Last January I told the story of Alton, the campground host, and Fido, the feral cat who adopted him. For ten years, Fido (named because she followed Alton around like a puppy), would be waiting at Blanco State Park each year when Alton and his wife returned, and where you saw Alton, you saw Fido – usually in his lap. Sadly, Fido won’t be there next year.As Alton tells it, Fido came down with a runny nose and had trouble keeping food down. An antibiotic from the Vet helped the runny nose, but Fido still couldn’t eat and grew weaker. After more trips to the vet, it became clear that Fido wasn’t going to get any better; after all, 10 years is a long time for a feral cat to survive. Alton says that on the final trip to the vet’s office, Fido, who usually fussed when riding in the truck, sat calmly, and at one point stretched his paw out to Alton’s arm and looked up at him as if to say she understood where they were going. Alton was with Fido at the end, and if she could talk she’d tell you that in adopting Alton she had a pretty good deal. But Alton would tell you he got the better of it.
Fido rests with other pets in a field not far from the park, and another camper crafted a simple marker, varnished nicely with her name on it. But cats are supposed to have nine lives, and maybe she’s back in another, younger body, because another feral cat, that a ranger told me no one could get near to, has
adopted Alton.
This young cat, nicknamed “Crazy” for now because of her antics, also follows Alton around, and like Fido, has discovered that sitting in his lap keeps him in one place and closer to the food supply. If you’re ever in the Blanco, Texas area, stop by the state park and say hello to Alton and his new friend…..just make sure you bring a cat treat!
