5 years ago Prince Smedley the Bear Chaser entered yard, our home, and our hearts. 2 nights ago he didn't come home. This morning Bern found him. He had been hit by a car. I first met Smeds in my backyard. He was on the woodpile, saw me, let out a horrendous sounding meow, and continued to scream like this as he ran at me. I froze in place believing he was attacking me and stiffened against the onslaught. I've never been afraid of a cat! Instead, he rubbed at my legs with his skinny boney body while screaming and purring loudly. I called it screaming, it actually was super excited happy meowing. He never made quite the same noise after that day. He could get loud, but had a much more normal voice. I picked him up as he purred and rubbed. Several feet away my granddaughter Ciara was helping her parents put her own dog, Lucy, into the car to take to the vet to help her go to Rainbow Bridge. She saw me with this cat and instantly said we had to keep "her". Bern named him Smedley in spite of our belief, from some missing physical evidence, that this was a female. Ciara insisted in calling her Princess. A trip to the vet, certified disease free, although extremely underweight (truly skin and bones yet, surprisingly weighed 6 pounds, a testament to his actual large size for a cat) and with an infection in a wound from a cat fight. Oh, and the vet changed the name from Princess Smedley to Prince Smedley. Obviously someone had owned him and taken care of the reproductive issue. With antibiotics, tender care, and a home with us he grew into a gorgeous specimen with long back legs, long panther like body, and strong shoulders. He ended up weighing in at 15 pounds. We guessed his liniage was possibly mix of Turkish Van and some other breed like American Shorthair. Smeds immidiatly attached himself to my son in law Chris. He followed him everywhere like a dog. He'd help him with construction and repairs around the house. He'd sleep curled up in Chris's arm. He even followed Chris into the shower a few times. After being let out for early morning potty Chris would tap on the cat food can while calling Smedley for breakfast. At night Chris whistled to call him like you whistle for a dog. Smeds would come trotting down the lane from wherever. Chris insists Smedley was a hybrid dog/cat. Chris was never a cat person. Smedley changed that. Smeds earned the title Prince Smedley the Bear Chaser. He was sitting on the patio with me when a big black bear came out of the woods, crossed the lane, and started walking into our yard. Smedley took off like a shot straight at the bear hissing and growling all the way. The bear turned round, ran to the nearest tree in the yard, and shimmied up it as fast as it could. Smedley followed right up the tree stopping about 5 feet below the bear, continuing to howl and hiss. After several seconds Smedley returned to me. The bear stayed put for a couple of minutes, then slipped down and took off into the woods. Another time Bern and I watched from the patio as a mama bear chased her 2 baby cubs up to the top of a huge tree in the woods. About an hour later they all came down and ran off. Meanwhile here came Prince Smedley from their general direction to sit with us. I never felt nervous when outside when Smeds was with me. I didn't worry about my chickens while Smeds was on duty. Smedley kept the nuisance critters in check earning his wages. He would also bring them to my daughter Trisha which was respected but not appreciated. Smeds did not like being petted softly. He wanted a complete rubdown or nothing! He found catnip growing wild and would indulge heavily and often. And he shed enough to make another cat. Two nights ago Chris rattled the , food can and whistled but Smedley didn't come running. We thought maybe a storm was delaying him, hunkered down in some shelter. Same thing last night. This morning Bern found our Prince a few feet into the woods along the road. Chris buried him in our backyard along with the final can of food he had tapped to call him in. Prince Smedley the Bear Chaser, our hearts are broken because you took a piece of each of ours with you. Rest in peace big boy.
