Fancy Feast

This is not my story, but it is one of my favorites.

***

Pat was the morning man at one of the radio stations where I worked in the early 1990's.  He had a cat named Buddah.  Buddah had a diet of mainly Fancy Feast canned cat food.  At dinnertime, Pat would ask, "Buddah, Feast?" In response, Buddah would meow like crazy.

One day Buddah got out of Pat's apartment and disappeared.  Pat alerted the local humane societies and police departments in case someone reported or brought in a stray.
And he waited.
A day or two later, the humane society called Pat to let him know they had a cat that fit his description of Buddah.  Could he come in and identify this cat?  Pat said no.
"Just go in front of the cage and say, 'Feast'.  Then tell me what happens."

Even from the phone, Pat heard his beloved Buddah hollering from the cage half a building away.

***

Both Buddah and Pat have passed from this world.
But I remember them fondly every time I feed my own cat a can of Fancy Feast.
(Of course, he doesn't understand why I hold up the can and say, "Buddah, feast?")