JD - the cat

This blog could easily be called 'spine chilling cat noises in the night'.    

But first I need to talk about JD.  He belongs to Darren, Jay and Jespa.   He is 13 years old, blind in one eye  which is the result of a fight with another local cat, has mangy fur, fleas and is thin.   He either suffers from forgetfulness, as he meows to be fed, even though he has just eaten his food, or he is a very clever cat and thinks he is going to get more food, which often happens.   He is well loved, and knows it.

But on this particular night, I did not love JD.   Even though I thought I might have been responsible for his demise.  

It all started about 12 o'clock at night.   The house was quiet and dark.   Then I heard a repetitive scratching noise, 'scratch, scratch', pause, 'scratch, scratch', pause, and so it went on.   Then silence.   After five minutes, an almighty howling started, spine tingling howling.   The type of howling that occurs when an animal is in pain.    I nudged Walter to go and investigate.   Brave man.   Walter saw JD and thought, 'out he goes'.   Then we heard the sound of howling again, an animal in pain, outside this time, then the sound of a fight, and something hitting the back patio door, and finally a loud thud against the tin fence.   Silence.  Panic. JD has got into a fight with a large lizard, or another cat, or a snake or something.   But there was no way we were going to go out to investigate.    Cowards, I know.   We could not face seeing a mangled cat, outside, in the dark.   And mangled he must be, because nothing could survive being thrown against a tin fence.  How where we going to explain his death to the children.   But the next morning JD walked in the back door, happily, and meowed for his breakfast.

But the truth came out later on in the morning.   Scott told us about his experiences with JD the previous night, and it was then we realised that the events and noises were not as we thought the previous night.   JD scratched at Scott's door, so Scott let him in.   JD immediately went to sleep beside Scott's pillow.   Scott started to pat JD, and then saw a flea.  As much as Scott loves JD, he did not relish fleas in his bed.   So Scott tried to pick JD up to put him out, but JD went all limp, and refused to move, or stand.   So Scott dumped JD outside his bedroom, and JD started howling and howling (in anger), which is when Walter arrived and put him outside.   JD did not have a fight with another creature.    Oh no, JD was so angry, he threw himself at the door, the side window and the fence, before he finally gave in and went to sleep on a chair outside.   Temper, temper, temper!     

So lots of life left in this old cat, then.    A cat with a temper!  He gets no sympathy from me.   Oh no!  You are on your own now, JD.