In Memoriam: Feral Cat Mark Twain

In Memoriam

Mark Twain, a feral cat who survived several Minnesota winters before rescue & rehabilitation to give five more years of his life as an empathic and spirited commensal. He was a ‘Bhodicattva”: An enlightened, compassionate, gentle and playful feline who never wanted to go back outdoors. He shattered the myth that feral cats cannot be rehabilitated. His coming around to trust us took 4 months before he would come out of his hiding place in our home. Gentle grooming and soliciting play with a feather were catalysts for trust and social interaction. At night he enjoyed wild chasing games and in bed was a cuddle puss who often cried out in his sleep, clear evidence of PTSD after surviving at least 4 Minnesota winters according to one neighbor who say him on occasion come to her deck and look at her cats through the glass door but never put food out for him. He helped settle down another stray cat, black and white Pinto Bean whom we rescued one mid-winter’s day and they became close buddies until Twain died from a stroke.