I’m going to try to write this on Sunday afternoon for posting on Monday.  Sylvia is reading a book while relaxing in her recliner after our walk together.

Midnight was born probably in late March of 2009.  (We don’t know the exact date, so I have celebrated his birthday on the first of April.  I do things like that. ;)) His mother, a feral calico cat we called Checkers, gave birth to a litter of kittens in neighbor Meghan’s barn.  When the kittens were a little older,  Checkers moved four of them to our barn, which was her home.  Sylvia and I enjoyed watching the little ones when they would come out to play with their mom and with each other.

Checkers, gray tiger & Midnight enjoying summer weather.

Fall came and so did a strange queen.  I don’t know where she came from, but she was ready to pick a fight with anyone or anything.  One afternoon, I heard a terrible sound and looked out to see that queen attacking Checkers, and the fur was flying.  It was all Checkers’ fur.  Checkers was driven off and we didn’t see her for several months.

The kittens were never to be seen again either.  That is except for a little guy that was mostly black.  To tell the truth, he didn’t seem to be the cutest kitten of the litter, but he was the only one left.  We didn’t see him for a while.  Every day Sylvia or I would put out food and water for feral cats in our barn.

One day, Sylvia came back from feeding the cats and reported that the queen had hissed at her and acted aggressively.  I decided put an end to that and did.  (Don’t ask!  And don’t mess with Sylvia.)

Then Midnight appeared we fed him and watched him play as the days got shorter and the air got cooler.  He was a lonely little fellow.  He would play with an old stick he found laying on the driveway.

Midnight and his friend and playmate, the stick.

That little guy would pick that stick up in his mouth and carry it around and play with it.  He seemed to never tire of his “friend.”  We could tell that he was lonely.  Whereas he would run and hide when Mama had been around, he now would come running up to us wanting our attention and affection.  How can you not love on a cute kitten like that.  (By then, he had become cute to us.)

Midnight loves on Sylvia.

Midnight works his magic on me.

A major storm and cold snap was forecast for the night of December 3, 2009.  I said something to Sylvia about the poor kitten out in the barn not being likely to survive being alone in the cold weather.  She thought briefly then spoke, “Let’s bring him in.”  We did that the same afternoon.

Our life changed radically that day.  We are glad that it did.  Midnight spent many evening stretched out beside Sylvia in her recliner as she read a book or watched TV.  He bonded very well with me.  We had many a nap together.  We would play peek and chase games.  One his favorites was to bat a ping pong ball back and forth with me.  He loved to play “Horse in the house.”  The day before he came down sick he was particularly crazy playing that rambunctious game.

So many of you have expressed sympathy and have even said prayers.  Sylvia and I appreciate that.  Our thanks to two very special friends who even posted their tributes to midnight.  Thanks Lin and thanks Rebecca.  We feel the love.

I’ve written plenty about him on various Mondays.  If you’ve been around here for a while you are well acquainted with Midnight.  He’s gone now.  But the memory lingers.

Midnight

No “Horse in the House”
Our kitty has slipped away
We miss you Midnight

Midnight 2009 - 2012