Myka the Barn Cat

Myka was a barn cat. A sweet little runt of a cat, but she ruled our barn like the warrior goddess she was. If you ever came to our farm you pry have seen her, trying to dart inside to grab a bite to eat before she was seen (most of the time she was seen). She was a sweet cat but loving on people wasn’t really her thing, and if you were lucky enough to get close for a scratch, you knew she could turn on you any second. You had to be on your toes if you were going to give her lovings. She was the favorite of many kids- they always were asking “Wheres Myka? Wheres your cat?” only to realize they couldn’t pet her- but still those golden green eyes and pitch black fur won the hearts of many.

Myka’s story is a little bit of a crazy one. She didn’t get picked out from a litter off craigslist, she wasn’t the cutest one of all the kittens we have seen- no she came off the streets sopping wet, barely alive and we vowed to rescue her. One night in the pouring down rain my parents found her on the side of the road. She was itsy bitsy, maybe 3 weeks old, scared out of her mind and she frantically found my parents wheel the safest place to be when the car stopped. They pulled her out of the wheel, dried her off and kept her warm until we could welcome her to our farm. She lived in a trashcan converted cat house for a couple days while she regained some strength, every time we would check on her she would fight like the crazy cat she was. I think she lost about 4 lives that night, but Lord did she get lucky when those sweet parents of mine saved her from loosing the other 5.

When she came to our farm she was anything but ready for the big barn as a home. She was maybe a couple pounds and smaller than birds that fly around here. We had to get creative, well because we wanted her to live in the barn, not become a snack for the dogs. So the chicken brooder became a cat pen, she would find shelter in here while we train the dogs she is not food. (Cats are friends not food! ). After a couple weeks, lots of lovings and some new rules around the barn the queen of the barn was released and man did she love it!

She would walk the gables, climb the posts, and roll in the dirt, every inch of that barn had her paws on it at one time or another. She was fed well, and loved even more every day she was here in the barn. She grew and grew (not very big all together though) and enjoyed her life of “luxury”. She got fed morning and night, got to pounce bugs during the day and even was the first guest to every new animal birthed or brought to our barn. She was the belle of the barn as you call it- everyone welcomed her into their stall, even with their new babies.

Myka had her place here, she greeted us every morning and night on the workbench. She ran into the barn with a jingle of her treats. She was a fierce warrior but let us (the ones who fed her) love on her anytime we wanted (or needed) to. She was a part of Sunken Springs Farm. And today we had to say goodbye to all of that, to the morning greetings, the black cat fur, the purring when we scratched under her flea collar. Today we said goodbye to Myka.

She came home a couple days ago dazed and confused, she seemed in pain but we couldn’t find any marks on her. We put her in her hay bale, the one she always slept in, and hoped it was just something she ate. The next day she was gone! Good news, so we thought, she was feeling better and now off and hunting them micers again. Until we found her back in the barn, unable to walk, dizzy and seemingly ill. We put her in her special spot and said a prayer, we tried giving her some water but she could barely lift her head. We left her to rest, only to find her today completely gone. All 9 lives used up. No more coming back to the barn.

No matter how many animals I say goodbye to on the farm “the next one” isn’t any easier. The next one, especially when you aren’t ready to say goodbye, cut just as deep into your animal loving heart as the last one. We will have new babies arrive soon that won’t get to meet the black whiskers in their face. We will have farm camp again with no greetings from the barn cat. I will have morning chores that just seem a little heart wrenching for a time. Our hearts our sad. Our hearts are broken. Our hearts will mend but always have the crack from saying goodbye. Myka was a fierce cat and we hope she enjoyed her time on the farm, we certainly enjoyed every minute with her.

Rest in Peace Sweet Myka, you will be missed.