Spot

Moving to Fayetteville was traumatic. We found ourselves living in a 600 square foot, two bedroom, concrete apartment on campus. We were not allowed to have pets! After two years years on campus we found a quieter, much larger place to stay. A townhouse on the back side of Sequoyah Mountain. We moved in March 1st. That autumn, a special guest found us.

I used to leave the kitchen door open when Orion was out playing. It was easier than listening to him slam the door dozens of times. It also afforded me better viewing of the wee one. One afternoon, while dinner was simmering on the stove, a black and white cat waltzed right in and sat down next to me on the couch. He hung out while I watched a rerun of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and took off shortly after dinner. This became a habit for the cat. But as the days shortened and the nights got chillier, the visitor began spending the night. He refused using the cat box, instead he cried at the door to be let out in the mornings. He would be waiting for us on the porch in the afternoon upon our return from school. Orion went through several names, Wide-Eyed Cat and Pom-Pom were two that he barely escaped. It was John who named Spot for the tiny white spot on his mostly black back.

Spot was an impressive hunter as well. He would bring us two to three bodies a day! We even belled the cat, but it didn't slow him down. I suppose the biggest gross out was when visitors would step outside on the porch to have a cigarette and find their bare foot in something still warm and squishy.

This went on for about a year. Until one day I found him crossing Highway 16! The very road I had seen two kitty deaths earlier that week! That evening, when he came home, he stayed home. He protested a great deal; then he promptly put on about five pounds.

Spot has got to be one of the most laid back cats on the planet. Orion and I can do just about anything to this cat and he simply rolls over, shows us his pink belly, and begs for more love! We adore our Naughty Spotty and were quite honored that he not only found us, but that he chose us for his family.