Scooter, Pet Cat to the Premier, Dies at 11

Alston, CA, Jan 18 · 3 Plowshare 72 – Scooter, the pet cat to the Premier and head of both customs and the Cambrian division of the Siroccan Defence Forces, died today. She was 11 years old.

Her death was confirmed in a statement issued by the Premier’s office this evening, which stated that her death was believed to be cancer-related.

The statement spoke of the “immense grief” being felt by the Premier and his family, and said that her loss is a “devastating blow” to the nation.

“Scooter was a dearly beloved member of the family, and her passing has shaken us all. Her illness robbed us of many more years together, but we are thankful for the time we were able to share together.”

The Premier, Mr. Anderson, arrived in Alston on Tuesday afternoon to be with Scooter. The two spent most of the last two days together, with both scarcely leaving the other’s side on Thursday morning and afternoon. By that time, Scooter, who had been eating very little for some weeks, remained very quiet and restful.

Scooter was euthanised at around 2:40pm at a veterinary facility outside Alston. She had been comforted until her last moment by the Premier.

Her body was returned to Alston at around 3pm. In a brief ceremony owing to poor weather, she was interred with full honours in a plot in the Tent Pegs National Cemetery, close to her friend Maxie, who died in 2013.

Mr. Anderson is due to return to Havilland tomorrow.

Her death comes after months of mounting concerns over her health. Several months ago, she was found to be eating very little, and as Christmas neared, she became sensitive when being held, owing to a sore spot on her belly. She was taken to the vet on the morning of December 27 (12 Argus) and was released after tests on the basis of provisional results. The results, which indicated the possibility of cancerous growths on one or more of her organs, were received earlier this month.

Her health began to decline further in the days following the results, before rallying last weekend. In the Premier’s statement, one sentence reads: “we believe that she knew her time had come, and she was holding out to say goodbye to those she cared about.”

The Life and Times of the Tabby Cat

Scooter was born on October 4, 2006 (19 Hurricane 61) in an SPCA facility in Northland, New Zealand. She was adopted by the Premier’s family on December 16 (1 Argus) that year. She was chosen over her siblings for her playful undoing of the Premier’s shoelaces, something she was said to have done only once in the years following her adoption.

In the process of choosing a name for her, a number of suggestions were floated, with Avalon and Narnia early favourites; it was ultimately the Premier’s mother who suggested Scooter, owing to the kitten’s propensity to run about at high speed. While Scooter would eventually take life at a slower pace, she remained quick on her feet when necessary.

An expert hunter, she was able to capture or kill a number of animals and birds over the years. Among her most famous returns were a small white rabbit found very much alive, if scared, hiding behind a television set, which was set free; another discovery was that of the body of a stoat that she had killed. Her triumph over a stoat, animals known for being good fighters, was celebrated.

While in her earlier years she was a keen hunter of birds, in her later years she was content to watch them instead, although she would still occasionally fell any unfortunate bird that had caught her eye.

Scooter and the Premier had a very close relationship in their years together. The Premier was her preferred choice for play-fighting, with the Premier noting after his move to Rathlyn in 2013 that it was the first time his hands had been free of scratches since her arrival.