Poem for Ruby on the Day of Her Funeral

Your real name was Grandma Georgina

You were a New Mexican barn cat

You loved tuna

I locked you in the bathroom at 3 AM daily so you wouldn’t wake us up

You just curled up in the purple washcloth basket and waited to be let out

We could never use washcloths because they were too cat-hairy

You never meowed for food

except for tuna

when you heard a can opening you came running

You even took cat medicine embedded in tuna!

 

You loved Amelia

You let yourself be carried and cuddled

You never scratched or bit

Her bed was full of cat hair

You messed up Dean’s sleep by snuggling against his legs and because he is so kind to cats he never moved you

Suki chased you every time she saw you

You were always cat-germing up the kitchen counters

 

You loved being outside

You murdered grasshoppers and butterflies and once a small bird

You climbed fences and got on roofs

From the top of the roof you would meow at us and lie down and purr

We had to call you inside every night from the alley

and you would come running

lie down on the ground and meow

and let us pick you up and take you inside

Once we could not find you and spent an hour outside in the dark and snow calling you

finally we heard a faint meow from Amelia’s room

you were locked in Amelia’s closet!

 

You were soft and gray and white with white paws and a pink tongue and pink toe pads

You followed Dean through the alley to the community garden

You waited for him at Bannock and meowed till he came back

 

The day you died we tried to stop you from crossing the street

but you happily pranced across and we let you go

We are so sorry Ruby

We love you so much and we miss you

You were the best of all cats

you were sweet and gentle and brave and loving

 

Thank you for being our pet

for Ruby Brown O’Connor Sanderford

3-17-15 / 9-12-17