purred his appreciation for yours. 

While his health was not good the past few months until the last few days he could still jump up to the top of the washing machine or on the counter or table top - and then proceed to knock everything off. He didn't even pretend to care.

He was a finicky eater - preferring Zelda's kibble or Bitty Kitty's food to his medically approved food.

He developed a yodel-like cry of late.  And one needed to pay attention.

He continued to watch for one last chance to escape into the wild.

He made it out the door while we were loading the car for a conference in 2018 and was gone for a few days.  I came back (we were just staying 30 minutes away) every morning and searched, but found nothing. We later discovered that younger toms living next door kept him at bay. But neighbors a few streets away cared for him until we got the word about where he was hanging out. We walked a few blocks over, thanked the neighbors profusely and brought him home.

He escaped one more time in 2019 and made it across the street to the neighbor's flower bed...then, exhausted, he allowed us to catch him.

Hobbes battled a few ailments as most old cats do, but managed to keep his all his teeth!

He was loved by the family and respected (tolerated) by the vet's staff. [Well, a couple of them loved him - even with his cranky "I'm not taking that pill" ways.]

When he started losing weight we worried. And when he could no longer jump up to the counter we lifted him and knew time was short.

This morning he woke, but did not/could not get up.

We will miss him.

His FB page indicated his birthday as March 5, 1992, but that was a lie. He fudged a bit to be old enough to have a page, Mom got a "reminder" of the imaginary birthday and put together a small celebration.

He loved a good spot in the sun.

He loved a warm lap. It looks like the heat was off here.

A head scratching was always good.

And a game of hide-and-seek

He was excellent at cat naps

And yawns.

I said "NO FLASH!"

He wanted to be where you were and interfered with many a project.

He lounged on anything black (the better to show off his fur) and always tried to stow-away in a suitcase.

He hated costumes....here a Christmas Longhorn.

Maybe he hated Christmas. He was good at un-decorating the tree and once threw up on an artificial tree. Wait. Maybe he just hated artificial trees.

"Where's supper?"

"Nope. You don't need to make the bed. I'll nap like this."

He enjoyed a good fight and left marks on us all.

Hobbes chose not to learn how to walk on a leash. "Whose bright idea was this?"

He was a voracious reader of chapter books.

Did we mention hide-and-seek?

"Cannot see me!"

"Okay. You got me, but you will pay!"

He was an average sized cat. The vet loved it. The vet staff loved Hobbes and humored him when he visited.

Hobbes Sandwich

He was loved.

Sometimes he was tolerated.

 Rest easy, Hobbes. 1999-2020