Allegro, Office Cat

Allegro, sharing the warmth with Zuza and Lukas

Allegro died today.  She wasn't just the former office cat of Briar Patch, she was also the first cat Carolyn and I had together.  When I moved in, my baggage included my three cats, Path, George and Jesse.  But  before I moved in, my foster cat and her three kittens moved in, because Allegro--as she would soon be called--was the fiercest Momma cat you ever saw in your life.  My big, muscle-y boy cats were terrified of her.

She captured Carolyn's heart immediately.  She was the most beautiful calico Carolyn had ever seen and she was sweet and loving and so very grateful that she didn't have to be a homeless teenage mother anymore.  She took care of her babies fiercely, and she owned the house.  All of it.  Carolyn and I named Allegro and her kittens musical names.  I had already named the baby calico Minuet--sort of like Juliette, with dancing--and Carolyn thought Allegro, because of her speed and grace.  Little Rimsky was the first to purr a loud, but high pitched kitten purr which sounded more like buzzing than purring so she was named for "The Flight of the Bumblebee".  Her only boy was just a tad slower than his sisters, so was named Adagio.

About the time my cats moved in, Allegro began to go into heat again, and was rushed off to Briar Patch for surgery and rehab.  Then it was Thanksgiving and we moved her home.  Then we found out that she hated other cats, including her children and my guys wouldn't walk past her without an escort.  Then she moved into Briar Patch to become the Office Manager.  She charmed clients, annoyed most of the staff, accepted being a demo cat for client educational purposes and occasionally flirted with dogs that would have eaten her if given the chance.  Eventually the staff banished her to the upstairs of Briar Patch where Carolyn had her office.  She began to have some health problems which we tested and treated and tested some more.

When Carolyn retired it was made clear that Briar Patch no longer needed an office cat. The bad news was that we couldn't bring her home with our four inside cats. The good news was that after thirteen years, Allegro got a home of her own where she could be the only cat, and have a human all her own.  Our friend Susan took her in and gave her everything a cat could want--ample access to her food, multiple sunspots all over the house, a place on a warm water bed at night and lots and lots of love.  

We're going to bury her here when Spring comes.  We miss her so much.