Heavy heart

Sage just before his euthanasia
on February 04, 2022

With a heavy heart I write this tribute to a stellar BEing who wandered into our lives while we lived at MuRefuge. One morning when I went to let the ducks out of their secure house, I noticed this cat foraging in our compost. This continued for a few days before I decided to feed him. 

He had been brought for the then little girl across the street from us. She dragged him around, holding him with one arm around his neck. She called him "Jack". I do not know if the family quit feeding him or he just had had enough and went searching for a more suitable home . . . one to his liking and choosing.

At first I purchased cat kibble for him. And we changed his name to Jax. Then once I realized he had adopted MuRefuge as his home I began making his food much like I did for our dogs. Well, needless to say he loved the fresh meat (a rotation of beef, bison, chicken and lamb) and veggies!

Later on when he was settled into MuRefuge, one morning when again I went out to free the ducks to wander, he approached but not too close. I could see he had been in a fight. He came willing to be picked up to be put into the cat carrier I had borrowed from a neighbor who had cats. I transported him to a vet recommended to me with him howling all the way. Both the vet and her assistant were taken with Sage. He just lay on the table and let the assistant clean his wounds. She said, "I wish my cat was this easy." Stitches were put in place and instructions given to me about his care. Well, for a few days he allowed me to put the antibiotic ointment on, then nada. He did let me remove the stitches tho' without fuss.

I believe this tangle with another cat is when he contracted feline leukemia. It did not seem to shorten his life span nor affect him in any way.

He often brought me such gifts as gopher or rat heads after he had eaten all he wanted. He never seemed to understand that these gifts were rather gross to me. He just seemed so pleased with himself. Sage was excellent at keeping MuRefuge free of unwanted and often deleterious rodents.

Sage curled up sound asleep
beneath the Pineapple Guava(Feijoa sellowiana). 

When I was out in the side yard, he often approached me. I would sit down and he would crawl up into my lap

October 05, 2015

wanting petting especially on his belly.

Once Winter came providing rain, often lots of rain, the swales in the duck yard would fill up and water pooled all about. There seemed no dry spot for Sage to sleep at night. One particular wet evening Sage was soaked. I picked him up and carried him into our garage shutting the door behind me. He was displeased with his containment . . . an understatement for sure.  He was provided a box of dirt as his "litter box" and a soft bed made with a number of towels folded into another cardboard box with its sides cut down. At the time we had a space heater and kept it on during the late, cold nights. Soon he became amenable with this arrangement and came into the garage on his own, snuggling into his bed.

He and Shasta were great buddies often lying in the side yard . . . not too close and not too far apart, just a comfortable distance for both of them If Shasta would venture closer, Sage would hiss his displeasure.

When we moved to Santa Fe, Shasta missed Sage. She often told me, "I want to go home." Most every morning she and I walked to and around Lopez Park. There was a female cat who looked very much like Sage living on the North side of the park in a Stamm house. Shasta would pull on her leash to cross the street and get close to the cat. I believe she sorely missed the companionship with Sage. This cat was not interested in Shasta, however, and ran when we approached.

Sometimes Sage would just lie in the side yard seemingly enjoying the sunshine or shade if the Black Locust, with white flowers in the early Spring, provided it.

Sage would prowl about the duck yard often sitting near the flock. He seemed more interested in watching their shenanigans than anything. When we moved from MuRefuge to relocate in Santa Fe, New Mexico, I moved Sage a bit down the road to Ruby's. At that time her daughter was wanting her own pet so Sage was to be hers. Unfortunately Sage had a mind/will of his own and did not want to sleep in her room so she abdicated her ownership to her mom, Ruby. Ruby has been a wonderful "mom" to Sage. She set him up with his special place in an old chicken house on their property. As this building was rehabbed she continued feeding and caring for him. In the wintertime he had a heating pad on the chair where he liked to sleep. He was NOT interested in going into the garage where the other animals were at night. Sage was really clear with a strong sense of "he could do whatever he wanted" including making his body function in spite of a stroke. I arranged for Sage to have a conversation with Sandy Lagno, the long time animal communicator I have relied upon to hear what those animals under my care desired. When she spoke with Sage, he was ever so clear: "My body is breaking down. I felt this pressure in my head then it 'broke'. When it let go, I lost control and I changed dramatically." He went on to share that "his human" (Ruby) is aware. I feel safe with Ruby. I feel her concern. She is paying attention AND asking how I am? Where I am?" He went on "I don't have the patience to work through this. Smelly human can get me out of this. I am ok with smelly human to push me out. Not this sun . . . next one." His lesson was "surrender". So waiting another day after he could "accept 'I can't do this' and surrender. "I am old. My body is worn out." He's known this for a while but has resisted and now is at the "surrender place" he shared through Sandy. "My life is a good one," then he gave instructions for Ruby so his soul could depart unencumbered. Ruby honored Sage and had her mobile vet friend come to her place and euthanize Sage. I am hoping Ruby will allow me to plant White sage upon Sage's grave. I have chosen names for all of my most recent pets representing flowers. Sage was chosen because I love White sage AND he seemed sage, a profoundly wise cat, to me. Below is a picture of a small White sage plant growing in front of our Cotati home. I dry the leaves and use them for smudging. Forever forward I will think of Sage when I do so. So with a heavy heart I conclude this heart felt tribute to Sage. He was a special BEing who brought love and affection into all the lives he touched. Sculpture by Roxanne Swentzell