Caspian our Lovely Decor Cat -- 2003 to 2014

This morning we lost our sweet cat, Caspian, my oldest daughter's cat.  He looked like he was peacefully resting on the deck stair but had apparently passed away in his sleep.  He was peaceful and unmarked.  The summer we moved to our new neighborhood, this daughter was very sad to have left her old house (the parents were not so sad).  She met children in the neighborhood and discovered that a family nearby had a cat who had had kittens.  The kittens were adorable and our child would bring one particular kitten home to "visit."  After a few "visits" she let us know that she would be much more amenable to living in the new house if she had a kitten of her very own.  Never let it be said she knows nothing about sales!  And the beautiful and very soft kitten joined our family and was named Caspian (after Narnia stories).  We likely have some kitten photos somewhere, but the digital ones begin when the cat was three years old.  Following are a few photos of Caspian -- no particular time or order -- with a few comments here and there. 

Caspian was a great mouser and ratter (go at it boy!) and also caught a few birds (boo, hiss).  We will miss knowing that rodents are being eliminated in our yard.  The birds will breathe a sign of relief!  The dog will keep the squirrel out (sometimes).  It must be time for you to rest from your diligent cat labors!  Rest in peace, Caspian, little cat. 

 I often have animals all over my chair while I have devotions in the mornings.  This is Caspian close up and this particular day Duncan was at my feet and Baxter, the dog, was on my left.  Caspian loved to give me a "bath" and he had a very scratchy tongue resulting in hand exfoliation!

 Caspian enjoying the sun with me earlier this summer!

  

 In his earlier days, Caspian always seemed to be able to find the clean laundry and thought it was a perfect place to sleep.  Not so much my point of view! 

 Great markings on this cat!  And his fur was very, very soft.  About the softest cat I've ever petted.

 Caspian was always good for a nap.  Here he is sleeping away on his mom's bed -- the close-up is one of my favorites.   Below is the first photo taken on the way in, hoping he would stay asleep -- and he did!

  Trying out combinations for HS graduation photo

 Caspian in 2007

 A cat and his Mom!

 I know this seems like a funny photo here, but Caspian had Captain Jack Sparrow, the same daughter's pigeon, for breakfast one morning.  It was my own fault.  I let Cap'n Jack out during the afternoon but we were busy and I forgot to lock his cage up before I went to bed.  It appears that he went into his coop for the night, but likely flew out in the early morning and was pecking around in the grass.  Unfortunately, Caspian was out looking for an early snack.  Caspian won that round.  In the early morning I ran out to check on Cap'n Jack, but it was too late.  He was the last of the half dozen or so pigeons we had has pets due to our daughter having read the Night Flyers (I think it was) American Girl (dolls) History Book.  The story was about pigeons being messengers in war and our daughter's imagination was captured.  She even raised a baby pigeon from an egg by hand. 

 Caspian would often "help" me work from home.  He found the notes from which I was writing reports to be an irresistible place to lie down and relax. 

 When I could get him to sleep by the printer, things usually went better!  I can't believe he found this at all comfortable.

 Occasionally the two cats would get along.  In the photo above, Caspian is yawning, not getting ready to throw up!  Duncan is the barfing cat, alas!

 A peaceful afternoon for the two cats.  Duncan will likely be an even more lonely cat than in the past.  His mom's in the army, so he is stuck with only the (grand)parents and the herding dog who always keeps him in his place.  Duncan has always been an emotionally needy cat, and we imagine that will increase!

 Often when I would take time to sit on the bench near the fountain in the summer, Caspian would come and sit on my lap or next to me.

 Whenever it was meal time, this cat could drive you MAD meowing!  We called him Gitmo at these times, because we could tell from our experience of him that if we sent him to Guantanamo Bay, terrorists would divulge everything they knew, if only someone would MAKE THAT CAT QUIT MEOWING!!!!  He could have been a great asset there!

 A favorite trick of the cat, as you can see above and below, was to jump onto the edge of the bird bath and stare at me until I would run upstairs and open the slider door to let him in.   He would just wait patiently.  Of course, since he was sitting on the bird bath and right across from the hummingbird feeder, I often felt motivated to let him in soon so as not to put my small feathered friends at risk!

 "Well?" says Caspian, "I'm waiting." 

Best friends, mom and furry son.

   There you are at the top of the pile of my morning coffee and devotional friends last winter.  I'll miss your scrubbing little tongue baths, your loud contented purrs and the feel of your extraordinarily soft fur. Rest in peace little friend.