Takou

Patrice and I are sad to report the death of our dear cat, Takou. Takou shared our home and our hearts for sixteen years.

Like all of our cats, Takou was a rescue and was a very happy cat. He became Chief Cat in our house in 2014 upon the death of the previous Chief Cat, Zuki. Takou took his duties as Chief Cat very seriously and kept a sharp lookout for other cats wandering in our yard or neighborhood whom he thought posed a threat. When he spotted one he raised an alarm and enlisted his under-cats – Kitsumi and Panje – to race with him from window to window to keep watch until the threat was gone.

Takou was a mighty hunter. It was a rare day when he didn’t stalk and capture his favorite toy, ‘Froggy’ and carry Froggy through the house loudly and proudly announcing his victory. He was also proficient at stalking the red dot although, despite his claims, he never actually caught it.

As a young cat, Takou engaged in an extensive study of squirrels and their behavior. From his office atop a cat tower on our screen porch he studied them for hours. We believe he was on a first name basis with some.

He was careful to take care of himself. He made very sure he got enough to eat and plenty of sleep. He supervised the under-cats when they got treats and, if they didn’t eat them fast enough, Takou would show them how it was done. He had a dozen or so special sleeping places around the house which he used regularly.

Takou was a special cat to us. We gave him the best life we could and he was a happy cat. We will miss him terribly.