Scooter AKA Grumper

One cold December day, this little old man showed up in the backyard.

There was little doubt he'd been raised by a caring human, but for reasons we'll never know, he was abandoned. When I first approached him, thinking he was feral and would run away, he rolled onto his back and looked at me with a pathetic plea of desperation.

I declared I was not going to touch him, but would offer him food and water. Two days later, he did his usual morning routine of rolling onto his back and staring with need. Then he did something new. He walked over and rubbed my ankle. Without thought, I reached down and gave him a pat, and was lost to his charm.

It was a good day for Scooter. He had two serious infections on his face, one inside his upper lip. both had begun to poison him. A trip to the vet proved traumatic for all involved, but treatment saved his life.

We attempted to bring him into the house, but he didn't want to share and fought Graymatter tooth and nail until we knew he would always be an outdoor animal. He moved to the daylight basement and seemed fine with the transition.

However, he is old. He likes a morning walk too, which we do every day. His favorite time is spent on the handrail of the boardwalk, but getting up isn't as easy some days as others.

This leap was on a morning when he was determined to succeed without my lifting him. The previous two days his old hips bothered him too much to even attempt the jump. It is over 36 inches high, which is a lot for an oldster.

I waited, ready to help if needed, ready to give him a final boost, but cats being cats (so much like some humans I've known) stubborn and self-reliant is a way of life.

He succeeded without assistance and proceeded to scratch the railing to mark his achievement. Yes, I'm old, he seemed to say with every gesture, but that's a long ways from finished!

Cats, you gotta love 'em!