A True Cat

Merlin, better known as Buggy (for Love Bug), came to us for a short visit and stayed 16 years or more. He was a cat who should have been an indoor cat because he had long, beautiful hair for a coat, but his preferred place was outside. For many years he was indoors when it suited him and outdoors when he felt like it, including sitting on the back porch just out of reach of the rain when one would have thought that being indoors by the fire would be better.

He had many of the classic attributes of a cat. When we did construction projects, he was the sidewalk supervisor, checking out our work and squeezing into spaces he wanted to explore, even if that meant we had to wait a bit for the next joist to go in. He also perfected the maneuver of coming towards you, calling in his Siamese voice, then, once you started towards him, he would turn and stay just out of reach until he led you to where he wanted you to go. Herding humans was easy for him.

He always found the best spot. It might be the perfect patch of sun on a chilly day or the spot where shade and breeze were just right on a hot day. Above, he found the chair with the pillow by the Christmas tree, not the uncushioned bench or chilly floor.

He had a purr that wouldn't quit when it suited him. Sweetie loved on him every day and so Merlin would start to purring when he saw Sweetie sometimes. Sweetie was the only one Buggy would sit still for when it came to grooming, especially when it was time to remove matted fur that had gathered into a chunk. He would let me remove foxtails and burrs, but not the matted fur.

He will be greatly missed now that an embolism caused some paralysis and we had to let him go. He was grouchy and touchy and independent as hell, but that only made him dearer. Rest now Merlin. Thanks for the memories.