Fun fact: The first Siamese cat came to the United States in 1878. It was a gift to President Rutherford Hayes’s wife, Lucy, from the U.S. consul in Siam (now Thailand).
Cats, while being clever animals, are sometimes too clever for their own good. One such feline was my parents’ elegant Siamese named Perky (a testament to his always perfectly perpendicular tail).
Perky had lived with Mom and Dad for many years; however, due to my parents’ declining health, a move to a seniors’ home became necessary. As Mom and Dad remained quite independent, the appropriate choice was a property where each resident had his/her own apartment but shared a common “great room” and dining room. Many of the residents had small pets, so Perky was free to move in with Mom and Dad. Following the chaos of downsizing and moving my parents, the frightened cat hid under the bed for a few days. However, he soon reappeared, adjusted well, and continued to provide good company and comfort for Mom and Dad.
Things changed, however. My mother eventually passed away, and Dad had to be moved to more secure housing because he was becoming increasingly forgetful but wasn’t ready for a full-scale Alzheimer’s facility. Instead, we found him a home shared by a handful of other residents with early-stage dementia. Full-time staff monitored this home’s residents and managed their care. To make this facility more home-like, each of the residents’ families was encouraged to bring in personal belongings to help make the home more familiar and comfortable.
Instead of supplying yet another chair or bookshelf for this home, my two sisters and I wondered if we could donate Perky. The answer was a resounding “yes,” and the cat was warmly welcomed. As cats often do, Perky made himself very much at home in his new surroundings and regally prowled the hallways. Both the residents and staff seemed to appreciate their new houseguest while Perky appreciated the increased number of laps to sit in. This may have been the perfect answer, save for one big problem.
Perky soon learned he could let himself out of the house. He would stand on his hind paws, reach up, and pull the front door handle down with his front paws. The front door would gently swing open, and Perky would casually saunter outside. A smart move, yes? One might think so; however, while Perky could now open the front door, he could not close it behind him and had absolutely no understanding of the huge safety risk this presented. Unless it was noticed immediately, the home’s open front door was an open invitation for the residents inside, who were prone to wandering away.
No doubt about it, the cat had to go — and quickly! Thankfully, Perky did not have to be turned over to an animal shelter; my older sister adopted him so he remained with the family. Perky could now go outside in my sister’s back yard whenever he wanted — no assistance required!
~Rick Lauber
