"River Quay Cat, A.K.A, Franklin Scott Quay, Kit-Kat and Buddy" in memory 12/15/2021-01/09/2023

This is the story of a lost cat, found, my cat. It's also the story of his life with me which sadly just ended today after several months of renal failure diagnosed on Sept. 9, 2022. 

Memorial for River Quay

River Quay, ?-(Not knowing his age the Vet had guessed 7-10 years, with his final health issues I am going to say he was 10-12 years old when I got him) Which would make his life, 2010-01/09/2023

On Dec.13, 2021,  I happened on the Facebook page of Columbus Park Neighborhood where I saw a lost cat posted. The funny thing, is I hardly ever go to the group pages?? I see certain postings from their page on mine but not all land there. Well, this gentleman (a cat lover himself, with two cats) posted a beautiful calico cat looking similar to a kitten my son had just adopted off the streets of Columbus Park. Thinking this cat may be part of that litter I was intrigued? OH NO, I did not want a cat but wanted some details to make sure it was not a sister to my son's cat. Asking the person who found the cat, was feeding it and watching over it the age? He seemed to think a year or so-my son's cat was younger, but still might be her sister? Well, with many back and forth messages on Facebook, I got more and more involved with this lost cat, I was getting attached and had feelings for it living on the streets in December! Needless to say, I adopted the cat that very evening! The gentleman was kind enough to bring "her" over to my apartment building. I did have a cat carry I store for my son. We transferred the cat to my carrier and exactly then "she" was my cat! The gentleman who brought "her" over brought me some liter, with no liter box of my own and it was late in the evening, I made a liter box out of a box top. Second, the problem? no cat food?? What to do? I gave him water and milk, seem to satisfy until morning. I had some salmon leftovers in the frig and he "stubbed" those. Early the next morning my son recused "her" with cat food! Why the "'s marks?? First Vet visited I found out "she" was a "he" a rare male calico! Vaccines and not need to neuter for he was already neutered. Thus, having the idea this used to be someone's cat or I guess sometimes in Columbus Park stray cats are trapped and taken to the Vet for spa or neuter, but usually, these are kittens just from liters of cats. Where had he been for possibly 10-12 years? 

I first named him "Ugg" as in ugg it's a boy! I was hoping for a girl. Then I am the age I remember the River Market as River Quay, I thought that was a cool name! My son found his cat on Charlotte street and named her Charlotte, she really is a girl calico, as precious and sweet as they come! Love that petite little cat! So on with River Quay story. 

It was nearing December 15th, 2021, exactly the time when I make 8-10 dozen Christmas Sugar Cookies. Well, guess who wanted to help and or who wanted to lie right by the bottom of the oven? Guessed it, River Quay! I had to step over him to put the cookies in the oven! 

He was such a good cat, I was always wondering why he was on the streets? Where had he lived most of his life, was he lost or dumped? For the 1st few months he just wanted to be by me, he just stayed in the living room area. I got him a shaggy bed and he loved it! Once in there, he was sleeping peacefully for hours!  He was litter box trained! I set up the litter box in my bedroom walk-in closet and never had to show him where it was! First evening with me he darted right to that litter box! I did notice he would drink a tremendous amount of water? So, I thought I needed to ask the Vet about this? I had never seen a cat drink so much water? Well, we got along just fabulously! I loved this cat and I think he loved me. We now were a family! 

After buying him some toy plush mice at CVS I learned he LOVED to play with them. This was a constant time of day, mouse play. I would put the mouse under in front of the cabinet and he swatted them under the cabinet and then tried to retrieve it, with a little help from me and the 3ft ruler we were successful in the game of "swat the mice" and then the game moved to the bottom of the bathroom door, he swatted the mice under and went around and swatted them back! Smart cat! Sometimes he just gathered them up and stood guard over them. He was so funny! One morning I awoke to mice in my bed? During the night River Quay had brought me the mice he had caught that night, so cute! What a lovely morning when you wake up to pastel plush mice in your bed. 

Another unusual thing I notice about River Quay, he was not alarmed by EXTREMELY loud noises? Like the vacuum, my counter top ice crusher (when he was lying just feet away), and the garbage disposal, never even flinched! So from that, I gathered, he might have been on the streets for a long time? He could hear very well! 

I always "loved" his many sleeping positions! So cute! Many, many pictures of the sleeping cat! I certainly would not want that many pictures of me sleeping!

River Quay would watch TV with me, he seemed to really like the weather for it would flip screen to screen and the scroll running across the bottom of the Court TV show I watched. I had an old Google Chrome Book Ipad, Hmmm? I wondered would he like to watch cat video's on youtube? He loved it! he spent hours watching his computer cat video's to the point of attacking the screen and looking behind the computer where did that string, bird or mouse go to??

They say, "Pets exist, I believe, to teach us all about love. They also teach us about loss. But without them, our lives are not as full and that works both ways." 

Today, I had to make a very difficult, once in a lifetime dicision for a my River Quay Cat, he had been diagosed with acute renal failure in Sept. 2022, with appetite stimulate and lots of love he lived until  Jan. 9, 2023. This day he crossed the Rainbow Pet Bridge to peace. 

River Quay's M.O.M. Kaye