"We're All Stories in the End."

Keep Up Creations
Jan 24, 2024
4 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

"We're all stories, in the end. Just make it a good one, eh?" - The Eleventh Doctor, episode "The Big Bang", series Doctor Who

Silver Sterling, Egyptian Mau, is asleep on a blue seat cushion under a table. His leg is wrapped over his face with his eyes peering over.

Silver Sterling came into my life at just the right time. My life was beginning a stage of transition that I was unaware of yet. Looking back, I believe Providence brought our lives to intersect.

I was living in an apartment complex where I first met this boy. Silver was brought home as a tiny kitten by his first people, "neighbors" one building over from me. I talked with Silver's first lady as she sat on the balcony with the tiny kitten romping so very close to the edge. "He's a cat. He'll be fine." she would tell me. As he grew, they allowed this beautiful boy to simply wander the apartment complex, unaltered yet front paw declawed. Yes, you read the correctly - unaltered but without the ability to defend himself against fully clawed tomcats who lived in our area.

Silver Sterling, Egyptian Mau, is in the bathtub peeking around a clear shower curtained decorated with green and blue fish.

During that first year that Silver was outside, we started to get to know one another. He would come when I would call his name or give his whistle. When he would come for visits, he got to know my girls (Cajun, Stardust, and Moz) through a baby gate in our doorway. They were the ones who taught Silver what toys were, as he seemed to have no idea what a toy was or how to play with it. More than a few ended up over the edge of the balcony.

Those first people ended up interacting with Silver abusively rather than lovingly. There were numerous incidents that are not pleasant to speak of at all, unfortunately all were within view of the entire apartment complex. One last encounter horrified me. I saw them punt-kick him, causing him to fly a few feet high and a span of over five feet away.

Silver Sterling, Egyptian Mau, is outside by a small trunked tree. He is tethered by a long blue leash.

That was the last straw! I whistled and called Silver's name. He righted himself after his tumble and came running over to me and right into my apartment. I was not letting him out ever again! But I had no future plan for a fourth cat.

Thanksgiving was coming very soon, and I was going to visit my parents in Missouri. Cajun, Stardust, and Moz always traveled with me. This time, Silver was going to join us, but he would be staying at a rescue friend's house. That friend also arranged for Silver's neuter to happen while we were in town.

During Thanksgiving break, Cajun's time to cross the Rainbow Bridge came about. I was not expecting it. Sure, she was getting on in years, and her health wasn't the greatest, but Cajun Spooks was my heart-cat, my first-born. I wasn't ready!

Oh, how my heart broke!

Silver Sterling, Egyptian Mau, is standing at attention next to a plastic rounded cat carrier.

The day after I said goodbye to Cajun, I arranged to bring Silver home from my rescue friend's house. Now, at 18 months old, Silver Sterling, an Egyptian Mau, was to become the newest member of my household.

We returned to Ohio a few days later, and what happened over the next few days and weeks cemented Silver's position in my heart.

Silver Sterling, Egyptian Mau, is looking out a vertical blind covered window with his friend and playmate Stanley Manley who is a tabby tuxedo.

Silver proceeded to spend his days and nights sleeping in all the same spots that had been Cajun's favorites. It was as though the two of them had had a conversation before we went back for Thanksgiving. Cajun telling Silver her time was closing and here are all the things that she loved and places she thought were the best and when she is gone Mommy will miss seeing her doing this or being there. Cajun was right. I would have been an even bigger mess, but she must have talked with Silver because every time I turned around, there he was sleeping in Cajun's spot on the cat tree, napping on Cajun's spot on the bed, playing with Cajun's favorite toys, and so on.

Silver Sterling, Egyptian Mau, looks out the glass storm door from inside the house.

Fast forward a few years and a few moves to living in the Miami Valley area of Ohio. Silver had taken to being my defender, nearly from the beginning, always putting himself between me and any strangers (particularly men) that would come to our door. I loved that Silver was my protector but wondered what he would do if ever a man came into my life. Soon I would find out.

Silver Sterling, Egyptian Mau, sits slightly hidden by the wood door while a goose feather rests on the (ugly) green carpet floor in front of him.

Early in our relationship, John brought a feather for Silver that he had found at his workplace. It was Silver's biggest delight and won Silver's affections. Apparently, my boy could be bought all for the price of a goose feather. Some weeks after that, John brought a peacock feather. My goodness! You should have heard the conversation Silver had seeing that huge feather! Silver KNEW that feather was for him and he wanted it NOW!!!

Silver Sterling, Egyptian Mau, wrapped up in a fleece blanket decorated with red and green snowflakes. Daddy holds the Silver Sterling burrito-ed cat.

After we married and moved into a new house, Silver became fully a daddy's boy. I was still Mommy, but John was Silver's world now, which I was fine with. Silver became John's first-ever pet. Silver taught John how to be a cat daddy, and John provided Silver the positive affections from a man that Silver had been craving all along. Silver, to this day, sleeps curled up in John's arms every night. Melt my heart!

Daddy lies on the floor wearing his white uniform searching under the refrigerator for Silver Sterling's, Egyptian Mau, lost toys.

Early in our marriage, John wrestled with breathing issues, especially at night. Silver would try to alert and wake John and if he couldn't Silver would wake me to wake John. Eventually a medical device helped settle John's breathing issues, but Silver will still wake me if he is not happy with the way John is sleeping. Medical alert cat extraordinaire!

Silver is our founding Foundling. Since him, we have added to our family, all foundlings. He has greeted every newcomer to our family. Some he has had to bap a time or two to make sure they know he is boss of the house, but there is a respect there that every member of the Foundling Clowder shows to Silver that no one else is given.