Blackie was my cat from the age of 10 until 2 Septembers ago when she died in her sleep--she was 18.

Blackie , at age 16, had spent her life hating other animals. When I was younger and we lived in Florida she used to attack the neighborhood dogs to keep them out of her yard. Birds wouldn't nest in our trees because she would climb up and chase them away. You then could imagine my surprise when I came home from school one day and saw Blackie sun bathing in the back yard with another cat. Or so I thought.

Later that night I looked out the window to see Blackie walking the perimeter of our land like she always did, this time though she was not alone. Her friend was walking along side her, the two of them inky spots in the distance. Curious I watched longer and when they turned the corner of the yard and came toward the house and into the flood lights I laughed getting my first good look at Blackie's friend. Only my cat would befriend a skunk.

The skunk I learned a couple days later was blind. She moved herself in to the space below my front porch and I would often see Blackie bring field mice to her. I of course left out a bowl of water for her. Any friend of my cats' was a friend of mine.