His Name Is Tango
I am pleased to say this is not a memorial for a pet who has crossed the rainbow bridge or gone wherever pets go when life leaves their bodies. I’ve already written one of those this year. Instead, this is a homage to the undisputed
King of Our House, Tango.
Yes, I know that I’ve written about our Pekingese who believes he is Chinese royalty. Yet, he doesn’t rule because he mostly ignores everyone else and because ruling would be work and he’s too regal to work.
No, the reigning role belongs to Tango.
When the kidneys of our 17-year-old cat Chewey decided to retire from service, our family was catless for a few months. Chewey was an indoor cat until, at the age of 12, she decided to live in the wilds of our residential yard, refusing to come indoors even in freezing weather. Because my husband wasn’t too keen on having an indoor cat and because I worried too much to have another outdoor cat, I sadly decided we should remain catless.
Until, Tango appeared on Facebook.
That wasn’t his name, of course. He was a nameless cat held by a college-aged friend who rescued him from the parking lot of a student complex after most of the residents had moved. He was clean, flea-less, and friendly — obviously someone’s pet at one time. He was trying to survive on garbage, getting routinely beaten up by feral bullies.
Yisel gave him refuge and searched fruitlessly for his owner, resulting in the horrific conclusion he was dumped when the school year ended. Not in a position to keep him, she posted his photo. He was an adult cat, about 18 months. If I were to adopt a cat, I wanted an older one, not a rambunctious kitten. This cat was the perfect age.
Knowing Ben was warming to the idea of a house cat, I showed him the photo. Without hesitation he said:
His name is Tango.
I met Tango the next day and knew he was the perfect fit for our family — timid, loving, and gentle. He came home with me.
My husband, who relented on the house cat issue, had one rule:
No cats in my bed.
That rule lasted one night as you can see from this photo showing legs that are definitely NOT mine!
Tango became our loving companion, sleeping with us all night and occupying our bed through most of the daylight hours, buried under the sheet and blankets. A gentle soul, he was well accepted by our now-deceased dog Pooh and benevolently ignored by Chanelito.
When we rescued two guinea pigs, Tango shocked us with his tenderness around them.
Tango weathered our move last year like a champ, quickly adjusting to his new home, enjoying the show of ducks and squirrels from the porch.
Even making friends with a black-bellied whistling duck!
But, by nature, Tango is a cuddler, prone to long naps and laziness.
He grew chunky and became less active, acting older than his years.
I began to consider adding another cat to our family.
Then, a cat picture appeared on Facebook!!
A cross-eyed tiger about a year old with the same student-abandonment story as Tango. Ben christened him Sébastien, and he came home with us.
After a violent introduction that made a lie of Tango’s passivity, Sébastien became the brother, playmate, and workout coach he needed. And, in turn, our passive Tango became his younger brother’s protector.
When we mistakenly adopted a large dog who was too much for us and for our pets, and when said dog decided Sébastien needed to be chased throughout the house, Tango sprang into action, whooping-up on the dog and sending her hiding in the shower. The dog was returned to the rescue with our apologies.
When our two new little dogs, Syau and Sophie, who had no experience with cats, decided cats must be indoor squirrels and double-teamed Tango and Sébastien, Tango was on them like white on rice. Syau and Sophie never bothered either cat again.
