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w at night. I don’t have as much trouble getting on the adult humans’ large pillow. Eventually, however, the male put a step stool out for me, too.</p><p id="8419">As you can see, we have a very nice home. The humans care for us very well and even the canine doesn’t bother us too much.</p><p id="c3d1">Unfortunately, Sam has been in more pain than usual. My human took him for a few solo trips outside the house, but he came home for our evening meal every single time. Until last time.</p><p id="af6f">Last time all the humans took Sam away. Sam wasn’t doing well. He could barely lift his head.</p><p id="b141">I licked his neck and ear all that morning. Sam told me he would be going away and not coming back. He was talking crazy.</p><p id="31e1">Then the humans took him and returned without him. I don’t know where he is! That was many mealtimes ago.</p><p id="60be">Sam’s younger human’s face was wet. Later that night, I went into her room and she was removing the step stool from next to her bed. She saw me and picked me up.</p><p id="748f">We stayed on her bed together. Her face was wet again, and I didn’t want to leave her. I licked her hand.</p><p id="c3a2">The canine showed up, too. He whined a little and laid next to the bed. We all stayed there for a long time.</p><p id="2295">That means Sam isn’t coming home, right? Where did he go? Do you think he’s coming back?</p><p id="11a3">The canine is upset, too. We laid next to each other all night last night. I still don’t like him, of course, but we are scared one of us will disappear next.</p><p id="36ee">Do you think the canine and I are right to worry one of us will leave forever next?</p><p id="4f0e">Worried and Scared</p><p id="dc8f">Dear W & S:</p><p id="18e4">I am sorry. It doesn’t sound as if Sam is coming home. It sounds as if Sam was sick and near the end of his life.</p><p id="8cb9">I talked to a cat at the place Anya and I go sometimes. Dr. Lucy and some other nice humans are there. They look inside my ears and mouth. They give me treats sometimes.</p><p id="d21f">The cat was a female and told me a similar story about a cat she lived with. They weren’t siblings but they were friends. Her friend was female, a lot older, and was sick a lot.</p><p id="02cf">Her human took the older cat away and came back without her. She noticed a familiar scent on her human when she came home. She smelled like Dr. Lucy.</p><p id="0eac">I can’t be sure, of course, but I think when an old cat is sick and at the end of their life, the humans take us to Dr. Lucy. Our friends must die there in more comfort than they would at home.</p><p id="5463">Sam is dead. I’m sorry to say this, but I think it is true. This comes to all of us at some point. Even to canines. Even to humans.</p><p id="7452">One day it will be your turn. That day is not today. Try to enjoy each day as it comes. Spend time with the humans

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and even, if you must, the canine.</p><p id="5714">Sam had you at the end. Your love and friendship were very important. It sounds as if Sam knew what was coming and wasn’t scared, just tired and sick.</p><p id="2b09">Sam isn’t tired and sick anymore. He can rest without pain.</p><p id="2004">Sam’s human is going to need you. Spend some extra time with her. It sounds as if you are on better relations with the dog. The young human could use extra attention from him, too.</p><p id="ceec">I am very sorry for your loss.</p><p id="643b">Xander</p><figure id="1479"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*p-jAfYplPcZjnVW_A_JzvA.jpeg"><figcaption>Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/pixelheart-397865/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=431174">Skyler H.</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=431174">Pixabay</a></figcaption></figure><p id="9691">If you liked this, you may like:</p><div id="432a" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/dear-xander-the-case-of-the-bad-eye-d800b5475981"> <div> <div> <h2>Dear Xander: The Case of the Bad Eye</h2> <div><h3>A feline advice column for other felines.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*ycf5O3WM77hd9Ju4AqiLVA.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="7a34" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/dear-xander-fierce-cat-turns-into-a-cuddly-kitty-726e1efe6b67"> <div> <div> <h2>Dear Xander: Fierce Cat Turns Into a Cuddly Kitty</h2> <div><h3>A feline advice column for other felines.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*jxHOOQmUGfIbYIW7-Xay7A.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="cc33" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/he-she-or-it-there-are-other-options-ac853c8c094e"> <div> <div> <h2>He, She, or It? There Are Other Options</h2> <div><h3>Sometimes a cat is not just a cat.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*-06f1ARWey6F_diqgJcjcQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

Dear Xander: The Case of the Trespassing Feline

A feline advice column for other felines.

