Bear the Barn Cat

Writer Jon Katz is fond of saying that they last thing many small creatures see are the gorgeous green eyes of his Bedlam Farm barn cat, Mother.

Similarly, many critters have met their end while staring into the lovely visage of Bear, the Sweetgrass Ranch barn kitty.  Ten this year, Bear is the sole survivor from a group of three kittens that I took home from Missy Pfeiffer's barn many moons ago.  Her brother, HooDoo, disappeared at ten months and last year, Bear's lifelong companion and sister, Shadow, was euthanized due to kidney failure.

True to her sunny nature, Bear has soldiered on.  Her pattern has changed, though. She used to spend long hours in the horse pastures, stalking moles and voles and unsuspecting mice.  Nowdays, Bear is hanging close to the barn and house.  She's lonely in a way that only cats can be -- she finds me more often and I'm mindful of her need to visit.

My encounters with Bear often take me back to the Pfeiffer barn.  The largest of her litter, Bear was the first kitten to come out of the hay bales, the first to greet me.  I remember a time when her two siblings seemed to be eating all the food and Bear had become scrawny.  Sensing the need for some supplemental feeding, I brought Bear into the house.  After each meal, the curious kitten would dart off and if, by chance, the toilet seat lid was up, I would find her splashing in the water.

It seems fitting that Bear remains.  Jon Katz says that animals come into your life when you need them and they leave when their work is done.  I believe he is right.  Bear has a bit more work to do here at Sweetgrass and I'm thankful for her presence.

Bear the Sweetgrass Ranch Barn Cat