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Lost my shop mascot and a friend
Lots of different folks have different opinions about cats. My family has had a cat for as long as I can remember. When I built my taxidermy studio it didn’t take long for me to decide I needed a shop cat.
Dad and I were on our way to fish Lake Barkley and stopped at a bait shop for minnows. There was a huge cat that laid around there and I commented to the owner that I sure would love to have a cat like that one. He said he had a litter of kittens that were just starting to be weaned. He asked if I wanted one and what sex? I said probably male. He said there is a beautiful tiger-stripe male.
He said he would get off at around 3 and could bring the kitten back to the shop and we could drop by then to see it. One look at that kitten and there was no doubt he was going to the shop with me.
It took a while before I decided he needed to be named Camo.
Camo became known to everybody who frequented my shop. My Dad delighted in pestering him and making him fight. Most visits from Dad meant he would leave bloody. I told Dad he was going to get me sued by somebody who got bit by Camo thinking that person wanted to fight. Most folks learned quickly to keep their hands away from his face.
He grew to almost 15 pounds, bigger than some bobcats I mounted. He never thought of himself as a cat. He was a Labrador Retriever like his buddies who went there with me most days. He loved the 4 litters of labs that were born in the back room and played with each one before they went to new homes. The puppies quickly learned what their limits with Camo were. He put up with a lot but would slap a puppy’s face if it got too rough.
When I was gone for a month or three on my waterfowl guide trips, Camo was looked after by family or friends. There was never a doubt that he missed me and was glad to see me back. There was also no doubt that the shop was his domain and all others were just allowed to be there at his discretion.
When my first great snow goose chocolate lab, Kutter, became sick and had to be put down, his ashes were placed in a barn wood box with a hand-carved Snow Goose decoy on top. He and Camo had sat there and watched me build it.
Camo will be placed in that box, along with Faith, our friend and momma to 38 great puppies, and Kutter. When my time comes, those ashes will be mixed with mine.
Today has been hard but the decision to ease his pain was easy. 17 years of love and friendship.
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