Sapphire Samurai came into our lives four hours after we had to send one of our cats to the Bridge. He was under the avocado tree in the front yard. We could tell by looking at him that he was an expensive cat, and with his markings and the internet we were actually able to track down his breeder.
Because the previous owners had violated the contract signed with the purchase, she was happy to tell us we could keep him. The only thing she wanted was for us to have “what wasn’t broken fixed.” I told her, “The surgery date is next Wednesday.”
Sapphire Samurai loves to lie down in places that make it hard for us large humans to get around. Doorways and narrow walkways are his specialty. If he’s sprawled in just the right position, you can expect an attempt to bite or scratch as you try to step over him. I think it amuses him to watch our antics trying to get around.
When I’m in the kitchen, so is the cat. He feels that any time I’m there, it is time for him to eat. He’ll climb up on the back of the chairs to get closer to eye level, and then he’ll start yowling. Watching him get back down is hilarious, but he doesn’t see it that way.
He is in love with chicken wings. He also likes chicken fat, butter and bacon. If he smells any of the four, he will be under my feet, sniffing for all he’s worth to try to find the source. This does not please me, because I’m usually still working with it and a cat underfoot is a problem when you’re cooking.
In fact, he likes to be a cat underfoot any chance he gets. Like every cat I’ve ever met, when we are walking around, he has a genius for being right where we plan to put our next foot.
He does do a couple of things I’ve never seen a cat do before. One of them is herding. If he wants something, he will try to herd us to whatever the object of his desire is. Usually, it’s his food bowl or to the front door. (He has a 20 foot lead so he can go outside without getting in danger.)
When he’s bored and I’m on the computer, he’ll jump up on the desk and lay down between my arms. He’ll rest his head on my left arm and stay there until I move him or get up myself. Most of the time that’s cute, though if I’m writing an article at the time it can be highly annoying.
Sapphire Samurai is seventeen now, and slowing down a bit. I know cats of his breed can live into their twenties. I’m glad, because we will definitely miss him when he goes to the bridge. We won’t, however, miss the scratches.