Dear Xander is an advice column from a feline, for feline readers.

Xander is always in need of questions to answer.

If you have a question for Xander, please leave it in the comments and he will answer in a future column.

Dear Xander:

I caught a stray cat in my house last night! When I came back from my inspection of my territory, there was a strange cat eating out of my food bowl in the kitchen!

I chased that jerk out the pet door as fast as I could. Now I’m not sure if I should do my normal walk of inspection each night or if I should guard my food dish.

What should I do?

Guard Cat

Dear GC:

We don’t have a pet door, so it has never happened at my house.

It is a tough call. Do you guard your outside territory or your inside territory from usurpers? I assume there are no other felines in the house you can split this duty with.

It comes down to what you value more. Does it bother you more to have a strange cat in your food dish or marking your territory?

Personally, my food dish is sacred. It would bother me a lot more to have a strange feline eating out of my bowl. One time my human gave another feline my treats and the betrayal hurt. It hurt a lot. That wasn’t even my food bowl.

I would stay in the house and guard my dish. Simply by being present in the house, you will discourage anyone from sticking their nose in the pet door. If they are so stupid they come back and step inside, you will be there to take care of business.

Sharpen your claws. You are on patrol inside your house tonight.

Xander

Dear Xander:

I am an ‘only in the house’ feline. My brother and I live with a family of humans. The adult female is my primary human.

My brother Sam chose the younger female as his primary. We like the adult and younger male humans in the house, don’t get me wrong. You know how it is, though.

There is also a canine in the house. He is much younger than we are and leaves us alone or he gets a swipe of claws across his nose.

We aren’t kittens anymore. We both have aches and pains that come with getting older. The humans placed step stools in various places around the house for us. We can get on the couch again.

Sam uses the steps in his human’s room to get on the big pillow at night. I don’t have as much trouble getting on the adult humans’ large pillow. Eventually, however, the male put a step stool out for me, too.

As you can see, we have a very nice home. The humans care for us very well and even the canine doesn’t bother us too much.

Unfortunately, Sam has been in more pain than usual. My human took him for a few solo trips outside the house, but he came home for our evening meal every single time. Until last time.

Last time all the humans took Sam away. Sam wasn’t doing well. He could barely lift his head.

I licked his neck and ear all that morning. Sam told me he would be going away and not coming back. He was talking crazy.

Then the humans took him and returned without him. I don’t know where he is! That was many mealtimes ago.

Sam’s younger human’s face was wet. Later that night, I went into her room and she was removing the step stool from next to her bed. She saw me and picked me up.

We stayed on her bed together. Her face was wet again, and I didn’t want to leave her. I licked her hand.

The canine showed up, too. He whined a little and laid next to the bed. We all stayed there for a long time.

That means Sam isn’t coming home, right? Where did he go? Do you think he’s coming back?

The canine is upset, too. We laid next to each other all night last night. I still don’t like him, of course, but we are scared one of us will disappear next.

Do you think the canine and I are right to worry one of us will leave forever next?

Worried and Scared

Dear W & S:

I am sorry. It doesn’t sound as if Sam is coming home. It sounds as if Sam was sick and near the end of his life.

I talked to a cat at the place Anya and I go sometimes. Dr. Lucy and some other nice humans are there. They look inside my ears and mouth. They give me treats sometimes.

The cat was a female and told me a similar story about a cat she lived with. They weren’t siblings but they were friends. Her friend was female, a lot older, and was sick a lot.

Her human took the older cat away and came back without her. She noticed a familiar scent on her human when she came home. She smelled like Dr. Lucy.

I can’t be sure, of course, but I think when an old cat is sick and at the end of their life, the humans take us to Dr. Lucy. Our friends must die there in more comfort than they would at home.

Sam is dead. I’m sorry to say this, but I think it is true. This comes to all of us at some point. Even to canines. Even to humans.

One day it will be your turn. That day is not today. Try to enjoy each day as it comes. Spend time with the humans and even, if you must, the canine.

Sam had you at the end. Your love and friendship were very important. It sounds as if Sam knew what was coming and wasn’t scared, just tired and sick.

Sam isn’t tired and sick anymore. He can rest without pain.

Sam’s human is going to need you. Spend some extra time with her. It sounds as if you are on better relations with the dog. The young human could use extra attention from him, too.

I am very sorry for your loss.

Xander