Here, from reader Tom, is the story of a church cat who became an atheist:
Hello, this is Zack. In 1992 he began life in an animal shelter in Berkley California. A woman lawyer adopted him as a kitten. He spent many hours in the office of this lawyer, learning the ways of a quiet office cat. By 1995, the lawyer decided to go to seminary school in Berkley. Zack spent many hours with her in her studies of religion and how to be a pastor’s cat. He lived in the dorm with the many students there, going from room to room negotiating treats. The law years must have done him well. Upon graduation in 1999, the pastor was assigned to a church in Boulder Creek, California and Zack became the church cat. The pastor needed a roommate so the search went out and eventually Liz came to live with Zack and the pastor. Liz brought with her a blind diabetic dog Harry and a boyfriend Tom who had no religion. These awesome people became good friends. Eventually the pastor moved through a couple of assignments taking Zack with her, ending up back in Berkley. The pastor became a dog person because of Liz and Harry and acquired a pair of Jack Russell terriers, who don’t live well with old cats. The pastor needed to find a new home for aging Zack. So Zack began a new life in 2005 in the godless home of Liz and Tom. Liz, Tom and Zack live happily together in Boulder Creek, curled up with good books.
Sadly Zack’s carbon and other elements are now being returned to nature from which he borrowed them. He really was a good cat.
Awwwww… poor Zack. I hope he had a good godless end.
As a poet said “Lif is læne: eal scæceð leoht and lif somod” – ‘Life is loaned, everything passes, light and life together’.
Aw damn. Sure looked like he was a special critter.
I love the photo… it looks like Zack just read an especially sardonic passage of Hitch’s.
Sorry to hear about Zack’s demise. He was a good cat, even if he never learned to spell Berkeley properly.
Sweet. 20 is a good run! My previous kitteh lived to 22. She was stone deaf for about the last 5 years and had dementia for the last year or two. In spite of all, she was a wonderful old cat and tolerated a rambunctious toddler amazingly well (no batting, growling, or biting, ever).
Tom, sorry to hear about Zack’s demise (just read the other comments). You gave him a good life. That’s all we can do for our furry friends.
Awww, darling picture of Annabelle!
She was a wonderful girl. She was always very thin and so sought the sunshine at all times.
Zack, we hardly knew ye.
Zack was 19 when he went last fall and had a good life and end. Couldn’t ask for better. And now he is honored on WEIT! 🙂
He had a long and interesting life. Thanks for sharing this day-brightening story! RIP, Zack.
And as for the lawyer turned pastor, well, dogmatic people do seem more prone to dogs. She was better off back when she was able to appreciate a good cat. Zack was lucky to have moved on to you, Tom.