Midnight Shadow

Quirks: Chased flashlight beams, played fetch, was the "official greeter" of new arrivals.

I'd recently moved into my new home in November of 1982. One night while I was letting the dog

Jamaica out, I heard a cat meow. I thought it didn't sound like Beau or Joli but I answered, anyway.

Out from the yard across the street came this incredibly cute, ornery looking kitten. I let him in and

couldn't let him go! I checked with the neighbors to see if they knew him and nobody did.

Midnight was a charmer. He was the "Joe Cool" of the Original Four. He was so laid back that the

only thing that bothered him was dogs (woe be unto the poor dog, too!). Cat lovers & haters alike loved

him! He could get away with just about anything where visitors were concerned. Midnight had a rather

plaintive meow but he loved to be spoken to in my rendition of this precious sound! I'd talked to Joli

and Beau in their meows before Mid had arrived but their responses though so sweet weren't nearly as

reactionary as Midnight's. They liked hearing a meow from me but Midnight was the first cat I'd held

meowed "conversations" with. He was the assurance that every cat I met from then on, would have

You'll notice a lot of cats with the white triangle marking among the Herd today. Three guesses as to

which cat started that one! lol Midnight was the first cat I'd ever seen with that marking and as you can

My good-lookin' baby had so many wonderful traits, I could probably write a book about him! lol He

loved being my pillow! All I had to do was flop on my belly to read or watch TV and there he was, nudging

his way under my chin until we were both comfortable, he nestled in my arms my chin on his side. Nearly

every night when I went to bed it was his habit to knead his paws on my back for several minutes before

settling in beside me, purring the entire time! Those "Back Rubs" often helped me to be able to sleep even

at times when I thought I'd never manage. He loved to be carried around on my shoulder so he could see

Midnight was also my first fetching cat. His favorite toy was one of those wire balls with the little puffy

thing inside. If there was a shoelace tied on it, even better! :-) Instead of trying to pick it up by the wire, he'd

just pick up the shoelace and bring it back that way. Even funnier was that he usually grabbed it in the middle

of the lace somewhere so when he brought it back, the ball would swing from one front leg to another, wrapping

Midnight was also extremely accepting of new cats. I've been rescuing and finding homes for strays

ever since before I left home for the first time, so Midnight met a lot of new kitties in his time.

When Image arrived, Midnight adopted him, right away! Image was a very nervous kitten at first.

He took great comfort in nursing on a wad of fur on Midnight's belly. Mid mothered my "beast" into

relaxation and helped to create the old lover he eventually came to be. "Beast?" I started calling the

cats "beasts" as a joke. I can't imagine anyone less like a beast than a loving cat! I started it originally

with Mid, but Image took to the nickname right away and inherited it. Midnight preferred to be 'Good

Another fun quality of my long lost good lookin' kitty was that he was a playing fiend! As laid back

as he was, he loved a good scrap with his people! He was one of those delightful kitties that you could

get away with pretty much anything you wanted as long as you didn't hurt him! :-) He was nuts about

any point of light, too. He'd chase flashlight beams with abandon and if you noticed him making the

chirruping noises cats do at birds, he was seeing a point of light that caught his beautiful eyes! :-) It

got to the point that all I had to do was mimic his "bird" sounds and he'd immediately look for the

light! lol I'd run light beams around until he was dizzy but it didn't stop him. He'd just keep on going

and if I ran the beam up the wall, he'd jump halfway up the wall trying to get it! He was so much fun!!!

Midnight's passing was a shock. I had been out of town looking for a job and apartment so that I

could have my babies again. My sister Jenina was caring for them at the time. She'd told me a few weeks

previously that Midnight had urinated on her bed. I'd asked her to get Midnight to the vet immediately

and I'd repay her when I was settled. Jenina however, was a very busy lady and forgot at the time. She

also didn't know Mid as well as I did and I knew that it was sign that something was seriously wrong.

I'd gotten a job and was saving for my place when the call came. Midnight had collapsed and had been

taken to the vet. The diagnosis was advanced liver disease though there was another problem complicating

the disease. The doctors were never able to pinpoint the complication, though. The doctors were very good

At first, he responded to treatment very well. During the updates Jenina was giving me, my car had

broken down. I was having a hard time getting a ride to go see Midnight and I was walking across town

to get to work. While I was still trying desperately to get that ride, Jenina's last call was to tell me that

Midnight would be put to sleep the next day. That evening, I found a ride. I wanted to say my goodbyes

and hold my good lookin' Mid while he crossed to the bridge. For all he taught me and for all of the

When I arrived the next morning, it was to be greeted with the sad news that Midnight Shadow had

crossed the Bridge without me. I'll never stop feeling guilty for not being there for you, Baby! I hope you

A lady I was trading emails with had asked me what Mid's symptoms were while we were talking cats.

She'd had a cat with almost identical symptoms. What her vet had discovered with her lost baby was that

her kitty'd had an extremely rare form of cancer that was nearly impossible to cure. It's my guess that this

was also what Midnight had that was complicating his liver disease. With that particular cancer, the symptoms

can come and go making it seem to be far less serious than it truly is. It is also very hard for a vet to detect.

Jenina and I wish to thank you my dear friend for giving us relief of self recrimination! Jenina had

been kicking herself for not taking Mid to the vet sooner. I was doing the same for not being there and not

understanding the severity of what Jenina was telling me. We can't express our gratitude enough, Hon!!!!

Without your information, we may have blamed ourselves for the rest of our lives as we both love Mid

Cuddling with his "son," Image This was a common sight around the house...lol

To: In Loving Memory To: Keep Their Memories Alive!

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