News

OBITUARY: Sarge Cat, suddenly of unknown cause

by Rhys Gardiner
Wednesday Jan 9, 2019

Sarge
Sarge  

Sunday morning, December 30, 2018, the South End lost one of its longtime citizens, a beloved "community cat". Sarge, a big orange and white neutered male, was a handsome, amiable gent. He was loyal and devoted to his bonded consort Tia Calico (lost in the big blizzard of 2015), fought only in self-defense, and was a friend to any cat in distress, bringing lost friendlies and hungry strays to our kitchen window for food and rescue.

Too wild to tolerate close human contact, he lived his whole life as a community cat on the streets around the Villa Victoria and Blackstone Square. At 12, he was healthy, active, and had outlived the average feral's lifespan at least three times over. By MA state law, any cat who lives, or spends time, outdoors must be provided a shelter by their feeder, and he survived the bitter New England winters snug in an home-made insulated shelter, which he generously shared with any other cats who needed warmth in inclement weather, friend or foe.

Sarge was a familiar sight around the South End and many of us enjoyed watching him walking casually along fence tops, lounging on a roof in the sun, or trotting around the park at night, patrolling the neighborhood.

I had the honor of being his caretaker for over a decade. In the early 2000's, unsterilized cats abounded in this neighborhood, bearing multiple litters of kittens annually. Trap-neuter-release (TNR) is the humane approach to reducing the street cat population. In Boston, this is a volunteer effort assisted by the Animal Rescue League and Charles River Alleycats. When I called to report all the stray cats running through our yard, I got recruited as a volunteer.

In 2007, I trapped Sarge for sterilization and vetting, and cared for him daily ever since with the help of my kids and roommates. His photo shows the left ear tip he proudly bore- the universal symbol of a cared-for feral who has been TNR'd. Through TNR of perhaps three dozen feral cats, rescue of a dozen friendly strays for rehoming, and as many kittens for taming, over the years the feral colony near Blackstone Square gradually reduced from 16 regulars at its peak, to just Sarge. His demise ends a chapter of the South End story.

Sarge became part of our family, visiting often and sitting at the window for company and was much loved, although he couldn't tolerate being indoors nor being close to humans. He will be missed.

On Sunday morning, December 30, at least four separate neighbors saw a cat lying in West Newton Street or Newland St., checked for signs of life, and sadly called 311 to report it dead. Animal Control fields calls regarding live animals, however the removal of dead animals falls to the Dept of Public Works.

By the time I heard from a concerned neighbor that a cat had been found dead nearby, it was too late. Efforts to find out what happened were complicated by it being Sunday, the imminent New Year's holiday, lack of recorded details, and no way to reach the DPW staff who handled the removal. Initially, there was some concern that one or more cats might have been poisoned- horrifying but plausible given the heightened rat activity related to all the recent utility work. However, it now seems probable that he was struck by a car. Although several people had called in to 311, there was only one "case" on record, for removal of a dead animal, closed with little detail and no additional notes from subsequent callers.

After multiple calls with neighbors, to 311 and DPW, a staffer eventually located a photograph, which brought some closure by positively confirming the cat's identity—sadly, it was our Sarge. Surprisingly, there's no established protocol for identifying dead cats and dogs picked up by the City. Is it long or short haired; neutered; coat color and pattern, legs, tail, face markings, and size? For cats, is it ear-tipped? Many pet owners rely on microchips to provide contact information in case of emergency.

However, it only works if the animal is scanned for a chip, which isn't current practice. DPW doesn't have a scanner. Thanks to DPW staff for engaging in discussion and hopefully following up on suggestions such as photographing, labelling by location found, taking a written description, and scanning for a microchip, for any pet-type animals in future. Sarge lent beauty to our neighborhood with his genial though elusive presence. Thanks to a caring neighbor, a visual of candles, flowers and photos marks his site. In his memory, or in honor of community cats, contributions of any amount are invited to ARL Boston-Community Cat Services, 10 Chandler St., Boston MA 02116

This poem was written for Sarge by a new South End resident, Patience Andrew, a poet from Nigeria working at Teen Empowerment this year as an Atlas Corps Fellow:

I saw him
through the
windowpane
glaring
calmly
penetratively
peacefully
I only could wish
for such presence
with a comely fur
I wish I had touched.

I felt naked
to his peering eyes
as one knowing
my weakness
yet not judging
reminding me
life is here and now
But is this just a cat?
Or is it the conscious
connection he brings.

I do not know
how to stop
seeing his face
and how much
he taught us
to give all we hold
in our sweaty palms
was he just a cat?
Certainly, no
He was more...


Sarge  


Sarge