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septembre 1994 – janvier 2009

Hercule was a magnificent red Persian with orange eyes. He was playful, affectionate, lively, and put an end to the prejudices which claim that Persian cats are pillows of apartment.

His noble lineage did not prevent him from having commoner’s soul. After 10 years in an apartment, he hunted quickly and successfully his first bird as he was able to reach a real garden, and proudly brought it in the middle of the lounge to offer it to Claire and Momo.

Hercule had in heart to follow closely the human activities which took place in the house : cooking, do-it-yourself, renovation… He did not hesitate to verify the conformity of the equipment of the worker or the commercial by going into their suitcase or their toolbox. He is also the only cat this day that was not afraid of the vacuum cleaner : Claire had almost to aspire his tail so that he grants weakly to move 30 centimeters away.

At the end of 2007, his right superior canine needed to be removed. Nobody knew while the osseous tumor which would overcome him began most probably its work. Céleste’s and Loupi’s arrival in spring 2008 brought some animation in the house, and some entertainment to Hercule : Loupi was tolerated with the help of slaps, but a real affection was born since the first meeting between the old Persian and the quite young farm ladycat : cuddles, nose to nose, food sharing… Hercule was the only one to be with whom Céleste showed herself soft and gentle. Every morning, she was going to see him and looking for him to eat, and it is only after that that she left attending to her outdoor activities. In summer of the same year, Hercule began to have difficulty in crunching his food : he passed then to a softer food. But in autumn, a facial deformation appeared gradually to the location of the tumor. Claire and Momo then made the difficult decision to put him to sleep and help to cross the Rainbow Bridge to avoid him more useless sufferings.

Some anecdotes:

• A badly calculated jump up to the edge of the window sent directly Hercule in the massif of dahlias which was just next size down : luckily, the apartment was in a half-floor.
• By wanting to jump on the table to see closely how Claire prepared a pizza, Hercule landed four paws in the plate whitewashed by olive oil. His paws slid each from his side and he found himself face downward in the oil. Shameful of his clumsiness, he left at a run in the house, pursued by Claire who manages finally to catch him and to wash his paws and his oily tummy.
• Hercule is the only one to know what hid behind the heap of coal which was still under the staircase of the cellar in the house recently bought by Claire and Momo. In spite of the boards who had to forbid the access, he managed to jump on the other side, and to return all black there, dusty, and covered with cobwebs.