Happy Jack

Happy is as happy does. Simba, a rescued tabby from Port Lavaca, came to live with us about 11 years ago as a kitten full of vim and vigor. He has mellowed out as the years have gone by, turning into a sweet, placid feline that has kept my grandmother company for many years now.

I was not looking for another cat, but he found me while I was working at Memorial Medical Center. The night security guard, an old ex of mine, knew I was a sucker for animals and met me coming off work one night with a ball of orange fur in his hand. He told me that they would have to call animal control to come pick up this little kitten that had been hanging out by the hospital if someone didn't take him home. He knew he had a sucker audience. I tried my best to resist, as I had two cats and grandmother, one (we were living together at the time). Well, you can see how that worked out. He rode all the way home in my back seat with nary a peep. He immediately got along with the other cats, and kept us laughing with hilarious kitten antics. When I moved a couple years later, I left Simba with grandma and her other cat, Missy, since they had grown quite attached to each other, and my two cats, KitKat and Caesar, were enough for me.

Simba has morphed into a tranquil, unassuming, mellow cat who, despite getting insulin injections twice a day and undergoing a radical change in diet for his diabetes, never complains or fusses, and takes everything in stride. He has never fought or raised a paw to any other cats around here, and even hangs out around the dog, although he was never around dogs until he moved here with grandma about a year and a half ago. He is grandma's companion and friend, and keeps her lap warm during the day and her feet warm at night. He is doing wonderful, with his diabetes well controlled, and our little MelloYello continues to add happiness to our lives. Simba is indeed a "Happy Jack".