Jupiter the cat
This past year was a notable one for the way the feral cat that occasionally appeared on our doorstep wound his way into our lives. Jupiter the cat not only came back to us after I put him through the traumatic process of getting fixed, he basically adopted the whole family!
I bought a heated pad to keep him warm in the cold and put out food and water for him. He has taken to spending long stretches parked in the lap of whomever sits in the rocking chair, purring up a puddle of drool in the process.
There was a stretch of a week last summer during which I didn’t see any sign of Jupiter. I became very sad and even counseled the kids that he might not have still been alive. He soon came trotting back, though, and we’ve always welcomed him to our porch.
I took Jupiter to his first real vet appointment last month and had a tricky time of it. He likes to explore the neighborhood during the daytime and I never know where he’s going to be. So, when his vet appointment rolled around I had to gamble that I could track him down to take him in.
When were were 15 minutes away from the appointment I could find no sign of the little orange furball. After a minute or two of calling to him around the neighborhood, he soon popped up and raced back home to meet me. Not only did we make the vet appointment on time, the vet told me he’s a very healthy cat.
As a feral porch cat, Jupiter comes and goes as he pleases. He’ll always have a place on our porch to hang out and he’ll certainly always have a place in our hearts.